Top Tips For A Sustainable Christmas

Christmas is for spending quality time with the people you love the most - eating, drinking, and arguing over what to put on the TV. However, not many of us realise that each Christmas we produce 30% more waste than we do throughout the rest of the year.

The Modern Milkman is dedicated to reducing waste this Christmas through its ‘greener’ and modern take on the traditional milkround - we spoke to Founder & CEO, Simon Mellin, to gain a better understanding of the things we can do to make this festive season as eco-friendly as possible.

1) Rinse before recycling

Many of us toss our empty jars, bottles, and plastics into the recycling without rinsing them first - sauces, foods, and liquids left on the inside of these containers can contaminate your recycling, and might even render the entire street's waste unrecyclable. To prevent your efforts going to waste, just give the items you use a quick rinse before chucking them in the recycling bin.
Remember, you can also recycle household cleaning products such as bottles of bleach and fabric softener - just be sure to give the insides a thorough rinse beforehand.

2) Shop smart

It sounds obvious, but with 7.9 million slices of turkey, 7.5 million mince pies, and 17.2 million brussel sprouts thrown away every year, the easiest way to reduce waste this Christmas is by simply buying less. Try to develop a good understanding of what you’ll be eating over the Christmas period, and try not to panic-buy or stock up on products that you have regular access to. The best option is to purchase food as and when you need it, prioritising items with plastic-free packaging or wrapping that can be easily recycled. What’s more, be sure to make full use of any left-overs by turning them into tasty Boxing Day meals, or by freezing them to be used at a later date.

3) Ditch the tape

It might seem like you’re doing your part by chucking mounds of wrapping paper into the recycling bin, but it’s important to remember that plastic tape is unrecyclable - make an effort to remove it before throwing anything away, and try and wrap your gifts with string or ribbon that can be reused. Don’t forget - the plastic film attached to food packaging should also be removed from recycling, alongside the plastic windows attached to any paper envelopes.

4) Rinse, refill and reuse

Recycling is a great way to reduce plastic pollution and help the environment, but why not go one step further and start refilling and reusing empty bottles, jars, and containers where possible? It’s the eco-friendly concept we’ve built our business on, and not only does this method reduce your overall consumption of plastic, you can also enjoy reduced costs. Why not try using The Modern Milkman’s delivery service which delivers fresh milk, groceries and household products to your doors in returnable glass bottles, reusable containers or recyclable / compostable packaging - they even collect empties (to be refilled and reused again and again)!

https://themodernmilkman.co.uk/