It wouldn't seem like Christmas without a tree, but which is the best option for the environment - real or fake - based on their full life cycle from production to disposal?  

Potted Christmas trees are the best option for the environment.  They won't be thrown away after Christmas and, if you're green fingered, can be reused for next year.  In the meantime, it will continue to grow and take in the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, creating a mini carbon sink.  The Royal Horticultural Society has this guide to help care for your potted and cut Christmas trees.  Survival rate of these trees isn't great as they do require care an attention.

Cut Christmas trees are the next best option because they because they are a natural product and whilst growing take in carbon dioxide, taking in a estimated 1 tonne of carbon dioxide per acre.  Cut trees should then be recycled through the green kerbside bin where it will be composted in an invessel composter.  

If you already have a plastic Christmas tree, it is important that you keep on using it. It is the least environmentally friendly option as it is made from fossil fuels, giving a large carbon footprint for production and disposal. However, the fact that they don't decompose is also their strong point as they will last for years.  You will need to use the tree for between 12-15 years to account for its carbon footprint, but even longer would be better. 

For more information on the carbon footprint of Christmas tree click More.

Tessa Tricks, Head of Food at environmental charity, Hubbub, said: “It is hugely encouraging to see how Christmas food shopping habits are changing this year. Christmas needn’t be any less fun when we cut down on our festive waste. In fact, it’s the opposite – this is a challenge all our family and friends can get involved in.

“Food waste, particularly at Christmas time, is a massive contributor to climate change and yet with a few simple steps we can dramatically reduce how much we throw away.”

Here are Hubbub's top ten tips to cut your food waste this Christmas.

1. Plan ahead – only buy enough food for the meals you’ll be cooking and the guests who will be there, and check expiry dates when you’re shopping.
2. Avoid panic buying ahead of the bank holidays – the shops are only closed for three days!
3. If you’re having turkey, choose the size carefully – how big was last year’s and how much did you throw away?
4. Make room in your freezer in the run up to Christmas so you have plenty of storage space and check out Hubbub’s helpful guide to what food you can freeze – it’s more than you think!
5. If you’re short of fridge space at this time of year, take advantage of the cold weather and consider keeping fruit, veg and drinks fresh in a cool box outside, or even in your car boot.
6. Don’t overdo how much food you put out at one time if you’re entertaining buffet-style, and put leftovers away in the fridge rather than leave them out overnight and ending up binning them.
7. Check your fridge before travelling away from home and freeze or pass on any food that will be out of date by the time you get back.
8. Try out apps, such as OLIO, to share food with those nearby, as well as family and friends.
9. Remember that food might still be eaten after its best before date – check it looks and smells OK. Food past its best can still be enjoyed in other ways, like a healthy home-made soup to get you back on track after the excesses of Christmas.
10. Before you reach that point where you can’t take any more leftover turkey, cook up a batch of stew or curry and freeze it for January.

Growing and manufacturing food is a resource intensive process, so it's really important that we make the most of it by eating our leftovers.  Making another meal out of leftover food makes sense - it requires less cooking, offers a second nutritious meal and wastes less food.  Plus it saves money at this expensive time of year.

Here are some turkey leftover recipes to give you some ideas, but remember to portion your food well first and then make the most of what isn't eaten the next day.  Or use your freezer to store for up to 6 months.

We all know that vegetable peeling can be composted at home or in your kerbside green bin (although we recommend leaving them on to reduce waste and increase the nutrients in your meal). We also want everyone in Warwickshire to know that all food waste, including turkey carcasses, plate scrapings and any unusable leftovers, can all be recycled through the green kerbside bin or recycled at home in a hot compost bin such as the Green Johanna, available to buy at a subsidised rate through our website. 

Wrapping paper

Not all wrapping paper is recyclable.  Although most are paper based, they can be coated in plastic, making it very difficult to separate out the paper for recycling.  

Try to buy wrapping paper that is 100% paper and glitter free.  Please check wrapping paper before recycling.  Father Christmas shows you how below.

Cards

Most cards are paper based and can be recycled, along with their envelopes, either in your household recycling kerbside collection, at local recycling points such as household waste recycling centres or at collection banks in supermarket car parks and the like.

Any embellishments such as ribbons or glitter cannot be recycled so should be removed first by simply tearing off that section. Batteries should also be removed from musical cards and disposed of at battery recycling points.

Foil

Foil is one of the most important materials to recycle due to the environmental benefits it offers.  The good news is clean household foil and aluminium trays are widely recycled in household collection schemes, household waste recycling centres and at recycling points.  Collect any small pieces of foil in a tin can so they don't get lost.

Batteries

According to Directgov, over 12,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions could be avoided, if the UK can meet its recycling target of at least 45 per cent of batteries.  There are different types of batteries which can contain dangerous chemicals including: lead,cadmium, zinc, lithium and even mercury.  So, it's really important that they are disposed of correctly through recycling schemes and not placed in the the residual bin.  

Since battery recycling laws came into force in February 2010, most shops and supermarkets that sell batteries have collection bins in-store for used batteries.  You can also recycle them at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.

FInd out more about batteries including why and how you can recycle them at Hubbub.

Collection services can change over the Christmas period, so please check with your local Council for more information. 

Tip:  If you have a digital home assistant, such as Alexa or Siri, ask them to remind you of the changes the day before they happen.