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<h2>Can I be an ethical Christmas shopper? </h2>
&#8216;Tis the season to be jolly… and spend hours scouring the internet for the perfect Christmas present. But what does your gift say about you, and what it does to the planet? 
We know how difficult Christmas shopping can be. We also know the importance of buying less for the sake of the environment. A simple click on ‘buy it now’ from Amazon is easy and convenient. But have you stopped to consider the impact your shopping habits have on the environment or whether you’re supporting local businesses? 
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<h2>How to lower your impact on the planet this Christmas</h2>
More often than not, big businesses dominate our search engines at the best of times. Did you know that you didn’t have to look very hard to find Christmas gifts with a positive environmental impact? There are many ethical Christmas gifts available through small local businesses, which can be easily found using websites like <a href="https://www.etsy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Etsy</a>, <a href="https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NotontheHighStreet</a>, <a href="https://www.trouva.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trouva</a>, <a href="https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Social Enterprise UK</a>. 
Websites like <a href="https://madeinfolkestone.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Made in Folkestone</a> are also a great way to find and support independent brands from your local area. A lot of small businesses sell on Instagram too; hashtags such as #ShopSmall #ShopLocal and #SmallBusinesses will be super helpful during your shopping. 
Many of us have friends who own their own business or work for awesome brands that do great things. It seems obvious, but buy from them or tell all of your friends to share the message! You can also find ethical brands, and get ethical ratings of your favourite brands, on the Good On You ethical fashion App. 
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<h2>Christmas traditions or bad festive shopping habits?</h2>
The festive season is often tied up with consumerism. It doesn’t help that we’re taught that Christmas is about over-indulging and exchanging huge amounts of presents with everyone you know… otherwise you don’t care about them. Fortunately, we’re quickly learning that this isn’t sustainable or necessary. 
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<h2>Think outside the (gift-wrapped) box</h2>
This year, we’re giving presents that not only say how much we love our nearest-and-dearest, but we’re also giving gifts that tell them how much we love the planet!
There are so many alternatives to buying presents: you can give your time, give an experience, or even give preloved items. When you do buy presents, it’s important to consider whether the person will really value it, and to make sure that it will have a positive impact somehow, like whether it’s climate-smart or you’re supporting local businesses. 
For those who want to buy less, and well, but have no idea where to start, we’ve compiled a list of our top 20 eco gift suggestions.
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1. Plastic-Free hair and body products from Ethique

Ethique makes cosmetic products that are 100% free of plastic and palm oil. Even better &#8211; their products are also carbon-neutral AND vegan! We especially love this Festive Trio containing a shampoo bar, conditioner bar, and solid deodorant bar, making this the ideal gift for someone going plastic-free. Oh, and most importantly, the products smell incredible too!
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4326 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119105931/1_Ethical_festive_trio-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119105931/1_Ethical_festive_trio-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119105931/1_Ethical_festive_trio-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119105931/1_Ethical_festive_trio.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://ethique.co.uk/products/the-ethique-festive-trio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy Ethique’s Festive Trio</a> £12

2. A 3-month baking club subscription with Bakedin

Bakedin baking subscription boxes make the perfect gift for the baking lover. Treat them to a 3-month Baking Club subscription and they’ll receive a unique baking kit each month. Bakedin exists to tackle food waste, they aim for their packaging to be as sustainable as possible, and they support local charities too.
Fancy trying something new or introducing a junior baker? There are Bread Baking and Junior Baking options too. 
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4327 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119105956/2_Baking_club_subscription-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119105956/2_Baking_club_subscription-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119105956/2_Baking_club_subscription-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119105956/2_Baking_club_subscription.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://bakedin.co.uk/products/baking-club-gift-subscription-3-month?variant=39524582555742" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy a Baking Subscription</a> £33

This vegan spices recipe gift box contains five main-meal spice kits with printed recipe cards. The spices are wrapped in recyclable tissue that’s paper-printed with eco-friendly inks.
The Teaspoon Club sources all its spices from Soil Association Organic Certified producers and are working towards their own certification too. With every order placed, they also plant a tree in a country where the spices come from.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4328 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110019/3_Vegan_gift_box-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110019/3_Vegan_gift_box-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110019/3_Vegan_gift_box-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110019/3_Vegan_gift_box.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.wearthlondon.com/vegan-spices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy a vegan gift box</a> £13

