KEY POINTS:
It wouldn't be Christmas without a beautiful tree, a delicious meal for the whole family, and nicely wrapped gifts. But there's a huge impact on the environment at this time of year from discarded Christmas trees, rubbish bags full of paper and junk presents that are eventually thrown
out.
Forest and Bird has given some hints for a sustainable Christmas.
Gifts with meaning: Green gifts are not only better for the environment, they will probably be more gratefully received as well.
Buy gifts from shops like Trade Aid, or support a worthy cause like a piglet for a destitute family in East Timor at www.oxfamunwrapped.org.nz
Donate food, gifts or your time as a volunteer to a foodbank or City Missions.
Instead of a drunken office party, bring your colleagues to a local volunteer day at a reserve, or hold a beach clean-up.
Give plants, garden vouchers or gardening tools, send email cards and take your own bags when shopping.
Recycle Christmas wrapping paper and cards or keep them for next year. Avoid plastic-coated wrap and plastic bows.
Don't give pets as Christmas presents - too many end up abandoned.
Buy local. It saves on carbon emissions and supports the local economy.
Eat your greens: Eat veges you've picked yourself, or buy organic, free range and local. Make sure you're buying certified organic turkey or chicken - or better yet, go vegetarian.
Make sure your Christmas seafood is sustainably caught - check Forest and Bird's website for details.
Avoid "disposable" plates, cutlery and napkins. Recycle bottles and cans, and compost vegetable leftovers.
Deck the halls: Every year thousands of Christmas trees are dumped in landfills. Check if your local council or Christmas tree supplier will take trees back for mulching.
Because pines strip soil of nutrients, some green campaigners say it's not a good idea to continuously plant more - so check out some alternatives.
Buy quality Christmas decorations that you can re-use, make your own or buy from Trade Aid.
Christmas lights use lots of electricity, but solar-powered and LED ones use less than traditional bulbs. And save power by not leaving Christmas lights on.
Beware green-washing: The Commerce Commission has warned businesses not to make false claims about their green credentials. Consumers increasingly chose products and services based on advertising that made green claims, said the commission's director of fair trading, Adrian Sparrow. "Consumers have a right to accurate information on which to base their purchasing decisions," he said.
