We live in a throw away world. While we talk a good fight about recycling and reusing packaging products we don't appear to be very good at it, especially in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Consider these facts about waste created over Christmas alone the United Kingdom:
The waste created in Britain over Christmas is equivalent to 400,000 double-decker buses, stretching all the way from London to New York City! And even though half of this waste could easily be recycled, almost 90% will actually end up in the dustbin.
Parties and presents account for a 30% increase in the number of bottles and cans binned, not to mention the Christmas trees, extra packaging, paper and card thrown out across the capital.
It is estimated that over Christmas as much as 83 sq km of wrapping paper will end up in UK rubbish bins, enough to cover an area larger than Guernsey or enough to cover Hyde Park 33 times!
Around 125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging are thrown away over Christmas - that's the equivalent weight of more than 50,000 polar bears!
Royal Mail delivers around 150 million cards and packets during the pre-Christmas period. It is estimated that up to 1 billion Christmas cards (17 for every man, woman and child) could end up afterwards in bins across the UK. If all the Christmas cards were laid end to end they would span from London to Sydney and back more than five times!
Over six million trees were bought last Christmas in the UK, most of which were thrown out after December creating over 9,000 tonnes of additional rubbish, almost five times the weight of the London Eye.
It is a sad fact that half of the waste we produce could be easily recycled or composted, but that nearly 80 per cent will end up in the dustbin.
So, what can we do to cut down on the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.
A practical idea is to buy products which are designed to be reused. You can now purchase gift wrap products online which can be reused and regifted over and over again. They are even individually numbered to enable them to be tracked online as they make their journeys from person to person and from place to place around the world!
If you live in the US or Canada you can purchase these fun and practical products at www.wrapsacks.com and if you live in Europe go to www.churchviewmarketing.com
Consider sending greetings cards via email. Not only be reducing landfill content and transportation emissions, you will also brighten up the recipriants day, especially if they receive your e-card at work. Check out www.bluemountain.com they will even give you a free month's trial.
When you go for the papers this Sunday why not walk down to the shop and take your empty bottles with you to drop off at your local recycling bins.
So there are several practical things you can do to help the environment which don't particularly take you out of your way.
Happy recycling!
