10 top tips for a sustainable Christmas

1. Artificial trees

If you have one already, use it for as many years as possible to make the most of it. If you don’t have one, try Freecycle, Ebay or Gumtree for a pre-loved one.

2. Eco-friendly real trees

To make sure your tree is UK grown, buy from a retailer registered with the British Christmas Tree Growers Association. If you want a tree that is certified organic, check to see that it has been approved by the Soil Association.

3. Grow your own

Buying a potted tree with roots allows you to grow it outside and use it again next year, reducing its environmental impact and costing you less. But be warned - they require some looking after and you'll need a big pot. 

4. Recycling cut trees

Don’t let your tree be part of the 90% that end up in landfill. Many local councils now compost them so find your local Christmas tree recycling point.

5. Tree rental

Christmas tree rental, what a brilliant idea.

Forever Green Christmas Trees deliver around South Essex but are prepared to do deliveries further afield if you call them up (07854 437 224).

The Little Tree Company previously operated across the UK and is now offering a local service in the South Yorkshire area.

Lovely Branches serves Greater London.

Save a tree, send an e-card


Let your imagination run wild. Homemade craft items or food can be a refreshing and creative alternative to high-street or online purchases. Giving your promise to do something nice will probably be seen as special too.

6. Homemade gifts

You can make use of what you already have, with these beautiful origami Christmas models or make your own candles in bespoke containers, like old tea-cups. Websites such as Prima have oodles of Christmas craft ideas, or see some of our favourite craft and gift ideas on Pinterest.

7. Food gifts

Sweets, biscuits and preserves can all make fabulous Christmas presents, especially with some creative packaging. To make the most of your pantry and garden, Alys Fowler’s book Abundance is a wonderful resource. In it you can find recipes for things like jams and pickles, which you can make months before Christmas.

The BBC Goodfood website and Delicious Magazine are both packed with sweet and savoury recipes for gifts. If you're baking with the kids, why not try traditional favourites such as gingerbread men? They're great fun to decorate.

8. Free gifts

Why spend if you don’t have to? Free Christmas Gift Cheques are a lovely way of making your time the thing that counts.

9. Friends of the Earth shop

The Friends of the Earth shop has a fabulous eco-friendly range of cards, calendars and gifts. So you can do all your festive shopping and support Friends of the Earth at the same time. They’ve also got gift vouchers, so you can let your friends or family choose their own present. A turkey on the table doesn’t have to be a seasonal inevitability. 

10. Vegetarian recipes

Why not cut the meat this Christmas, or cook vegetarian for Boxing Day and over the rest of the festive break? According to the Soil Association "food is the single most important, everyday way for people to reduce their own environmental impact".

This doesn’t have to mean endless cheese salads, cheese omelettes and cheese sandwiches. Try the Vegetarian Society or Jamie Oliver for hundreds of fantastic recipes.

Merry Christmas!

Install Solar PV before the December cuts with Yorkshire’s award-winning renewables specialist! Green Gain, in partnership with Hub Energy, is helping businesses make the most of solar PV opportunities before the Government reduce the current FIT payments.    The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is proposing to cut the feed-in tariff rates for solar PV installations by as much as 87% from the 1st January 2016. Ministers are aiming to reduce the feed-in tariff for smaller scale solar installations from 12.47p per kilowatt hour to 1.63p with large standalone units eligible for subsidies of 1.03p per kWh, compared with 4.28p today. So if you are interested in ‘making hay while the sun shines’ then get in touch with Green Gain at info@greengain.co.uk.

Tender Gain

Tender Gain Cost saving, professional means of procuring sustainable waste management services and green energy

Green Gain has recently helped procure a new waste management contract for KFC UK Ltd. As a result of our support, they are now in the process of appointing a contractor that will provide them with a zero waste to landfill, high-recycling solution; helping make the transition from ‘wastes management’ to ‘resources management’. The work has really helped re-define their waste strategy and will make a big impact on their Corporate and Social Responsibility.

