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While the month of December can be a time of gift-giving and barbeques with loved ones, Christmas can be one of the most wasteful times of year. Over 20 million of the gifts Aussies are giving are unwanted, and the amount of wrapping paper used could go around the Earth’s equator almost 4 times! In addition to this, over 1/4 of food during the month of December is wasted by the majority of Australians. Overall, Aussies’ waste increases by a whopping 30% during the Christmas period.
While these stats can seem overwhelming, there are many things we can do to minimise our waste this Christmas. Welcome to our Sustainable Christmas Shopping Guide, brought to you by the Good Sammy online store.
While it has become commonplace to purchase gifts online from all corners of the world, the transportation of these products can generate harmful greenhouse gas emissions that negatively impact our precious planet. Instead, consider opting for small, Australian-owned businesses, who may have some wonderfully unique goods that could make the perfect present for your loved one.
It’s no surprise that we think buying second-hand this Christmas is a great way to be more sustainable. From knick-knacks and books to clothing and shoes, our Good Sammy stores have a range of unique items that could make for a wonderful gift. Many of our items are even donated brand new with tags, or in near-new condition.
We also have a wide range of Christmas decorations in our stores that can save both your wallet and the environment this festive season.
In addition to this, our online store has an exclusive range of high-quality clothing and vintage collectibles for you to browse this December.
We’ve all seen the infamous wrapping paper mountain at the end of the after-lunch gift-giving session, collected in a not-so-neat pile in the lounge room.
Although wrapping made from cardboard and paper is recyclable, other varieties made from foil, plastic and cellophane are not. And, of course, recycling comes last in the 3 R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle) for a reason.
Luckily, there are many eco-friendly wrapping paper alternatives. Furoshiki is a Japanese method of gift-wrapping that uses fabric or cloth to wrap presents. This is a fantastic alternative to traditional wrapping paper – you could easily use spare fabric in the back of your craft draw, or head down to your local Good Sammy to explore our versatile range of fabrics and cloth.
Newspaper is another creative alternative to wrapping paper, that is 100% recyclable. This can give your presents a charming, vintage feel. To make this even more eco-friendly, try using old newspapers that are destined for the bin!
“One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.”
As the saying as old-as-time goes, your unwanted item may just be someone else’s treasured new piece! If you happen to receive a gift this season that you’re not too thrilled about, make sure to regift, resell or donate it – you can check out the link below to see where your nearest Good Sammy donation point is.
https://goodsammy.com.au/ways-to-donate
There are several consumer-to-consumer platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Depop that make selling your unwanted goods easier than ever. These platforms are often free and simple to use, with items such as furniture, technology, clothing and collectibles up for grabs.
Consider visiting your nearest Good Sammy store, or checking out our online store, for your Christmas goodies this season.
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