Go greener this Christmas
There is a direct link between the health of our planet and the health of our people. This Christmas, here’s how you can do your part to be more sustainable.
Gifts
Charity and second-hand shops are a great sustainable alternative, where you can find low-cost, good-quality gifts for your friends and family. You can also donate clothes, toys and books to your local shops and help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill. Find your local shops here.
To wrap your gifts, choose greener options by wrapping your gifts in materials or old newspapers, or by reusing delivery boxes and reusable gift bags.
Food
Try a veggie diet this Christmas. The production of plant-based foods requires less land, fewer resources, and produces vastly fewer greenhouse gas emissions, therefore by switching meat for plant based options we can reduce emissions.
Focus on how much food you’re wasting. When we waste food, we also waste all the energy and water it takes to grow, harvest, transport, and package it. Reduce your food waste by freezing left over food to eat at a later date, or be creative with your left overs by searching for recipes with ingredients you already have in your kitchen.
Eat local, seasonal food. Eating seasonally means eating foods that are naturally grown at the same time that you eat them. Not only is eating local, seasonal food tastier and more nutritious, but it also reduces the carbon footprint because the produce hasn’t travelled as far.
Travel
We will all be gearing up to visit family and friends over the festive period. Although active travel won’t be feasible for some journeys over Christmas, we can choose greener transport options where possible.
Switching to a car-free lifestyle reduces pollution, improves health, and can help you save money.
Replacing your car trips wherever possible through walking, cycling and public transport can make a huge difference in helping the environment.
Get more tips on how to implement active travel into your lifestyle and enjoy the benefits today.
At Barts Health, we are committed to being a more sustainable organisation. You can read our Green Plan to find out how we are planning to achieve a greener future.