Give the gift of long-lasting climate action. Ecologi Gifting lets you buy your loved ones Christmas Trees that come in forests of 100, 250, or 500 trees. This is a gift that keeps on giving &#8211; your loved one will get their own Ecologi profile where they will be able to see their trees represented virtually, watch them grow, and learn more about them. As the trees grow they will help to restore nature, protect biodiversity, support local communities, and even draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and store it away for many years &#8211; we think that&#8217;s pretty magical!
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4329 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110050/4_Ecologi-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110050/4_Ecologi-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110050/4_Ecologi-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110050/4_Ecologi.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://ecologi.com/gifting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy an Ecologi Tree-Planting gift</a> From £24.00

5. The Shrew with the Flu Book & Seedbom set

The Shrew with the Flu is an endearing story by author Will Hamilton-Davies, created in partnership with illustrator Jennifer Davison. It follows the story of Shrew and his quest to restore the forest he loves. This book comes with a set of Seedboms that contain a native woodland-inspired nectar-rich wildflower mix. This gift, and the environmentally-themed story, make the perfect read-aloud for every family.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4330 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110115/5_Book_Seedbomb-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110115/5_Book_Seedbomb-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110115/5_Book_Seedbomb-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110115/5_Book_Seedbomb.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://kabloom.co.uk/product/the-shrew-with-the-flu-gift-set/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy the book and Seedbom set</a> £16

Inspire the art-lover in your life with Artfinder. This great brand sells artwork from local artists while aiming to provide a platform where artists can make a living doing what they love. The best bit? Anyone can easily find and buy original artworks – no matter their taste or budget. Every piece is unique, and signed by the artist, carrying its own story.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4331 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110135/6_Artfinder-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110135/6_Artfinder-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110135/6_Artfinder-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110135/6_Artfinder.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.artfinder.com/#/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy awesome Artwork</a> From £20

7. Raw Organic Chocolate Making Kit from Cocoa Love

Naissance Raw Organic Chocolate Making Kits are the perfect gift for chocolate lovers. This kit is vegan, cruelty free and organic. It also comes packaged using sustainable paper and cardboard. 
Go ahead and treat the chocoholic in your life… even if that chocoholic is you. 
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4332 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110201/7_Chocolate_making-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110201/7_Chocolate_making-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110201/7_Chocolate_making-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110201/7_Chocolate_making.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://naissance.com/products/cocoa-love-diy-raw-organic-chocolate-making-kit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy chocolate making kits</a> £22.99

This thoughtful gift not only pays to plant an olive tree in Palestine, which comes with a Zaytoun-stamped certificate of proof. This cracker of a Christmas present comes with a 500ml bottle of Fairtrade organic extra virgin olive oil for your beloved. 
Zaytoun Fairtrade olive oil has been made from hand-picked and rain-fed olives. The gift packaging also comes in an attractive and recyclable cardboard presentation box.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4333 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110221/8_Zaytoun_Olive_Oil-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110221/8_Zaytoun_Olive_Oil-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110221/8_Zaytoun_Olive_Oil-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110221/8_Zaytoun_Olive_Oil.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.traidcraftshop.co.uk/tree-planting-olive-oil-tube-gift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy Zouytan olive oil</a> £25

9. Tiny Tony’s Chocolonely Christmas Mix Pouch

The ethos behind this dutch chocolate company is to fully eradicate slavery in chocolate production. They also actively train the farmers they work with to implement more environmentally-friendly production methods, such as minimising the use of pesticides, offsetting their emissions, and deforestation within their supply chain is strictly prohibited. 
And who doesn’t love Chocolate for Christmas?
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4334 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110244/9_Tonys_chocolate-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110244/9_Tonys_chocolate-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110244/9_Tonys_chocolate-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110244/9_Tonys_chocolate.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://tonyschocolonely.com/uk/en/our-chocolate/product/tiny-tonys-christmas-mix-pouch-180g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy more chocolate</a> £5.99

