Putting on the Christmas barbecue? Be a good host to both your guests and nature by choosing to refuse single-use plastic!
The waste hierarchy is a good place to start: Refuse, Reuse, Recycle — in that order. Read on for a few of our ideas.
Refuse: don’t use single-use plates and cutlery at all. Instead, you could use what you have, borrow from friends and whānau, or rent them.
If you need to buy new, be sure to buy with end-of-life in mind. Get stuff you can reuse, repurpose, or is made from materials with better recyclability, like paper or aluminium.
Find a sustainable catering company and check before you book — supplies often arrive covered in plastic wrap. Alternatively, asking people to bring a plate (and not use plastic wrap!) can be a great way to save on waste.
Buy your snacks from bulk bins to avoid plastic bags. If you do end up getting the odd chip plastic, remember that these can be recycled as part of New Zealand’s soft plastics scheme.
Reduce plastic drinks packaging. Look for concentrates such as Barkers cordials (comes in glass!), DIY your soft drinks with a water carbonator.
Aim to buy in bulk instead of individual single-use containers.
Challenge Secret Santa participants to use no plastic — go second hand, DIY, or give back by grabbing an e-voucher from the Good Registry.
Make your own decorations this year with the kids, borrow some from a mate, or head to your local op shops to rescue some second-hand decorations.
