Sustainable Christmas in Darebin

With a little planning and creativity, we can celebrate Christmas sustainably – reducing waste and our environmental footprint while keeping the festive spirit alive.

Christmas tree

There are lots of sustainable options when it comes to choosing a Christmas tree this year:

• Reuse or buy second-hand: use the tree hidden in your garage or buy a second-hand tree.
• Live, native trees: Look for Albany Woolly Bush or Wollemi Pine at local nurseries. You can keep these trees in large pots to be used year after year, or you can plant them in your back yard after the festive season.
• Decorate your plants: you don’t have to buy a tree!  Spruce up your favourite potted monstera by draping over some lights and hanging a few decorations.

If you go with a cut tree, you can drop off your tree at Darebin Resource Recovery Centre for free in the new year. Darebin residents who receive a Council kerbside waste collection are also entitled to one free Christmas tree collection each year. Christmas tree bookings are limited and start mid-December. For more information, you can call customer service on 03 8470 8888.

Decorating tips: reuse last year’s decorations, craft baubles from garden cuttings, or make reusable bunting. Opt for LED or solar-powered lights to save energy and cost.

Sustainable gifting

Three-in-ten Australians receive gifts they’ll never use – that’s approximately $980 million in wasted presents. This year why not consider these thoughtful alternatives:

• Gift experiences such as dinner, a massage, creative workshops from your favourite local businesses.
• Normalise secondhand gifting by exploring Darebin’s fabulous op shops and preloved stores(PDF, 4MB) – sustainable, affordable, and full of hidden gems.
• Get creative with gifts like plantable greeting cards using seeds from your garden, homegrown veggies paired with a handwritten recipe, or a custom tea towel with handmade embroidery.
• Edible and drinkable delights such as a batch of cookies, jam or homemade hot chocolate mix.

For gift wrapping :

• avoid non-recyclable materials like cellophane or glittery paper
• check to see what you already have before buying new wrapping paper
• try reusable furoshiki fabric wraps
• choose recycled gift bags from Village Greening at Fairfield Library
• avoid plastic stickers and ribbons; instead, decorate with natural touches like rosemary or dried citrus for a fragrant finish.

Unwanted gifts? Donate to charity, pass them on to friends or family, or rehome them via online platform such as Darebin Hard Rubbish Heroes.

Festive food

Food is central to Christmas celebrations – let’s make it sustainable by:

• buying local and seasonal food
• incorporating more plant-based dishes
• using reusable tableware – you may be able to borrow a party kit, or source inexpensively through op shops and online platforms like Darebin Hard Rubbish Heroes.
• recycling packaging appropriately – see our A-Z waste and recycling guide
• reducing food waste

Did you know that food waste spikes by 30% over Christmas period? That’s a lot of delicious meals ending up in the bin – and money down the drain. Here’s how to keep the joy without the waste:

• Make a list before you shop and stick to only what you really need.
• Share the love (and the leftovers) by sending guests home with tasty care packages.
• For food waste that cannot be avoided, compost at home or use your food and green waste bin.

For more information, check out OzHarvest’s 'Use It Up' recipes for clever ways to transform scraps into something special.