Some tips to celebrate Christmas guilt-free

Celebrating Christmas but hoping to do it in a more sustainable manner? With waste output usually peaking in the November to February period, according to waste management firm SembWaste, here are tips to enjoy the festive season in a greener, more guilt-free manner.

It is the thought that counts, not the price tag.

By starting your spring-cleaning routine a couple of months earlier, besides unearthing good-as-new items that you have no use for, you may even identify treasured possessions that you are sure a loved one will appreciate even more, which imbues these gifts with sentimental value.

Thrift shops and stores selling pre-loved items offer another channel to help reduce the environmental impact of overconsumption.

Instead of scouring e-commerce sites far and wide for gifts, support local merchants. Not only will your money go to small businesses and creators, but you also avoid the carbon footprint of having these items shipped from overseas.

Sometimes the best gift is about the intangibles.

Instead of buying a physical item that the person may not need, gifting an experience like tickets to an attraction or a workshop can go towards curbing consumption overall.

For those who want to go one step further, Swiss start-up Climeworks is offering "the world's most sustainable gift" in the form of carbon offset gift certificates.

For €85 (S$130), it will remove and store 85kg of carbon dioxide at its direct-air carbon capture facility in Iceland, which is the largest in the world.