The festive break is almost upon us and we want to wish you all a very happy holiday season. Our ‘Tis the Season campaign launches this today and over the next few weeks we will be focusing on these three themes:
‘Tis the Season to…
- be sustainable
- give back to the community
- look after your wellbeing
Each week we will be sharing tips, advice and resources on our student blog to ensure you have a wonderful winter break!
Top tips for a sustainable festive season
We are all aware of how important it is to be more sustainable, especially over the holidays. Check out our sustainability team‘s top 3 tips for a greener festive season below…
1. Gift shopping
Set yourself a challenge and buy your festive outfit second-hand in one of the many brilliant charity shops and vintage stores around the city. Buying fair trade gifts is another good way to have a greener Christmas, supporting farmers and organic growing practices – check out Traidcraft for ethical gift inspiration.
You could also let your friends and family know you’re more than happy to receive second-hand items for Christmas, or for them to make a charitable donation on your behalf. You could even ask to have a tree planted to offset some of your carbon footprint!
2. Party season
Swap the beige buffet for tasty vegan hors d’oeuvres, vegetable tapenades and fruity sorbets to surprise and delight your guests while reducing your carbon footprint. You can also forget about floppy paper plates and disposable table clothes – hire all your tableware essentials from the Party Kit Network, sometimes for free!
3. All that glitters…
Avoid cheap plastic, glittery decorations and use what you already have wherever you can. Save money and go natural by making wreaths from foliage. If you have holly branches, berries or ivy growing in your garden you can use these or go out for a walk and collect some locally (make sure you have permission). This can then be composted after the Christmas period. If you plan to send Christmas cards, go for those without microplastics and glitter and choose FSC sourced and Fair-Trade cards that support a charity.
Coming up
Keep an eye out for next week’s ‘Tis the Season blog which will be focusing on ways that you can give back to the community this winter. This will include volunteering opportunities around Bristol as well as stories from students who have been getting involved in the local community. There will also be information about the new food box in Senate House and details of how you can contribute!