End of December means, for most of us, celebrations, Christmas, end of the year events... We all are looking forward to this period, which will allow us to take a break and step into the new year as rested as possible. However, we have found that these celebrations also have an impact on our planet, and although the goal is not to urge people to stop celebrating, it is more of a reminder that we can celebrate while also being environmentally conscious and reducing our carbon footprint these days as much as possible.
In the UK, December 24, 25, and 26 account for more than 5.5% of the country's annual carbon footprint. Single-use paper for gifts and Christmas trees, food waste, light pollution... The end-of-year celebrations have a colossal environmental impact. The average carbon footprint in this period represents 650 kg of CO2 by person, huge. It is the equivalent of a Paris – New York flight. Christmas lights, on another hand, are generating enough kWh this week to provide energy for more than 800 000 households for a year. Putting these numbers together can be scary to us and makes us realize how little things can impact our planet. Then, we may ask ourselves, are the impact of Christmas and end-of-the-year festivities significant? And how do we reduce it?
On another hand, food is also an environmental issue at Christmas time. Holidays are often characterized by big meals, where everyone eats and eats too much. Overconsumption of meat and food waste are king during this period. We also recall that the French are fond of foie gras, while the practice of force-feeding animals (used to make foie gras) is prohibited in many of our neighbors. But we’ll come back to that. Researchers from the Stockholm Environment Institute have conducted a survey on CO2 emissions per habitant for Christmas. The Christmas gifts offered would represent 310 kg of CO2 emitted, to which must be added food, travel, illuminations, and others.
Christmas remains, in France, one of the biggest family celebrations and a great moment of conviviality shared between several people. It is important to know that there are ways to reduce your environmental footprint without spoiling the magic of Christmas. For example, opt for exchangeable gifts, so as not to give unnecessary presents. It is possible in many shops to ask for receipts without an apparent price. Buying second-hand can be interesting (video games, bicycles...): this practice is developing more and more, and it is quite possible to find quality second-hand objects, even new ones, for example in the numerous toy fairs and garage sales that flourish before Christmas, but also on the web. Great savings in perspective. Indeed, at Christmas, giving second-hand gifts is one of the most ecological and economical solutions against over-consumption. At this level, the platforms propelled by the boom of the second-hand market have their role to play. Vinted, Le Bon Coin, Label Emmaüs, Momox or Cash Express... So many actors advocate virtuous consumption and can communicate in a positive and modern way around Christmas shopping. Making second-hand gifts "trendy", added to a lot of willingness on the part of committed friends and family: perhaps enough to shatter the last barriers. And finally, democratize the second hand under the tree.
Also, try to have a quality tree that you can keep for several years (more than 3 years) or make your own tree out of discarded materials (for the more creative ones). We avoid buying an artificial tree. The environmental impact of its manufacture is considerable. These fake trees are often made of PVC, plastic, and aluminum, whose production and transformation generate pollution and waste. In addition, they are almost all manufactured in Asia, which increases the impact of transportation. Of course, we will use the same tree year after year... in principle. To amortize its environmental impact, an artificial tree should be used between 5 and 20 years minimum. However, on average, it is only kept for 6 years, according to the French Agency for the Environment and Energy Management. So, of course, if we have an artificial tree in a box in the attic, we take it out. And if we choose this option, we make sure to use it as long as possible in order to amortize its environmental impact. Instead, a real tree has the advantage of being natural, renewable, and biodegradable. It is more respectful of the environment than an artificial one.
Finally, you can also choose to cook a more responsible meal by favoring local, organic, or labeled products. Yes, it is possible! Since food represents 25% of greenhouse gas emissions in France, here are a few simple gestures to reduce our year-end impact:
use local and seasonal products ;
give priority to quality meat and vegetable products (vegetables, starches, legumes);
avoid food waste.
But also, remember to avoid overdosing on the food for each guest. Even for parties, there is no need for three starters, two main courses, three desserts... because they won't eat everything!
To take things a step further, you can also get your hands dirty with eco-friendly recipes for holiday meals. They can even come from great chefs!
The star of festive meals is often the meat. Leg of lamb, duck, meatloaf, blood sausages, and various roasts are usually on the menu. We'll see below that you can replace them with vegetarian alternatives, but not everyone wants to. If you don't want to go meatless this holiday season, you can still go green. Simply by ordering from a farmer near you. There are now many of them offering these services. Some butchers also offer to order for you.
On the menu of festivities, there is often fish. Starting with smoked salmon or salmon tartar! But in industrial farms, these fish are fed with animal meal and antibiotics. For salmon and other fish, turn to organic or, if you can't afford it, to wild fish. The French eat 60,000 tons of lobster during the end-of-year celebrations, most of which come from a distant country: Canada. Scallops are often transported frozen from Argentina, the United States, Japan, or Vietnam.
These dishes are not very ecological because of the pollution linked to their transportation and their farming conditions. On the other hand, you can gorge yourself on fresh, hot, or stuffed oysters. In addition to the gustatory advantages, beneficial for health (rich in vitamins B12 and iron) and low in calories, oysters are eco-friendly. They are raised in the sea in classified areas, without any addition of chemicals. Their production method is 100% natural; therefore there is no organic label for oysters, as they all are, but only a red label signifying superior quality. The oyster is ecological to the end because the shells of the crushed oysters can be composted.
In short, the magic of Christmas is always present for the youngest and the oldest, but this does not mean that you should forget the ecological cost of this celebration. Without ruining the festive atmosphere, two or three small changes in your end-of-year celebrations can make a difference! We are approaching a critical point in the lifetime of our planet, and we believe that if each of us could make these small changes, we would help and move toward a more sustainable future.
Commentaires