The end of the year is upon us again, and with it the holidays. For weeks now, shops have been dressing up for Christmas, more and more events are being organised to celebrate the holiday of love, while many people are still at work, working hard to finish their tasks.
For some it's the best time of the year and for others it's the most stressful time of the year, revolving around travel, food and gifts. But let's not forget our planet! We've got some tips to make this holiday as green as possible.
Christmas tree
We couldn't start with anything other than the symbol of Christmas, the Christmas tree!
But before we get into the details, take our quiz to find out which Christmas tree suits you best:
Once you have your answer, let's move on! Let's see what the options are:
Felled wood
Fortunately, in many cities here at home , pine trees are grown in woodlots. These places are in Zala, Somogy and Veszprém counties, among others, and most of them are family businesses. Their aim is to supply the population with Christmas trees.
Here we find it important to clarify that the trees bought at the fairs are not felled from random forests, but from plantations that are then replanted. And depending on their size, trees can live for up to 10-20 years before they are felled, during which time they clean the air!
If you choose this option, it's worth bearing in mind that you should buy from the producer closest to you. The ecological footprint of your Christmas tree can be increased if it is transported many kilometres by car.
A good solution in the capital is www.online-fenyo.huwho transport trees in and around Budapest by bicycle for carbon neutral transport. Another advantage is that the trees are only felled during the order process, so no tree is unnecessarily removed from the ground.
What should be done with the wood after the decorations are removed? Let's find out about tree collection opportunities in our area. In this case, you will have to put the wood in the designated place at the announced time, and it will be chipped and used as fuel, providing heat and electricity for many households.
While incineration is not 100% environmentally friendly, we can choose other alternatives! If you have a garden, instead of throwing the wood away, compost the needles. But be aware that the resin in these leaves causes them to decompose slowly, so spread them in mixed compost in 3-4 centimetre layers. This compost will only be ideal for plants that prefer acidic soil because of the Ph value of the needles.
You can chop up the tree branches and use them as mulch, but if you don't cut them so small, you can even stake them in the vegetable garden. You can also use the trunk to make super ornaments for the garden, for example, or even indoors!
Artificial pine
Artificial pine trees can be considered environmentally friendly if the wood is used for at least 20 years. Since they are mostly made in China and use non-degradable PVC, they consume a lot of resources and may even contain lead, a substance that is harmful to the Earth. Think carefully before you choose this one! Ask yourself, are we prepared to look at the same tree every year for 20 years? Also, keep in mind that you are looking for a version made in Europe and one that is made of PE material.
Live pine rental
At Oasis Horticulture we have been able to rent spherical pine trees for years. Within the framework of the promotion, you can return the marked potted live pine trees you have bought from them between 2-8 January 2024 and buy 50% of them back. Click here for details.
What happens to the wood after it is returned? Most of the returned trees are returned to their final location by the nursery with the help of NGOs and associations, where the trees are planted.
If you take advantage of this option, you can find out more about pine tree care on this page.
Spherical wood
Most nurseries will sell you a spherical tree, but this is only recommended if you have a garden or know someone who will be happy to receive it. It is also worth bearing in mind that the tree you choose should come from a local nursery close to you. The care is similar to that of a borrowed tree, it is recommended to keep it as little as possible in a heated place and to pay attention to watering and humidification. At this link how to plant a pine tree.
If we feel that we can keep the tree alive and replant it year after year in a larger pot, this is the most sustainable solution in the long run, as we only have to buy the tree once.
Other alternatives and decorations
No one has to stick to the classic Christmas tree! For example, there are do-it-yourself options. For this tree all you need are branches 3-5 centimetres thick, a drill, a thicker block of wood or an old slat for the base, and a longer supporting branch. You can even get this result from scrap or waste wood.
Source: 5percblog.hu
If you don't want to stick to the tree experience, you can even decorate with tree branches in a vase, which are a great addition to your Christmas decor.
