Top tips for a sustainable Christmas

Check out some of their tips below. 

Limit food waste and packaging 

Hannah and Liam from ‘The Rubbish Trip’

Hannah and Liam have lived without a rubbish bin since 2015. Through their shared project, The Rubbish Trip, they offer insights into this experience while advocating and conducting research for zero waste.  

They both emphasised that Christmas can be a great time to slow down and connect with family and friends. However, the big celebratory dinners can generate a lot of waste — from packaging to wasted food.  

Here is how they approach zero waste Christmas meals: 

• Avoid panic buying on Christmas Eve. Instead, plan your meals so that you just buy what you need. Have a plan for your leftovers too. 
• Opt for homemade treats rather than packaged ones – try your hand at making homemade mince pies, plum pudding, pavlova, and even panettone! 
• Buy your ingredients and meat with minimal packaging by bringing your own bags and containers to stores that have bulk bins and delis so you can buy the goodies unpackaged.

For a full list of stores that offer low-waste shopping options, see The Rubbish Trip’s Greater Wellington Region Zero Waste Shopping Guide. 

Think about ‘Rescue Meals’ 

Kate Walmsley – Composting Manager at Kaicycle 

Kaicycle provides food scrap collection and composting services to local businesses and households and runs a community farm in Newtown. They run volunteer sessions during the week, host a monthly Community Day, and there are plenty more ways to get involved like through the Farm Whānau scheme, team experiences and more. 

Times of the year when we're hosting and cooking up a storm, like Christmas, are when avoidable food waste can ramp up! But with good planning and fridge systems, we can make the most of our kai. 

Kate says one of her favourite tips for reducing this waste are "rescue meals". 

“These are a regular event in our whare, to use up limp veges and random bits in the fridge and freezer. In the week or two leading up to Christmas, bang out a few rescue meals to make space for Christmas leftovers! Perhaps a prize for the most delicious or creative rescue meal?”  

To learn more about Kaicycle or sign up for a compost collection check out their website Kaicycle Urban Farm and Composting. 

‘Less stuff, more joy’

Polly Griffiths – Sustainability Manager at Sustainability Trust and Project Lead at Te Aro Zero Waste 

By the end of Boxing Day 2023, around 5,300 unwanted gifts had already been listed on Trade Me. To avoid contributing to this, Polly (pictured left) believes in the mantra ‘less stuff, more joy,’ so she keeps gift-giving simple. She only buys ‘stuff’ for a few close family members, mostly the kids, making sure it’s something they truly want, durable enough to last or be repaired, and easy to pass on when they no longer need it. And for others, Polly focuses on experiences, charity donations or even tree planting — gifts that keep on giving, with no waste. 

As the Project Lead at Te Aro Zero Waste on Forresters Lane, Polly says that this is a great place to get your Christmas gifts sorted. They have preloved treasures, from vintage tech to a range of cool as tools. If your gift involves making or fixing something, they offer bookable repair stations, where you can borrow sewing machines and electronic repair equipment, alongside a well-stocked haberdashery. 

Remember your reusables! 

Ali Kirkpatrick – Project and Operations Manager at FillGood 

FillGood provides a reusable serviceware system for events, venues, and hospitality, eliminating single-use products and making the switch to reuse easy. This is especially important during Christmas as the festive season creates 30 percent more waste each year!  

With 25,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste being generated in Aotearoa this Christmas, a great way to cut waste out of celebrations is to remember to take your reusable cup, container and cutlery when you’re out and about, says Ali.  

“When supporting local businesses, have a think about their approach to sustainability. Graze in Kelburn is one of my favourites. They’re all about reducing waste in hospitality, using refillable containers where possible, and partnering with suppliers to cut down on packaging! And if you are an event organiser, give FillGood a call and they can talk to you about tailor made reuse solutions to swap out the single-use!” 

To learn more about FillGood check out their website.

Find a pre-loved gift at the Tip Shop 

Max Oxton – Tip Shop Resource Recovery Officer  

In the month after Christmas, Wellingtonians send 40 percent more rubbish to the Southern Landfill than any other month, making it the busiest time of the year for the Tip Shop. By purchasing pre-loved gifts, you can save money, discover unique treasures, and reduce waste — while still finding something exceptional for your friends and whānau. Max says that you’ll always be able to find something unique at the Tip Shop. 

“Recently, we've had some great items arrive at the Tip Shop, including a high-quality pair of diving flippers and a few boogie boards — perfect for summer!"