Are you dreaming of a green Christmas? With the devastating impact of climate change all around us and the nature crisis making headlines on a daily basis, many of us are thinking of ways we can make a difference for this year’s festivities.
To help, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity the Woodland Trust, has compiled a guide to simple ways we can all fight for nature and climate and reduce our impact on the environment while we shop.
Christmas is traditionally a time for excess – but your celebrations needn’t cost the earth! Every single purchase from the Woodland Trust shop – including Christmas cards and gift wrap – makes a contribution to the Trust’s work with woods and trees, meaning you can fight climate change and help create havens for wildlife, while also ticking off items from your Christmas to-do list.
And this year every product in the Trust’s Christmas range is eco-friendly, whether it’s FSC-certified wooden garden tools or bird feeders made from recycled plastic.
And if you’d rather move away from giving traditional gifts completely, the Woodland Trust can still help with a selection of green ‘virtual’ gifts and unique tree and woodland dedications in woods across the UK.
Kelly Tanner, products and retail manager, said: “We all want to do our bit for the environment but sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming, especially at this time of year when everyone is so busy.
“But there is a way we can all make a difference. Supporting the work of the Woodland Trust as we shop is a fantastic and easy way to help fight the effects of climate change and nature loss.
“We have so many gorgeous gift ideas to inspire you and every single purchase supports woods, trees and wildlife across the UK.”
Last orders for Christmas delivery from the Woodland Trust are 14 December.
Here are a few great ideas on how to go green this Christmas:
Ditch the glitz
Buy eco-friendly cards and gift wrap. The Woodland Trust’s range of Christmas cards and wrapping paper is FSC-certified and guaranteed to be plastic and glitter-free. New for this year is fabric gift wrap, in a delightful winter bouquet design, made to be re-used year after year. You won’t even need sticky tape!
Christmas | Woodland Trust Shop
Give a tree a home
Trees are for life, not just for Christmas, so what better way to join the fight against climate change and give a gift to nature than by planting your own tree at home. Go for a holly or yew sapling for a colourful Christmas vibe or choose a fruit or nut tree to give wildlife a tasty treat. Free delivery on all trees!
British Garden Trees For Sale – Woodland Trust | Woodland Trust Shop
Or dedicate one!
If space is an issue, or you need a gift in a hurry, why not dedicate trees to friends and family this year? Choose from a single tree in a wood of your choice, or areas of woodland from a quarter of an acre or more. Each dedication is unique and surprisingly affordable and comes with its own certificate, map and wood information. If a loved one has really been good this year, benches and marker posts can be added to some of our woodland dedication plots! And if you’ve missed someone off your Christmas list, dedications can be emailed out instantly too – even on Christmas day.
Dedicate A Tree – Woodland Trust | Woodland Trust Shop
Buy greener gifts
We’re all looking for simple ways to reduce, re-use and recycle and the Woodland Trust shop makes it easy. Our strong and stylish reusable jute and juco shopping bags literally help save trees, or scrub up with this gorgeous range of chemical-free handmade botanical soaps.
Woodland Trust set of 7 soap gift set – Woodland Trust Shop | Woodland Trust Shop
Go plastic free and save trees
Support woods and trees with every sip with this reusable insulated drink cup made from recycled plastic coffee cups. Proceeds from the sale of every Now Cup go to the Woodland Trust.
NOW CUP Eco & Recycled Reusable Coffee Cup – Woodland Trust | Woodland Trust Shop
Give nature a gift too
Don’t forget wildlife this winter – the Woodland Trust’s range of outdoor products is the perfect gift for nature with bird feeders, baths and nesters and bee skeps all designed to bring some life to your outside space.
Garden – Woodland Trust | Woodland Trust Shop
Choose a ‘virtual’ gift
Virtual gifts are the ultimate environmentally friendly present for anyone who really wants to go green. Your donation to the Woodland Trust will directly help trees, woods and wildlife and could be used to plant trees, create a hedgerow or keep bluebells blooming.
Wildlife & Nature Alternative Charity Gifts – Woodland Trust | Woodland Trust Shop
Waste not, want not
When the festivities are over, what can you do to avoid sacks of rubbish ending up in landfill? From how to recycle wrapping paper and cards, to disposing of your Christmas tree, the Woodland Trust has the answer.
