Eco-Congregation Westport has top tips for a green Christmas

THIS Christmas, Eco-Congregation Westport encourages you to think about the environment and how your choices impact the earth.

Below are a few tips to help you ‘green’ your Christmas.

Think before you shop and ask yourself three questions: Do you (or the recipient) need it? Is there a more environmentally friendly alternative? Will it last?

Gifts: Consider the gift of time. Bring your niece to the cinema, your auntie for lunch, buy tickets to a concert, go horse riding. Give a gift of charity, eg. Trocaire gift cards give to those in need.

Shop locally and if possible choose sustainable materials. Buy practical gifts that help the environment - a reusable cup for a coffee lover, a water canister, bike lights, etc.

Travel: Before you jump in the car ask yourself could you choose Smarter Travel? Could you buy locally? Could you organise your errands so that you make one trip instead of many?

Make sure to empty your car so you are not carrying around extra weight and using excess fuel.

Food: Try to include at least one organic food item in your Christmas shopping basket. Only buy what you need and use leftovers – over one million tonnes of food is wasted in Ireland yearly (EPA, 2016). Consider eating less meat this Christmas.

Decorations: Buy a real tree. Instead of buying plastic decorations consider using nature or handmade ornaments to decorate your home. Recycle or better still reuse wrapping paper.

Around the house: Switching off electrical appliances and lights when not in use is an easy way to reduce your GHG emissions, as is controlling your heating so it’s not too hot or on when you’re not around.

Always remember the waste hierarchy – Prevent, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Buying products with less packaging or using real dishes instead of disposable are easy ways of preventing waste.

And most importantly: Slow down and enjoy. Give yourself time, spend time with each other and spend time in nature.

Next year talk to people about the environment. Discuss the issues with local politicians. Continue to make choices with the environment in mind. Get involved with local groups such as Westport Eco-Congregation, Tidy Towns, GIY, Westport Civic Trust.

Nollaig Shona ó Eco-Congregation Westport.

St. Mary’s Church and Holy Trinity Church are working together to become an Eco-Congregation by incorporating environmental measures into all aspects of church life including spiritual, practical, community and global. For more information, see westportparish.ie/eco-congregation.