10. Gift vouchers for fun experiences together

Tinggly gift boxes for two let you choose the perfect experience from hundreds of fun and exciting new experiences &#8211; and it’s a great gift for your loved ones that are a little more tricky to buy for. 
For every gift experience, Tinggly offsets CO2 carbon emissions by 200%. Plus, all the gift boxes are produced from fully recycled materials and are printed using eco-friendly inks.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4335 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110317/10_Fun_together-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110317/10_Fun_together-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110317/10_Fun_together-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110317/10_Fun_together.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.tinggly.com/collections/fun-together" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy an experience gift</a> £99

Pela phone cases are the world&#8217;s first compostable phone cases, meaning that they gracefully return back to the earth when you&#8217;re done with it. All you have to do is throw it into compost! Pela is also certified Climate Neutral and a member of 1% for the Planet.
What’s not to love about these awesome Christmas gifts?
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4336 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110339/11_Pela_phone_case-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110339/11_Pela_phone_case-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110339/11_Pela_phone_case-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110339/11_Pela_phone_case.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://uk.pelacase.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy a phone case</a> From £27.95

Calm’s on a mission to make the world happier and healthier. The Calm app is perfect for helping you mediate, relax and sleep better. Giving the gift of a Calm subscription is a great way to show love to your friends and family this year, without giving a physical object. 
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4337 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110359/12_Calm_gift-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110359/12_Calm_gift-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110359/12_Calm_gift-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110359/12_Calm_gift.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.calm.com/gift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy a Calm gift subscription</a> £55

Teapsy is a cute, funky, eco-friendly and vegan-oriented tea company that’s reshaping the tea industry into something much more interesting. All their packaging is recyclable or home compostable &#8211; even the teabags, which are made of Soilon &#8211; a type of bioplastic derived from corn starch. This Taste of Magic gift set is fun, tasty and sustainable, with the added joy of their funky packaging.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4338 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110419/13_Tea-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110419/13_Tea-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110419/13_Tea-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110419/13_Tea.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://teapsy.co.uk/collections/bundles/products/a-taste-of-magic-bundle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy tea gifts</a> £15.99

14. Vegan chocolate gift box from Love Raw

The Love Raw gift box is perfect for your chocolate loving, vegan friends. This vegan chocolate contains no artificial nonsense, no palm oil and no compromise! The favourites pack includes two Vegan Butter Cups, two Vegan M:lk Choc Bars and 3 Cre&amp;m Wafer Bars. 
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4339 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110438/14_Love_Raw-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110438/14_Love_Raw-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110438/14_Love_Raw-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110438/14_Love_Raw.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://eatloveraw.com/collections/vegan-gift-box/products/loveraw-favourites-pack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy even more chocolate</a> £11.99

Around 100 Amur Leopards remain in the wild, and their habitat is under threat from logging, deforestation and industrial development. By adopting an Amur Leopard, you are helping to fund WWF’s work with local organisations to protect Amur Leopard habitats. 
Lucky recipients receive a welcome pack, regular updates and a personalised adoption certificate.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4340 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110501/15_Adopt_a_leapord-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110501/15_Adopt_a_leapord-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110501/15_Adopt_a_leapord-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110501/15_Adopt_a_leapord.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://support.wwf.org.uk/adopt-a-leopard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adopt a Leopard</a> From £3 a month

This Fairtrade apricot facial soap is ideal for those with sensitive skin as it has gentle cleansing, moisturising and calming properties. It contains Fairtrade apricot, olive and shea butter with added chamomile for an extra calming effect. Fair Squared soap is suitable for vegans, does no animal testing, is free from plastic, palm oil, perfume, parabens, phthalates, triclosan and SLS, and it’s hand-made with Fairtrade ingredients. 
Did we mention that the packaging is plastic-free too!
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4341 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110520/16_Fairsquared_soap-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110520/16_Fairsquared_soap-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110520/16_Fairsquared_soap-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110520/16_Fairsquared_soap.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.naturalcollection.com/shop/fair-squared-apricot-facial-soap-with-cotton-soap-bag---sensitive-skin---2-x-80g-by-fair-squared/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy facial soap</a> £11.45

17. Fairtrade Christmas bath bomb by Honeystreet Handmade

Bath bombs make a perfect stocking filler, and this Fairtrade Christmas bath bomb from Honeystreet Handmade is packed with essential oils to rejuvenate and restore your skin.
Give someone the gift of a relaxing bath this Christmas!
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4342 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110538/17_Bath_bomb-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110538/17_Bath_bomb-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110538/17_Bath_bomb-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110538/17_Bath_bomb.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.honeystreethandmade.com/shop/22187-christmas-wish-bath-bomb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy a bath bomb</a> £4.50

