The Reduce and Recycle hub team at Saturday Market W3 have put together 12 things you can do to have a sustainable Christmas and New Year. It includes all the great community groups and organisations that have come along to the hub in 2022.
Day 1
Design your own Christmas Jumper!
Create a Christmas jumper by customising one of your current jumpers or tops. You can create a #Christmasjumper from an old plain jumper and use all sorts of materials such as felt, wool, ribbon or children’s crafting materials to create your design. You can also update and #upcycle an existing Christmas jumper using the same materials. Check out our video with #EalingRepaircafe to see how or visit there blog at:
https://ealingrepaircafe.org/2021/12/01/christmas-jumpers/
If you need further ideas we have also created some templates you can use to create designs.
Day 2
Sharpen your Christmas kitchen knives and scissors!
Sharpen your Christmas kitchen knives and scissors with Dave at Renew Sharpening. Getting them sharpened is not just for Christmas! Message Renew Sharpening today and get booked in – Dave does local home pick up and drop off in Acton.
https://renewsharpening.co.uk/
Day 3
Swap paper gift wrapping for fabric gift bags or fabric square wraps.
This is a Japanese art called #Furoshiki . It is basically a square piece of cloth or fabric used for gift wrapping, transporting items, fashion and home decor. By using fabric you will reduce your use of wrapping paper or paper gift bags. Here is a link about #Furoshiki and the different ways of wrapping with fabric. Ealing Repair cafe has put together this blog:
https://ealingrepaircafe.org/2021/03/12/furoshiki-wraps/
Day 4
Cook locally sourced food
Over the holidays why not try the Ealing based recipe bag company – ‘Stir it up Recipe Bags’ – They are great for you and the planet as they are simple tasty #vegetarianrecipes. Most importantly they come with minimal #packaging and are locally sourced veg.
Day 5
Visit the book swap shelves at Acton Central station.
Bring a book and swap a book!
Book sharing – this is a great way to help our environment and also supports and improves literacy levels in the community. The Churchfield Community Association operates the book swap service a Acton Central Station where there are two book cases full of books. The group also held a superb book swap at our December #Reduce and #Recycle hub where locals swapped over 50 books. So if you get a book for Christmas that you have already read or one that might not be your choice of genre , pop down and swap it for something on the shelfs that might be more your style!
http://www.churchfield.org/
Day 6
Buy vintage and preloved clothes and accessories as gifts!
Buy vintage and preloved clothes or fashion accessory gifts for friends and family this year. If you visit Market W3 on Saturday you will find at least two preloved stalls, with lots of preloved accessories that you can gift to loved ones this year. You can also pop to your local charity shop and pick up some preloved pretties, there’s a few charity shops here in Acton ( SCOPE & CAPE) or find the nearest Traid shop and pay them a visit.
You can visit Traids website to find your nearest branch.
Day 7
Here are some tips on how to keep warm this winter. Friends of the Earth Ealing www.ealingfoe.org.uk, who join us at our Reduce and Recycle hubs are campaigning on United for Warm Homes www.unitedforwarmhomes.uk.
Here is 4 ways you can keep warm without spending a fortune!
- Draught-proof your home. Keep the cold out by placing rugs on any bare floorboards or lino, use both curtains and blinds on your windows and cover other problem areas like cat flaps and letterboxes (while still making sure your cats can get out and your post can get in).
- Use your curtains wisely. That means opening them in the daytime to let warm sunlight in and closing them when it gets dark to help keep the warmth inside.
- Use Hot Water Bottles – There’s nothing quite like the comfort and warmth that a hot water bottle offers
- Find out more about the United for Warm Homes campaign with Ealing Friends of the Earth
The United Warms home campaign is asking for:
- Urgent additional financial support to keep people warm
- A nationwide insulation programme
- Permanent fixes to our energy system.
Find out more about the campaign and how to get involved:
https://unitedforwarmhomes.uk/
Day 8
Donate Clothes!
