A zero waste Christmas present!
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Look at that face – you just want to kiss his cheeks, don’t you?
And what a relief! You know how it is when you don’t know how the contents of a box will fare on the packaging front?
I bought Mr Green a true boys toy for Christmas (sorry to be so un PC, Ms Barnard!). It was a Rolls Royce. Nah, not really, it was the Rolls Royce of weather stations. (I think – I don’t really know what I’m talking about to be honest).
Anyway, the box arrived and I had to hold onto it for a full two weeks before getting to see the contents. We all breathed a huge Green zero waste sigh of relief when Mrs Santa finally deposited her gift beneath the tree and Mr Green got to rip of the reused newspaper. Within the cardboard packaging was more cardboard packaging and just three tiny plastic bags stamped with the code 4 symbol (recyclable – yay!).
This product was very fragile and yet there wasn’t an ounce of polystyrene, mixed plastics, bubble wrap or any other terror in there and it all arrived in perfect condition. Making mouldings out of cardboard like this is surely the way to go. So a big yay and a hearty slap on the back from us to Ventus for taking the environment into consideration. In addition, at the back of the 2 million page manual are instructions for disposing of the item responsibly once it no longer works according to the WEEE Directive!
What about you; did you have some great zero waste presents this Christmas? Any companies that are worthy of a mention? Tell us about the good guys today and on Monday we’ll cover a slightly more rogue present that Little Miss Green was given. You can name and shame the bad boys then 😉
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Wow! I am very impressed with that!! So if they can do it what is up with others?? Think I need to wait til monday to ‘have my say’ though 😉
Our most Zero Waste present received a mixed reception. I thought it was (sort of) a good idea, but DH felt cheated. It was an unknown quantity of cows urine for an unknown farmer in an unknown corner of Africa.
There were a few books which will have a life after our use is done and Master P had some clothing, but most of the other pressies had a cost to the environment, some of them quite substantially 🙁
astonishing! that’s so perfect! did you know about that packaging before buying it???
I got books, luckily without the plastic, and packed woth recycled paper! and I gave things made by me….but in the kids department, things were a bit harder…as I’m sure you know….
The cardboard moulding seems to be catching on which is a positive move by the packaging industry. I have one already from a purchase and it is very robust.
On LetsRecycle today there was talk of composting the excess paper waste gathering in warehouses. This idea was not backed by that industry due to the contanimation present in some paper. Reducing paper may be worth considering with container use replacing it, as with plastic packaging.
Junk Mail is a big contributor to such paper waste. Apart from the obvious nuisance, adding to unused paper waste must surely call for a big reduction in its use.
Oh you make me laugh!
Umm, I got a cordless drill for Christmas….
YAY for the recyclable packaging!! 🙂
I agree, paper waste is a problem… It really depends how the paper has been treated.. The book ‘Eco-Friendly Design’ by Poppy Evans gives some ideas about this too… (though there may be newer ones on the topic, but it’s a good basic introduction..)
Oh, and as for gifts… We have a ‘giftless’ Christmass… (except for Grandma & the kiddies..)
..with occasional ‘charity gifts’ (money to charities) or sometimes the green neccessaries or new products to test (like trying a new dishwashing liquid etc)
Grandma got some organic towels and some eatables.. (in a re-used gift bag..)
Hello from Russia ))
Indiebird, ooo, I wonder what you are going to come out with on Monday!
Poppy, I’ve wondered about the reception from charitable gifts too. It takes a certain person to really get and appreciate it. Sorry to hear about the naughty presents, kids stuff tends to be horrendous. Full of plastic and other landfill crap.
Esther; I didn’t know about it at all – it was a wonderful surprise.
John, paper waste and junk mail really needs to be addressed. But while there is money to be made……..
A cordless drill, Sarah; it just had to be, eh 😉
Hi Layla, it sounds like your Christmas went well and I’ll see if my library has the book you mention – thank you!
Hello Mr Kisa – welcome to the site all the way from Russia. It was amazing to see our story in your newspapers yesterday!