This rose and sandalwood soy candle from Moksa is handmade in the UK with all natural ingredients. It’s a 100% vegan candle with sustainable soy wax and an eco-waxed hemp wick. 
The best bit is that it smells gorgeous and looks stylish wherever you put it. 
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4343 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110556/18_Soy_candle-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110556/18_Soy_candle-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110556/18_Soy_candle-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110556/18_Soy_candle.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.wearthlondon.com/hemp-soy-candle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy a luxury candle</a> £14

The ideal starter kit for anyone wanting to make simple life swaps. Zero waste kits from Battle Green contain organic, handmade &amp; reusable products. It comes complete with an  organic cotton strong shopping bag, an organic cotton produce bag, a bamboo cutlery set in a handmade organic cotton pouch and a bamboo straw! 
Battle Green is also a member of the Surfers Against Sewage 250 club, and makes monthly donations to help the charity clean up beaches and waterways.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4344 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110617/19_Zero_waste-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110617/19_Zero_waste-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110617/19_Zero_waste-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110617/19_Zero_waste.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.wearthlondon.com/small-zero-waste-kit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy a zero waste kit</a> £19.96

Making your own face masks using only all natural, organically sourced, vegan ingredients with moisturising coconut oil, antioxidant rich cacao powder and deeply cleansing bentonite clay, is a great way to show someone you care. This Fruits of the Nut Tree gift is ideal for your friends that you’d like to pamper, comes with easy-to-follow steps, and plastic-free and compostable packaging.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-4345 aligncenter" src="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110636/20_Facemask-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110636/20_Facemask-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110636/20_Facemask-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20211119110636/20_Facemask.jpg 605w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<a href="https://www.wearthlondon.com/make-your-own-face-mask-kit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy a make-your-own face mask kit</a> £21

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<h2>A note on packaging&#8230;</h2>
Christmas is definitely one of the most wonderful times of the year, however it is also one of the most wasteful. In the UK, an<a href="https://www.biffa.co.uk/media-centre/news/new-research-shows-brits-are-dreaming-of-a-green-christmas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> extra 30% of rubbish</a> is produced and discarded throughout the festive period when compared with the rest of the year. That’s something like a whopping 3 million tonnes, and one of the biggest culprits: Christmas wrapping paper. An estimated <a href="https://www.biffa.co.uk/media-centre/news/new-research-shows-brits-are-dreaming-of-a-green-christmas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">227,000 miles</a> of wrapping paper is thrown away in the UK each Christmas. That means the average household will go through four rolls of wrapping paper, and about 40 million rolls of sticky tape. 
Switching to plain brown paper or newspaper fastened with string or ribbon instead of tape is one way to reduce your waste. You don’t want to go through all the trouble of buying super eco-friendly gifts, just to wrap them in wasteful, non-recyclable paper do you? 
Wrapping presents in lengths of fabric, following the Japanese art of fabric wrapping: furoshiki, is another option that is becoming more and more popular. These lengths of cloth are both beautiful and reusable, and can be passed from person to person. 
If you do use wrapping paper, make sure you do the scrunch test to determine if it can be recycled. Simply scrunch the paper in your hand, and if it keeps its shape, it is recyclable. 
Another option involves unwrapping your presents very carefully and saving the wrapping paper year after year!
Are you sending presents to loved ones? <a href="https://heapsgoodpackaging.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HeapsGood packaging</a> has some brilliant compostable packaging options, including 100% biodegradable Eco Mailers that will break down in 3-6 months!

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<h2>A summary of your eco-Christmas </h2>
There are many ways that you can adapt your wrapping habits so that you’re more sustainable. In our eyes, this is more in line with the true spirit of Christmas. There has never been a better time to try something different and step back from the excessive consumerism that so often dominates this time of year.
If you want to do more, and help plant trees and fund climate solutions, <a href="https://ecologi.com/plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign up</a><a href="https://ecologi.com/plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> to Ecologi today</a>.