Raising standards, reducing costs

The UK’s leading manufacturer of high quality deli-fillings for retail and industrial suppliers, Fresh-Pak, starts to benefit from the Green Gain Accelerator.

Having undertaken a full baseline audit of energy, waste and water earlier this year, Green Gain has now developed an environmental strategy that will help the company to reduce costs, improve profit margins and make its primary operations more sustainable.

Following a desk top review, a number of on-site audits and staff-engagement workshops, a series of key recommendations are now being implemented by Green Gain. These will collectively deliver anticipated savings over £300,000 and the diversion of 650 tonnes of waste from landfill in to recycling. All actions will achieve payback in less than 2 years. Activities include:

·       

           -  Implementing a new segregation system for key waste streams and the delivery of an     awareness raising programme;

·         - Sourcing cheaper end markets for egg-shell waste and food waste;

·         - An assessment of power quality and actions to improve this;

·         - An assessment of steam boiler load profile and review of the control strategy; and

·        -  Investment in a flexible pigging system for pipe cleaning of the mayonnaise mixer.

See how we can help reduce your costs and raise your standards by contacting us at info@greengain.co.uk.

Significantly reduce your energy bill at no cost. But hurry as the offer ends on the 15th March 2015 on a first come, first served basis GreenGain is working in partnership with social enterprise iPower (a UK developer of low carbon projects) to promote the take up of the FREE BlueGEN micro-CHP (Combined Heat and Power) units. BlueGEN is the only Fuel Cell Micro CHP product in the UK to receive MCS accreditation and thus, eligible for Feed In Tariff. BlueGen is the world’s most efficient small-scale product to convert natural gas into power and heat. Key features: The BlueGEN model is a free model based on recovery of value through the 10 year FITs guarantee – in this case, iPower pays for (and owns) the fuel cells and the FITs go back to the funder. BlueGen ownership can pass to customer after ten years. The user pays for service (approx £520 per annum (yr 1) rising with RPI over 10 years) and for the gas supply (commercial/domestic grid connection required). The savings are made because of the efficiency of the fuel cell in generating electricity and heat from the gas – this typically translates to a 20-45% saving on total energy import displaced by the BlueGEN (i.e. combination of heat as well as power). Benefits and Costs: Onsite supply of electricity: 13000+ kWh/year Onsite supply of heat: 6000+ kWh/year CO2 reduction: 3.6+ tonnes /year Costs: cost of gas supply to BlueGen unit and cost of service contract. Eligibility Requirements: Gas supply to building and space for BlueGen with standard installation Electrical load of 20,000+ kWh per year and the ability to use all power generated by the BlueGen unit. No export meter. Ability to utilize approx. 200L hot water/day Minimum 10 year interest in the property Acceptable credit risk assessment.

So if you are interested in hearing more about the FREE BlueGEN then please contact Ashley Robb at: ashley@greengain.co.uk

Green Gain can provide free resource efficiency support to Yorkshire-based SMEs operating in the built environment, advanced manufacturing and environmental technology sectors.*  

An ERDF framework funds our expertise so that we can help you to take new initiatives forward to reduce both energy consumption and waste where you may lack the time, skills or resources in-house.

Our support is designed to be hassle free. We will handle all the paperwork and there is no match funding requirement.

The support is therefore 100% risk free and can be tailored exactly to your needs. As way of example this support may help you to:

• Improve your energy efficiency;
• Minimise your waste generation;
• Get better value from your waste contractors;
• Find higher value end-markets for your waste materials;
• Communicate on environmental issues within your business;
• Increase profitability.

The funded support places are limited, so contact us now to secure your free support!

You can reach me on Steven@greengain.co.uk or 07519 428475.

This is what a recent client said about our support on resource efficiency and waste reduction:

“We really couldn't have done it without you so thank you for your expertise and time – it really is appreciated.”

Abi Lawrence, Front of House Operations Manager, Chapter Arts Centre.

*This offer unfortunately excludes the South Yorkshire sub-region