As for the decorations more and more domestic designers are making more and more beautiful ones! Examples include Mulberry birds, but also the Meskán you can choose from a wide range of options. But instead of buying them, you can also make them yourself. We can think about harvests, drying fruit. Apples, oranges, lemons and carnations can look very pretty on the tree. But we can also experiment with gingerbread figures and salt-flour clay arrangementsand with home-made saloon sweets and homemade!
Last but not least, ask around with family and friends if they have any Christmas decorations that have gone out of date. You could even swap them for a period! But it's also great to renew old ones.
When it comes to light bulbs, buy the LED version, and during the holidays, make sure you don't leave the bulbs and decorative lights on unnecessarily.
Finally, let's consider how much time we actually spend at home during the holidays, and whether it's really worth buying a Christmas tree, or just decorating our homes for the Advent season.
Dinner
To get sustainability on the agenda, here are the steps we suggest for your Christmas dinner:
Don't plan too much!
The first and most important step is to be aware of how many people you are cooking for, so you don't over plan the menu. Let's also think about whether we need three main courses and four types of cake. If possible, let's discuss with the family who will do what, so that one or two people don't have to do all the preparation. Once you have the number of people, ask them about any preferences so that you don't prepare anything unnecessarily: someone might be dairy-free, gluten-free, meat-free or fish-free.
A According to Nébih research, 1.8 million tonnes of food waste is generated annually in Hungarywhich is more than 60 kg per person. Don't feed the bin at Christmas!
If we have unwittingly gone overboard, let's bring our creative side to the fore and come up with some solutions to save the rest! The recipes on Cookpad, Mindmegette and Nosalty are all designed to help us in this process.
Also pay attention to proper storage! Cover the prepared food as soon as possible and put it in the fridge with the lid on, in a box, because airborne microbes multiply quickly at room temperature. Also find out how long food can be safely stored in the fridge and which foods can be frozen. You can read more about this on Greenfo here.
And last but not least, we can think of those who do not have the opportunity to eat fresh, cooked food in a warm home at Christmas. If you would like to donate any leftovers that are still fit for human consumption, the Budapest Bike Mafia will help you deliver them to those in need. You can read more about this here: www.etelmentes.hu
Vegan and vegetarian options
We are not telling you something new by saying that plant-based foods are more environmentally friendly, are we? Not only do they require fewer resources to grow and produce, but they also reduce the environmental impact of animal production. The whole menu does not have to be meat-free. Just one dish is enough to balance out the amount of meat you eat.
Meat-free meals can be very varied
Shopping
As far as shopping is concerned, once you have planned, make sure you make a list of things you need to buy. During this time of year, there are a lot of promotions in the shops, which can make it easy to overbuy, but if you stick to your list, you're less likely to come home with more than you planned.
If we can, let's support local producers! Buy Hungarian products without packaging if possible. Go to a market near you and support local farms. Even if we can't buy everything from them, we are already helping the environment by buying mostly local produce.
Food ordering
You can also order food instead of cooking. In this paragraph, we've collected the places in the capital where you can order vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Las Vegans has created the oil and sugar-free treats in collaboration with the dietician Peace on a Plate. Among other things, you can order chowders, stuffed cabbage and bejgli: https://lasvegans.eu/karacsonyi-menurendeles/
At the Sunshine Restaurant, you can order not only vegan versions of exciting Hungarian dishes, but also non-traditional dishes made from plant-based ingredients: https://rendeles.napfenyesetterem.hu/
Last but not least, we also recommend the Food Restaurant, where you can find meat-free versions of Christmas dishes and desserts. You'll find both traditional and truly innovative dishes: https://pest.elelemetterem.hu/karacsonyra-rendelheto/
Another super green option is Munch, which is also a food rescue, but you have to be really spontaneous: https://munch.hu
Gift giving
As for gifts, there are plenty of sustainable solutions to choose from!
Hungarian products
Let's start with the greenest version: sourcing Hungarian products. If you can, buy from Hungarian designers and brands. That way, as well as the gift travelling light, you can make sure that you're supporting a local brand with your money. You can look for sustainable businesses in particular! Let's get inspired by greenguide.hu from the collection of greegide.eu! But we can also think small and buy craft beers, food, soaps, cosmetics.