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Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

It’s not all bad. While there’s a lot of negative news about the climate, let’s not forget the good stuff. Find climate wins, reasons to be hopeful and plenty of positivity in our good news timeline.

The good news timeline

Ready to make a difference for our planet? Get in touch, and let’s chat about how we can help you on your climate journey. 

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Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

In a landmark move set to reshape corporate climate action, we’re excited to announce that Ecologi, the UK&#8217;s most trusted climate action platform, has acquired <a href="https://netzeronow.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Net Zero Now</a>, the sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction platform for businesses.
The combined entity operating under the Ecologi brand will create a single solution for industry climate leadership towards net zero. The integration combines sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction with world class verified climate projects that supports businesses wherever they are on their net zero journey.

<h2>The game-changing impact of this acquisition</h2>
The strategic acquisition solves two fundamental challenges in corporate climate action: businesses have been forced to choose between fragmented solutions and generic ‘one size fits all’ approaches that ignore crucial sector-specific needs. By combining Net Zero Now&#8217;s sector-specific protocol expertise with Ecologi&#8217;s platform funding top-tier climate projects, we&#8217;re creating a tailored and complete solution helping businesses lead their industries towards net zero.

Reduce emissions.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Measure Scope 1, 2 &amp; 3 emissions with sector-specific industry GHG protocols</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set short term and long term reduction target emissions aligned to SBTi</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tailored reduction plans for sector-specific emissions pathways</li>
</ul>
Restore our planet.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Compensate for unavoidable emissions as you reduce them through 
funding verified, high-quality carbon avoidance and removal credits</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Contribute to global climate goals by funding climate Impact Funds for 
beyond value chain mitigation and/or as part of your products &amp; services</li>
</ul>
Report on progress.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Corporate sustainability standards e.g. CSRD, SECR, SBTi, CDP, B Corp</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sector specific standards e.g. Accountancy, Hospitality, Public Sector</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Custom climate impact reports and embeddable dashboards</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communications toolkit for board and stakeholder engagement</li>
</ul>

Climate leadership starts here

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Neil Ross Russell, Managing Director of Net Zero Now, said:
<blockquote>Businesses want to take climate action, but they want to know they’re doing it right and what’s right for a restaurant business is not the same as what’s right for an accounting firm.  They need industry-specific guidance and clear pathways to climate leadership. By joining forces with Ecologi, we&#8217;re creating a platform that allows us to provide credible, simple and affordable, sector-specific, end-to-end climate solutions for businesses in our existing sectors and collaborate with industry partners on new sector-led solutions.</blockquote>

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The acquisition aligns with Ecologi&#8217;s mission to accelerate business climate action and grow our 24,000 strong customer base. Established sector protocols including hospitality and professional services will be the initial focus with plans to expand across additional industries throughout 2025.
With organisations under increasingly complex stakeholder and industry compliance demands for environmental accountability, this end-to-end solution also ensures streamlined reporting, monitoring progress, supply chain transparency, and voluntary disclosures. This transforms business leaders into climate leaders with the confidence to tackle their climate commitments head-on, communicating and meeting critical regulatory requirements like SECR, CSRD and SBTi.

<h2>More about Net Zero Now</h2>
Founded in 2021, Net Zero Now has developed a proprietary sector-led approach, which combines climate expertise alongside the sector knowledge and experience of relevant industry bodies, industry influencers and larger businesses to reach a consensus around what Net Zero means in practice for businesses in each sector. To date, the company has measured and validated 1.8 MtCO2e lifetime emissions supporting more than 50+ leading brands including Coca Cola Europacific Partners, L&#8217;Orèal, Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Subway, Hard Rock Cafe, Adnams, Edgbaston and James Cowper Kreston.

