Have yourself a sustainable little Christmas

Yay Christmas! T-minus 7 days until we all get to enjoy this day of feasting and drinking and general gluttony. But the true cost of Christmas is not just financial - there are huge environmental impacts. From the 365,000 km of wrapping paper to the 125,000 tonnes of plastic packaging we throw away over this festive period there is a huge amount of waste. So here are some thoughts on how to have a greener and more sustainable little Christmas this year:

- Always recycle your gift cards and wrapping paper. Even better, how about you make your own? Turn last year's cards into gift tags, or cut off the picture side and make a Christmas postcard. If buying cards or wrapping paper ensure they are made from recycled products.

- Artificial trees are non-biodegradable and will end up in landfill. A real tree is the more sustainable option and it can be recycled afterwards. Or if you get a living tree with roots, it can replanted until next year. But your greenest option is to create your own arrangement with branches and homemade decorations.

- Buy local and seasonal food to reduce unnecessary travelling miles and carbon footprint. Don't throw away your leftovers; compost scraps and freeze meals for later.

- Don't let unwanted presents end up in landfill. Either exchange, re-gift, donate or sell.

If you're still stuck for presents, here are my top 5 which are kind to both the planet and your wallet.

1. For the Coffee Addict:

Take-away coffee cups are not recyclable. In Australia alone it's estimated that we use 1 billion cups a year and these all end up in landfill. A beautiful reusable coffee cup will allow them to continue their addiction, guilt free. Plus many coffee shops now give a discount if you BYO cup.

2. For the Keen Hydrator:
It's getting hot down-under and it's important to keep drinking water but we should avoid using plastic water bottles. We now produce nearly 300 million tons of plastic every year - 50% of which is only used once before being thrown away. More than 8 million tons of this plastic ends up in our oceans every year. Let's save the fishies by using reusable, plastic free water bottles which are long lasting and will keep your drinks cool this summer.

3. For the Outdoorsy One:

Outdoor clothing that uses as many recycled materials as possible and diverts waste from landfill is always a winner in my books. These guys have led the industry in terms of reducing the impact of its products without sacrificing quality or performance.

4. For the Shopaholic:

Nearly 4 billion plastic bags are dumped in landfill sites across Australia every year. Others end up as marine litter and are ingested by animals. Encourage your pals to use recycled or reusable bags when heading to the shops.

5. For the person who has everything:

Toilet Paper for Christmas I hear you say?? Bear with me. For the person who has everything the 12 Rolls of Christmas is the perfect gift. Each of the 12 wrappers have been designed by a different artist. And once the artworks have been admired they are perfect for wrapping paper. They are made from 100% recycled paper fibres and bamboo, saving water, carbon emissions and trees. They also donate 50% of all profits to help build toilets for those who don't have access to one.

So eat, drink, be merry and have yourselves a sustainable little Christmas.