How to have an eco-friendly Christmas: City of Darwin’s tips for a green celebration

With Christmas around the corner, City of Darwin shares its tips on how to have an eco-friendly celebration. Find out more.

City of Darwin has teamed up with I’M PLASTIC FREE founder Simona Paganetto to share their tips for a sustainable and eco-friendly Christmas celebration.

With Christmas fast approaching, City of Darwin is encouraging the community to “unwrap the gift of sustainability” by reducing food waste, using eco-friendly decorations and being mindful of spending.

“By embracing mindful spending, feasting sustainably, and adopting eco-friendly practices for Christmas trees and decorations, the Darwin community can make a genuinely positive impact on the environment,” a spokesperson said.

City of Darwin is encouraging everyone to opt for sustainable options this festive season such as DIY-ing Christmas decorations from recycled materials. Picture: iStock

Australians are expected to spend around $4.98 billion on food this Christmas, with one-third likely to end up discarded, leading to harmful methane emissions in landfills.

“Around the world, it is estimated that the amount of waste produced at Christmas time increases by approximately 30 per cent when compared to the rest of the year, with nearly 5 million tonnes of food going straight into landfill,” a spokesperson said.

To prevent waste, City of Darwin recommends embracing zero-waste cooking to reduce excess ingredients, freezing leftovers, preserving food using veggie swag bags or cloths, and donating leftovers to neighbours or local food charities like Foodbank or OzHarvest.

To save money and reduce waste on gifts, opt for eco-friendly and plastic-free gifts, such as handmade wooden toys or buying second-hand treasures from local op shops.

Alternatively, you can support a non-profit organisation with gift purchases or donate to a charity or shop.

Prevent food waste this Christmas by freezing, storing and/or donating leftovers. Picture: iStock

People are also encouraged to reuse their fake Christmas trees – which can last up to 20 years depending on the material – to reduce its carbon footprint.

“If you have a fake PVC Christmas tree, reuse it yearly to reduce its carbon footprint.

“Opt for second-hand trees or get creative by making one from a wooden step ladder, bottles, or decorating an indoor or outdoor plant.

“Consider a real, living tree with roots that can be planted after the festive season.”

When buying new decorations, City of Darwin urges people to “choose plastic-free” and opt for reusable kits or use platforms like Facebook Marketplace to buy second-hand.

For the DIY lovers, they suggest making eco-friendly decorations and crackers from recycled items and materials like cinnamon sticks, macramé, or repurposed mahogany tree seed pods.

Originally published as How to have an eco-friendly Christmas: City of Darwin’s tips for a green celebration