XMAS023 6 steps to a sustainable Christmas (546 words)

While the holiday season brings joy and happiness, it also brings enormous physical and financial waste. This jolly article provides six tips for a sustainable Christmas to help both the environment and your hip pocket.

Just as the Grinch stole Christmas, excess spending can rob us all of yuletide happiness. Seasonal credit card splurges can create ballooning long term debt, while unnecessary consumption inevitably leads to a blow-out in rubbish bin waste.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia estimates $11 billion is spent on presents each year, including some 20 million unwanted gifts. At the same time, seasonal celebrations boost landfill rubbish by a massive 30 per cent.