A sustainable Christmas

How will we be spending our Christmas with family this time? The pandemic is over, we are faced with a new world order but what has not changed is that we should celebrate Christmas.

For many people, it is the only time when the family gets together or makes it a point to have a reunion. For some, it may mean traveling with family to some faraway destination to be free from visitors and aguinaldo seekers, or to have the best private time possible.

For most of us, Christmas is about gift-giving and receiving all sorts of thoughtful presents – from special food to something as functional as coffee. Though it is not the time to preach about sustainability, healthy habits start with what you give each other during Christmas time.

Buy local. Thankfully, consumers now prefer local products to buying cheap imports engraved with the company’s name or logo. Corporations choose locally-made and curated gift sets as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts and also their commitment to ESG. Individual consumers buy more of reusable materials and containers, too. There has been a “help your farmer” wave of campaigns where every other jam or chocolate is helping a farmer. And we hope these really reach the producers and make them want to plant cacao and coconut again.

No more plastics. Though online sellers still use a lot of bubble plastic wrap due to handling risks, many retailers now choose paper over plastic, and others demand you bring your own eco or reusable bag when shopping. There also is a rise in purchase, use and giving of reusable water bottles – both branded ones that really keep cold/hot and copies of brands which serve their purpose of being water containers.

Eating local and organic. There is more consciousness about food miles now. People shop at farmers’ markets, weekend markets and even supermarkets are devoting space for organic produce and local produce like fruits and vegetables. Make sure your Christmas table has local fruits and not just the imported ones. Try to dig up local and heirloom recipes to serve for Christmas lunch and dinner.

Look for sustainable clothing. Even clothes are much in demand during Christmas. This time,