CUTTING DOWN THE CHRISTMAS WASTE

With Brits spending more than £46 billion on Christmas - an average of around £1,800 per household - there will inevitably be a huge uptick in the amount of waste generated. In fact, it is estimated that the season sees around a 30% increase in waste compared to rest of the year and caused mostly by the over-buying of food, discarded packaging, unwanted gifts and even Christmas lights, with around 500 tonnes of that twisted mass of electrical spaghetti being binned annually!

It's all got to go somewhere, and sadly much of it will end up in landfill, but there are a variety of simple ways to reduce the burden. Here is the CotswoldXL handy guide to creatively cutting down on some of the post-Christmas debris while also doing your bit for the planet.

• Christmas trees: most councils offer a collection so it’s worth checking whether you can use this service or put used trees out with the green bin.
• A brilliant way to dispose of your tree is through a service offered by Thomas Fox Landscaping and Maintenance of Whatcote, near Shipston. For a minimum donation of just £10 to support Shipston Home Nursing they are collecting trees from CV35, CV36, CV37 and OX15 postcodes. The trees will be chipped to provide a nutrient-rich compost for use on local land. To book a collection go to shipstonhomenursing.co.uk/news-events. Alternatively compost the needles and smaller branches yourself and cut the trunk up for logs. Don’t forget to keep a small section for next year’s Yule Log!
• Unwanted gifts: Re-gift good condition presents to someone who might appreciate them more or donate them to a local charity. Alternatively, sell or swap online through sites like Vinted, eBay, World of Books, organise a swap party with a group of friends or take them to a local ‘swap shop’ (for more info see gloucestershirerecycles.com/)
• Upcycle: Repurposing items is a brilliant way of giving unwanted gifts a new lease of life. For example, re-using wrapping paper or boxes for future gifts, using gift baskets as stylish storage containers or repurposing them to make care packages (perhaps utilising unwanted toiletries etc) for charities or local care homes is a great idea.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Under the Consumer Rights Act of 2015, you have a range of options if you buy or receive something as a gift or otherwise. If an item is faulty or unfit for purpose, it can be returned (ideally with the receipt) and the cost refunded. If it’s simply an unwanted gift, much will depend on the individual retailer’s policy on returns.

Here’s a summary of your rights, but for more info check out the government legislation. contact Citizens Advice, or the Which? Consumer magazine and organisation.

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