A time of giving

Let’s make this a time of giving back to the other than human form.

At this time of year, often we are swept away with festivities, eating rich food; buying gifts, and social get-togethers that we can miss considering our environment. 

As we gather with our loved ones and slow down, is it possible to change our thinking and patterns of behaviour?

There are many ways that we can make our festive and holiday season one that considers our planet. We can ensure we don’t buy plastic gifts, that we abstain from plastic packaging and various other forms of waste, pollution and overconsumption. 

Statistics show that at Christmas our waste increases by around 30 per cent.

We overspend, overeat and end up wasting more than at any other time. The biggest contributors are wrapping paper, packaging, and food that goes uneaten and ends up in landfill.  

If we participate in gift-giving, consider how to ethically shop. We can wrap our gifts in recycled paper, or repurposed fabric with string and ribbon and no “sticky tape”. We can be more thoughtful and consider how many resources are used in the gift, how far has it travelled, can it be repaired, and can it be organically returned to the earth at the end of its lifecycle.

Eighty-six per cent of Australians are finding Christmas is a strain on their finances and, with the increasing cost of food, it’s hard to believe that more than 90 per cent of Australians discard 25 per cent of food during this time.

A lot of energy and resources go into producing this food.

Can we consider doing it differently instead of continuing to “buy” into the long-held narrative of the biggest most expensive gift we buy reflects our worth and status, how well we are doing, and how much we love someone.

Let’s be gentle on each other, the planet and ourselves, and truly value the “cost” of things. Simplify and moderate; eat healthy fresh unpackaged food, and buy one wanted good-quality ethical gift rather than a multitude of plastic, resource- and fossil fuel-filled items.

Rather, give a plant to be planted into a garden. Weave something from natural materials or try your hand at baking some homemade goods.

Preserved fruits and jams from your abundant fruit trees are always well received.  

Nature is always gifting and no matter how much we pave over her she always finds the energy to send up a seedling through the cracks of the concrete to remind us of her promise.

Wishing you a safe, nourishing time. •