Donate unloved clothes, shoes and accessories to your local charity shop. Donating clothes important to the environment as it:
- Gives clothes to people who might need them more and keep clothes around for longer
- Frees up landfill space for other items
- Reduces the rate and production of new clothes
If you have a clothes donation to make you can actually book a Traid for a doorstep collection!
https://www.traid.org.uk/wlwa/
Day 9
Are you planning DIY projects this Christmas break?
You can borrow instead of buying things for your home and for DIY projects from the Hammersmith Library of Things. You can rent sewing machines, drills, carpet cleaners, sanders and more.
Sharing the things, we only use now and again cuts down on clutter, is more affordable, brings people together and is kinder to our planet. Library of Things are across the UK so even if you are away visiting parents , family or friends and a small job comes up. You can look up your nearest centre.
https://www.libraryofthings.co.uk/hammersmith
Day 10
Last minute sustainable gifts!
Looking for a last minute gift that is friendly to environment too? Or if you are one of those people who always christmas shopping on Christmas eve in your local supermarket look no further!
Here’s 6 last minute sustainable gifts you can give this year.
- Gift a coffee lover a reusable coffee cup. Some cups are made from recycled glass or plastic. Some well-known high street coffee shop brands even give you points for using your own cup. You can find reusable cups in most shops.
- Pop to your nearest Lush store and pick up their minimal waste Bathbombs, Soaps and Shampoo bars. Many of their products are vegan, use recycled packaging and designed to be as eco-friendly as possible. More and more shops are also selling package free Bathbombs, Soaps and Shampoo bars! www.lush.com/uk/en
- Gift someone an e-book, they don’t require as much energy or natural resources for production. E-books are nicer to the environment compared to traditional prints. Main Ebook suppliers are Amazon and Kobo.
- Gift a slow cooker. If you buy one electrical item as a gift item this year, this is it. Slow cookers are energy efficient and can use less electricity than an electric oven. For example, you’d need to use your 160W slow cooker for around 15 hours and 42 minutes to match just one hour with your electric oven!!!
- Head to your nearest re-fill station and get someone you love some mixed nuts or dried fruits. Keep it local by trying Maya in the Market Place Acton, Earthical in Northfields or Nuts N Stuff in Ealing Broadway
- Gift someone an indoor plant or bulbs this Christmas. Plants have been proven to reduce stress levels and shows that you have faith in their ability to keep something alive. Plus, they look pretty! Plants or Bulbs as a present are wonderful simply wrapped them in recycled bag or paper. Head to your local garden centre, supermarket or local shops like Greenka in Ealing Broadway or Urban Tropicana in Turnham Green, Chiswick or Northfields, Ealing.
Happy last minute shopping – to those of you who are heading out to pick up last minute bits and bobs or starting their shopping now.
Day 11
If you are looking for ways to keep the kids busy during the Christmas holidays without creating waste?
Why not sign up to these FREE cycling classes taking place in Gunnersbury Park before the new years!!!.
Wednesday 28th December 10am – 12pm or 12.45pm-2.45pm
Thursday 29th December 10am – 12pm or 12.45pm-2.45pm
Ealing Council in partnership with Cycling Instructor are offering free cycling classes for children 5+ throughout the Christmas holidays – a great way to get young people more involved in active travel.
If you’re interested in getting your young ones involved, all you need to do is complete complete this form.
For more details of all the cycling courses available in Ealing:
www.cyclinginstructor.com/ealing
Day 12
Need to get your bike checked?
Dr Bike will be back on Saturday 7th January at the Mount in Acton from 2pm. So save the date and put this in you diary.
This service is provided by Ealing Council . The mechanics are on site to check bikes and provided you with information and guidance on if you need to do further repairs on your bike.
Have a great Winter Break!
We hope you have enjoyed our 12 days of sustainable Christmas! Even you if you only do one or two you will make a difference!
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