10 ways for equestrians to be more eco-friendly this Christmas
It doesn't need to be as tricky as it sounds though! When it comes to sustainability, there are loads of ways you can tweak your gifting to be more eco-conscious.
Here at Honest Riders, we're always thinking about ways of being more sustainable, not just in our equestrianism, but also in everyday life. So, we've put together this list of ideas to help fellow horse lovers be more eco-friendly....
1. Choose an eco-friendly Christmas tree
The debate over whether you should choose a real or fake Christmas tree rages on. Reports suggest you'd need to use a fake Christmas tree for over 20 years to make it a more sustainable option than buying real. The Soil Association recommends that you choose a real, sustainably sourced tree and has some great advice on their latest blog post.
Also, how cool is this idea to rent a Christmas tree? It works out 30% cheaper than buying one too!
2. Wrap with care
Did you know that foil-based and glittered wrapping paper can't be recycled? Choose carefully when it comes to wrapping your presents - here at Honest HQ we love using plain brown paper and decorating it with wooden Christmas decorations that can be saved and reused on the tree or re-gifted the following year!
If you're looking for eco-friendly gift wrap, we highly recommend this stunning collection of unique, recycled gift wrap from Wrapped By Alice.
Top tip: Save your Christmas cards, cut the pattern out of the front and use as a gift tag for next years presents!
3. Gift sustainably
Vote with your money! Pick brands that you know have sourced their products ethically. Choose the products that come with minimal, recyclable packaging. Choose small brands that care about the sourcing of their products. There are so many incredible, ethically-conscious brands out there for the discovering.
We've put together a comprehensive set of eco-friendly gift guides for horse lovers, all categorised by price, to make it a little bit easier! Just go to the 'Christmas' tab in the navigation above to find them...
We're also just about to release a blog of our favourite other ethical brands to check out, so watch out for that one!
4. Opt for soy-based candles
Candle-lighting is a big part of Christmas, but its worth thinking about their levels of pollution and impact on your health before you buy. Rather than paraffin candles, try something made from soy or beeswax. We love this one from Hooves and Love.
5. Take your cards online
Yes yes, we know it's a lot less personal to send an e-card, but think about the amount of paper you're saving! If you really love sending a card, pick something made on recycled paper and something that gives back to a charity you care about, like these from Cards for Charity. Many of them come in plastic-free packaging too!
6. Make your own
Nothing says you really care quite like a self-created gift box or hamper. Christmas is a really great time to introduce family and friends to eco-friendly products, so pick some of your favourites, find a reusable box, add a raffia bow and boom! Nailed Christmas 2019!
If you're trying to keep costs down, how about baking something delicious? There's no better feeling than handing over some delicious home-made chutney or biscuits to someone you care about.
If you're short on time, we've handpicked some of our favourite horsey products, to suit every budget, and created our own gift boxes. Check them out for a bit of inspo!
7. Ditch the plastic wreath
...and have a go at making your own! There's bound to be foliage aplenty at your yard if you look closely. Country Homes have put together this guide to help you.
8. Choose gifts that are designed to last
This kind of echoes no.3, but we felt it was important enough to talk about in it's own right! In the age of disposability that we are now living in, it's all too easy to head to one of the big chain stores and panic-buy some fashion or plastic cr*p to fill a gifting gap.
Don't over-gift, Put your money towards one big present, rather than lots of bits and pieces that will end up in landfill.
Instead, give yourself the time, start browsing and bookmarking posts of ethical brands you love on Instagram or Facebook to save gifts you think your friends or family will love and buy those online instead!
#crapfreechristmas A sustainable life have written a fab blog about this too!
9. Sharing is caring
Why not club together with friends on your yard or family members when gifting? That way you could get a better quality, longer-lasting gift that will be truly cherished.
Shameless plug - why not club together for one of our plastic-free Gift Boxes? ;-)