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Case studies

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4 hospitality companies leading the way on climate action

Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have in the hospitality industry — it&#8217;s a business necessity. With increasing regulatory pressure, shifting customer expectations, and the growing impact of climate change, hospitality businesses are finding that taking action isn&#8217;t just about responsibility—it&#8217;s about resilience. This is particularly evident as 70% of Brits are now actively trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle (Nutritics, 2024), and 44% say sustainability is important in their choice of venue to visit (Morning Advertiser, 2023). From tackling food waste to cutting carbon emissions, the sector is facing both challenges and opportunities to drive meaningful change.
At the heart of this transformation is the food system. The hospitality industry relies on farming—a sector responsible for nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and one that is increasingly vulnerable to climate disruption. Rising temperatures, unpredictable weather, and supply chain instability are already affecting food availability and costs, making sustainability not just an ethical priority but a commercial imperative. This is reflected in consumer behavior, with 47% of consumers wanting more information about carbon footprints on menus, and 41% saying this information would influence their order (CGA Strategy, 2023).
Fortunately, forward-thinking hospitality businesses are stepping up, driven by clear market demand—34% of UK pub and restaurant goers are prepared to spend more in venues with strong sustainability credentials, increasing to 47% for Gen Z and Millennials (Sustainability Beat, 2023). This generational shift is significant, with consumers aged 18-34 being nearly twice as likely to pay more for sustainability than those aged 55+ (WaterAid, 2023).
As the food and beverage industry awakens to its environmental responsibilities, and with climate change threatening to fundamentally disrupt global food security, restaurants and food service enterprises are stepping up to take meaningful climate action. These pioneering businesses are demonstrating how sustainability can enhance business performance while making a positive environmental impact, even as they navigate the unique challenges of being both a contributor to and victim of climate change.
Read about four hospitality companies that are championing climate action, and explore how they are turning environmental challenges into business opportunities.
Whether it&#8217;s engaging employees, measuring carbon footprints, or developing new sustainable service offerings, these venues are setting the standard for a greener future in hospitality.
<ol>
<li>Hawksmoor: Leading Sustainability in Fine Dining</li>
<li>Freemans Event Partners: Pioneering Sustainable Event Catering</li>
<li>Lisini Pub Co: Family Legacy Meets Sustainable Innovation</li>
<li>The Assemblies: Pioneering Sustainable Hospitality in Bristol</li>
</ol>

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<h2>Hawksmoor: leading sustainability in fine dining</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li> Achieved B Corp certification in September 2022</li>
<li>Comprehensive review of operational sustainability across all locations</li>
<li>Implementation of energy reduction initiatives</li>
<li>Enhanced waste management systems</li>
<li>Water conservation measures</li>
<li>Integration of sustainability into staff training programs</li>
</ul>
Hawksmoor&#8217;s journey exemplifies how restaurant groups can lead in sustainability within the hospitality sector. Their comprehensive approach includes setting ambitious net-zero targets for 2030 while focusing on immediate operational improvements. The restaurant group&#8217;s commitment is evidenced by their systematic review of day-to-day operations across their locations in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and New York. What sets them apart is their holistic approach to sustainability: examining energy usage, waste management, and water consumption while maintaining their reputation for quality dining. Their structured approach to employee engagement includes a two-day intensive induction program that emphasises sustainability, making it a core part of their culture.
Ellie Besley-Gould, Head of Purpose at Hawksmoor, said:
<blockquote>We&#8217;ve been heavily involved with the Sustainable Restaurant Association since about 12 years ago&#8230; It&#8217;s a really important area for us to be stepping up the work in, looking at how we can inspire change.</blockquote>

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<h2>Freemans Event Partners: pioneering sustainable event catering</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li>Achieved 38.4% reduction in emissions compared to projections</li>
<li>Implemented innovative &#8220;Zero Zone&#8221; testing area</li>
<li>Introduced shuttle buggies for reduced transport emissions</li>
<li>Deployed hybrid power generators</li>
<li>Established carbon menu labelling</li>
<li>Enhanced waste management through compostable solutions</li>
</ul>
Freemans Event Partners&#8217; journey demonstrates how large-scale event catering can embrace sustainability without compromising service quality. Their innovative approach at the British Grand Prix showcases their commitment to reducing environmental impact in high-pressure environments. The company&#8217;s dedication is evidenced by exceeding their initial 5% emissions reduction target and implementing a groundbreaking &#8220;Zero Zone&#8221; area for testing new sustainability initiatives. What sets them apart is their data-driven approach to sustainability: measuring and analysing emissions across all aspects of their operation, from food stalls to logistics and waste management.
Richard West, Sustainability Manager at Freemans Event Partners, said:
<blockquote>Through partnering we&#8217;ve realised that collaboration is key to making lasting and impactful environmental changes in the events catering industry. The process has been much more straightforward than we thought it would be and we look forward to setting even bigger reductions targets as we go forward.</blockquote>

