Your guide to a sustainable festive season!

From thrifted gifts to plant-based feasts, Student Ambassador Shobana Chandrashekar’s guide is packed with simple, sustainable tips to help you enjoy an eco-friendly and joyful festive season!

The festive season is a time for joy, generosity, and gathering with loved ones—but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of the planet. Student Ambassador Shobana has put together a guide to help you enjoy a meaningful and eco-friendly holiday season. From unique second-hand gifts to budget-friendly plant-based recipes, these ideas will help you celebrate sustainably while staying mindful of your wallet. 

Author: Sustainability Communications Ambassador, Shobana (Final Year in BSc Biomedical Sciences). 

Thriftmas: Gift with purpose and creativity 

This year, embrace the magic of “Thriftmas” by opting for second-hand, upcycled, and preloved treasures instead of buying new. Not only does this reduce waste, but it also makes your gifts more unique and thoughtful. 

According to the waste management company BIFFA, the UK alone uses 227,000 miles of wrapping paper every Christmas — enough to wrap around the Earth nine times! Shockingly, much of this paper is not recyclable, ending up in landfills. 

Our tips: 

1. Choose reusable wrapping: Use fabric wraps such as Furoshiki or recycled brown paper. You can also add natural decorations like leftover dried orange slices or twigs of rosemary for a festive touch! 

2. Upcycled creations: Turn old jars into candle holders, repurpose fabric into tote bags, or upcycle picture frames into custom gifts. 

3. Thrifted items: Oxfam Boutique and Fara Charity Shops offer books, records, homeware and stylish and affordable clothing and accessories perfect for your friends and family. Find these rare gems at their stores nearest to you or buy online.  

4. Discover preloved items right on campus: Save money and the environment by swapping your clothes for free at our Clothes Swaps or sell your pre-loved items on the Hazaar app or at one of their UCL pop-ups and buy some student budget-friendly outfits - don’t forget to gift yourself too. 

 

Festive plant-based recipes: Delicious, easy, and student-friendly  

Christmas feasts are a beloved tradition, but they often come with a significant carbon footprint. The good news? Even just switching to plant-based sides for Christmas can reduce your meal’s environmental impact by half—from 10.12kg to just 4.43kg of CO2 per serving.*

*This calculation is based on blog Green Queen’s comparison of a traditional spread with sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green beans with almonds, to their plant-based counterparts. 

By making simple swaps, you can enjoy a delicious and more sustainable celebration. Here are some of our festive recipe picks: 

Simple nut roast by BBC Good Food

Why it's great: 

• This satisfying vegetarian loaf uses pantry staples like lentils and oats. Minimal prep, one baking dish. 

Link to recipe

Vegan mince pies by BBC Good Food

Why it's great: 

• You can use store-bought vegan pastry (or make a super flaky one yourself) and bake these with a delicious cherry and hazelnut filling. 

Link to recipe

Garlic herb over roasted vegetables by Food Sharing Vegan

Why it's great: 

• This hearty medley is a super versatile one-pan side dish with your choice of veggies and seasonings. 

Link to recipe

Easy vegan gravy by School Night Vegan

Why it's great: 

• A sweet, salty, umami flavoured gravy to bind together your festive meal with none of the usual meat juices. Why not pair it with some vegan mashed potatoes?  

Link to recipe

Microwave Christmas pudding by Good Housekeeping 

Why it's great: 

• Short and sweet Christmas dessert that does not take hours to prepare, just minutes to make in a microwave. 

Link to recipe

Switching off: A new festive tradition

This festive season, give a gift to the environment by joining UCL’s Christmas Switch-Off Campaign. By pledging to switch off non-essential equipment, you’ll help UCL reduce energy consumption and make a big impact. 

In 2023, over 400 pledges saved an incredible 100 tonnes of carbon—the equivalent of planting 1,677 trees! This also saved UCL an impressive £144,194 over the festive period. 

How can I get involved? 

• Pledge to switch off: Commit to turning off lights, appliances, and equipment before December 20th. 
• Win prizes: You could win sustainable goodies, including a plant-based one-pot cookbook,  a keep cup, and Christmas chocolates from Tony’s Chocolonely!
• The hall or department with the most pledges also receives a £50 cash prize.  

Switch Off This Christmas: Give the Gift of a Greener Planet!

Let's celebrate Christmas together sustainably: 

This holiday season, make choices that bring joy not only to you and your loved ones but also to the planet. Share your sustainable Christmas moments with us on social by tagging @SustainableUCL on Instagram! 

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