With our gift, we can encourage the recipient to live a greener lifestyle! Whether it's a book or anything that promotes sustainable living, a good surprise could be a canteen, a canvas bag or a packaging-free hygiene tool. You can buy them in packaging-free shops, eco-friendly webshops.
In addition, you can bring anything that is recycled or reusable! Buy second hand and products that are durable, quality and won't end up in the bin after a few uses.
Buy toys for children made from natural materials to stop the plastic mountain growing at home. Or even find second-hand but new-looking treasures in Facebook groups!
Give the gift of experience
Concert, theatre, cinema, hiking, sightseeing, wellness? What is your recipient's favourite pastime? Instead of accumulating yet another unnecessary item for him, surprise him with an activity! Check out sustainable workshops, go ceramics together, try something new. If you don't have a fixed idea, make handmade coupons that can be redeemed each month and fix a programme together. If you want to explore the local hiking spots, head to the Blue Trail!
We now have more and more opportunities to give eco-friendly gifts
You make the giftsyour gift
If you're having a hard time getting in the mood for Christmas, maybe gift making will help! You can gift your loved ones with chutney, jam or a tea blend, for example, but you can also include face creams, body lotions, soaps and body butters made from natural ingredients.
If time allows and you're willing to experiment, feel free to knit, embroider or sew a fun pattern on a T-shirt or canvas bag. Get out your coloured pencils and paint and draw or paint your favourite shared memory! You can even put together a photo album. These are much more valuable gifts than a randomly bought item.
What to pack
To start, you can choose recycled paper packaging, which you can buy at almost any drugstore. But natural greaseproof paper, which can be bought at the post office, is also a good option. And instead of glue, use string for tying!
If you don't want to be a victim of paper waste, look in the bottom of your cupboard and find a gift bag that's still in a decent condition! Feel free to use them again this year!
However, canvas bags or tiny canvas bags are also great alternatives for packaging, so you can even reduce packaging waste. Plus, they can be reused by the recipient later!
But if you have unused clothes at home, you can also sew them into wraps, reusing items that have been sitting in your wardrobe for a long time.
A few tips for gift giving
Make a list within the agreed limits (price, quantity). This will help your loved ones to avoid buying unnecessary things you wouldn't otherwise need or like.
Finally, before we start the gift hunt, let's think about what gift giving means to us. What do we want to say with the gift? Are we sure we want to show our love with an expensive object?
Let us write one more sentence about the trip!
We are coming to the end of our article, but we wanted to write a short paragraph about the eco-friendly options for travelling.
The holidays are a time when many of us get in the car, or even on a plane. On the one hand, if you can, choose public transport: take the bus or train.
If you're definitely going by car, but have two empty seats in the back, advertise it on, for example, oszkar.com. You never know who might be looking for a ride in the same direction!
And if you're planning a trip to another country for Christmas, consider whether you can't have a similar experience at home.
Don't forget to clean up!
Don't worry, that's really almost the last of our thoughts, and we don't have much to say here except: CYCLE!
Christmas present CYCLE for you!
If you want to keep your home toxin-free during the holidays, browse our products and take advantage of our Christmas promotion: we'll give you a 10X selection for free for purchases over HUF 15,000! Add the product to your basket to redeem your discount.
And in this article, you'll find some useful tips for cleaning up.
Getting around
As the festive season approaches, it is important to look after our own wellbeing as well as the environment. You don't have to follow all the advice here! Let's pick and choose the ones that are most comfortable for us and incorporate them into our weeks ahead.
In the midst of the end-of-year rush, it's easy to overwork ourselves, so remember that part of the point of the holidays is to recharge and spend quality time with loved ones. Remember that an idyllic, cosy Christmas is not just about green solutions, but also about looking after ourselves and those we care about.
We wish you a pleasant and environmentally friendly holiday season!