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<h2>Lisini Pub Co: family legacy meets sustainable innovation</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li>Reduced scope 1 and 2 emissions by 48% through renewable electricity</li>
<li>Won the Flor de Cana Rum Sustainability Award</li>
<li>Achieved lowest electricity demand in 10 years</li>
<li>Implemented LED lighting and sensor systems</li>
<li>Launched biodiversity project at Dalziel Park</li>
<li>Developed sustainable kitchen practices and menu innovation</li>
<li>Created venue-specific green teams</li>
</ul>
Lisini Pub Co&#8217;s journey demonstrates how family-owned hospitality businesses can transform their environmental impact while preserving their heritage. Their comprehensive approach combines traditional Scottish hospitality with modern sustainability practices across their venues, including the historic Angels hotel in Uddingston. What sets them apart is their innovative approach to sustainability: implementing competitive green teams across venues, achieving dramatic emissions reductions, and maintaining their commitment to quality service. Their structured approach includes both operational improvements and employee engagement, making sustainability a core part of their 45-year family legacy.
Siobhan Edwards, Director Lisini Pub Group, said:
<blockquote>It&#8217;s not until we&#8217;ve been working in the last year that we&#8217;ve really truly understood our carbon footprint. It&#8217;s the right thing to do, it&#8217;s the right thing for our customers, for our planet, for the environment, and actually it saves us money at the same time.</blockquote>

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<h2>The Assemblies: Pioneering Sustainable Hospitality in Bristol</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li>Established 100-mile radius local sourcing policy</li>
<li>Implemented full venue LED lighting systems</li>
<li>Introduced reusable cups for music events</li>
<li>Developed nose-to-tail food waste reduction policy</li>
<li>Created vegetarian menu options to reduce emissions</li>
<li>Enhanced supplier partnerships for sustainability</li>
<li>Achieved an impressive 3-star rating in the Food Made Good Standard, scoring 92% overall and 91% specifically in environmental practices</li>
</ul>
The Assemblies&#8217; journey showcases how urban hospitality venues can lead in sustainability while building strong community connections. Since their inception in 2009, they&#8217;ve demonstrated that local sourcing and environmental responsibility can coexist with business success. What sets them apart is their data-driven approach to sustainability: analysing carbon ratings, implementing local sourcing policies, and creating innovative menu solutions. Their comprehensive strategy includes everything from sound system upgrades to waste reduction initiatives, making sustainability integral to their operation.
Anna Blightman, Brand Marketing Manager, said:
<blockquote>Something that our partnership has allowed us to do, is lay all the data out on the table so that we can actually look at it, and stand to analyse it and understand where we can make changes. If we don&#8217;t start now, when will we start?</blockquote>

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As these leading hospitality companies show, meaningful climate action can drive significant business benefits—from stronger customer and employee engagement to enhanced brand reputation and risk mitigation. By taking a thoughtful, transparent, and impactful approach, businesses can pave the way for a sustainable future.
Ready to take the lead in climate action? Book in a 30 minute discovery call with our Hospitality sector experts and find out more about partnering with Ecologi to measure your emissions, set reduction goals and fund high-quality climate action on the road to net-zero.

Ecologi’s top 20 Eco Gift ideas for the festive season 2021

1. Plastic-Free hair and body products from Ethique

2. A 3-month baking club subscription with Bakedin

3. Vegan recipes gift box

4. Ecologi Gifting

5. The Shrew with the Flu Book & Seedbom set

6. Art from Artfinder

7. Raw Organic Chocolate Making Kit from Cocoa Love

8. Zaytoun Olive Oil & Tree-Planting

9. Tiny Tony’s Chocolonely Christmas Mix Pouch

10. Gift vouchers for fun experiences together

11. Pela phone cases

12. Gift a Calm subscription

13. A Taste of Magic Teapsy tea bundle

14. Vegan chocolate gift box from Love Raw

15. Adopt a WWF leopard

16. Fair Squared apricot facial soap

17. Fairtrade Christmas bath bomb by Honeystreet Handmade

18. A rose & sandalwood soy candle

19. Zero waste kit from Battle Green

20. Make your own face mask kit

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Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

4 hospitality companies leading the way on climate action

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