O Come All Ye Wasteful
Tips about how to reduce our consumption over the festive period.
With around one billion Christmas cards being sent in the UK this year(1), over £5.7 million being spent on decorations in Oxfordshire alone (2) and enough wrapping paper used in the UK to completely cover an area larger than Oxford, Banbury, Witney, Abingdon or Didcot (1) there’s a massive rise in consumption over the festive period.
Despite all this extra potential for waste Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP) wants us all to think about having a more sustainable Christmas. A green version of a much loved Christmas carol has even been produced (3).
“Having a green Christmas is about making some simple choices but still having as much fun. By thinking about what gifts we buy, buying and cooking only as much food as we can realistically eat and maybe sending a few electronic greeting cards, we can not only reduce the amount of waste we produce, but save money too’” says Paul Mocroft OWP communications officer.
To get people started OWP has free eCards on its website and will be giving away high quality recycled wrapping paper at events and from select council offices across the county.
OWP chair Cllr John Tanner is planning a green Christmas himself, he says: “I'm no Scrooge but make sure you have a Happy Christmas and not just a rubbish Christmas. Buying or cooking more stuff than the family need is expensive and bad for the environment. Why not give vouchers for presents? Try electronic Christmas cards and don't forget to reuse and recycle. That goes for your wrapping paper, your food waste and your Christmas tree.”
- Source Waste Watch
- From British Retail Consortium (cost per household [£23] x households in Oxon [248000])
- The Twelve Green Days of Christmas - a video on the Oxfordshire County Council website. A high quality version can be supplied on request.
- Free recycled wrapping paper is available on a first come first served basis from Monday 14th December from the following locations:
- Bodicote House, Banbury
- Banbury One Stop Shop, Castle Quay, Banbury
- Bicester One Stop Shop, Market Square, Bicester
- Kidlington One Stop Shop, Exeter Hall, Kidlington
- Town Centre Shop, Witney
- Elmfield Council Office, Witney
- Visitor Information Centre, Chipping Norton
- South Oxfordshire District Council offices, Crowmarsh Gifford
- Speedwell House, Speedwell Street, Oxford
- Abbey House, Abingdon
- Handed out by Green Santa at the following events:
- 12th December, Green Fair, Town Hall, Oxford
- 13th December, Kassam Stadium, Oxford
- 18th – 21st December, Great Green and Ethical Market, Gloucester Green Market.
- Two static and two animated eCards.
- Waste Recycling Centre Christmas and New Year opening times:
- Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years’ Day
- 08:00 to 15:00 on Christmas Eve and New Years’ Eve
