20 Tips for an Eco and Energy-Friendly Christmas!

Primary Times have found some pocket-friendly festive tips that the whole household can do to save energy and have an eco-conscious Christmas this year… 

1. Use up to 10% less energy by keeping the lids on pans while you cook Christmas Dinner, it’ll help veggies cook quicker at the same time.
2. Make your own eco-friendly wrapping paper! Brown paper can be recycled, so why not try decorating it with stamps or draw your own design onto it?
3. While your oven and hob plates are on and the house is bustling with family and friends –turn the thermostat down or even off. Plenty of warmth will be circulating already.
4. Wash gravy splashes out of Christmas garms at an energy-efficient 30 degrees.
5. Switch off your Christmas tree lights at the plug when you’re popping out of the house or heading to bed.
6. If you’re spending long periods of time in a different room to your Christmas tree – turn it off.
7. LED light bulbs are more efficient, and they don’t get hot. Use them for your Christmas Decorations where you can.
8. Have some fun as a family and reduce waste by using things around your home to make your own DIY Christmas decorations.
9. Families can save energy by ditching the telly for a fun game of charades instead.
10. Try not to fall asleep with the TV on! If you’re drifting off, perhaps it’s time for bed.
11. A long family walk means less time in the house using up energy. Turn unnecessary plugs off before you go!
12. Winter is the time for warming hot drinks, but making sure to avoid overfilling the kettle will help save energy and reduce your household carbon emissions.
13. Spend a crafty afternoon making your own draught excluders by adding stuffing to old tights, jeans or socks to help save the heat from escaping your home!  
14. Shutting the curtains as soon as the light of the day starts to fade will keep warmth in.
15. Re-use the Christmas wrapping paper given to you – a great way to do this is by using it to make a Christmas scrapbook with photos of all the family! Kids will love to cut and stick the paper and pictures. 
16. Food waste is damaging to your pocket and bad for the environment. Use the leftover cheese from your cheese board to make Macaroni Cheese in the days after Christmas.
17. Microwave your leftovers, you’ll save energy because it’s quicker than heating them up in the oven. 
18. A washing up bowl is more energy efficient than the dishwasher – have a rota over the Christmas period of who’s doing the dishes. Make a team effort on Christmas Day. 
19. We might all be on our phones and devices more at Christmas, but to save energy make sure not to overcharge them. Once it’s fully charged – unplug it.
20. If you have a real tree, instead of taking it to the tip after Christmas, put it in your back garden to create an additional habitat for birds, squirrels and other wildlife. Get the kids involved with some messy play by coating the branches in margarine or peanut butter and rolling them in some bird seed!