How to prevent a flood of packaging at Christmas

The waste advisory service of the waste disposal and service company (ESB) invites you to an inspirational evening about Christmas packaging on Tuesday, 21 November from 6 to 8 pm at the ESB. "With this evening, we want to offer inspiration for wrapping gifts in a different way. But we would also like to invite you to bring your own ideas and share them with others," says waste consultant Petra Tacke. The waste advice centre offers the opportunity to exchange ideas in a sociable atmosphere. Various materials are available to wrap small gifts in an environmentally friendly or low-waste way and to make packaging. As places are limited, please register with the waste advice centre by email: petra.tacke(at)esb.bocholt(dot)de or by telephone: 02871/24 63 24. The event is free of charge.

Glut of packaging at Christmas

According to various studies, 20 per cent more waste is produced at Christmas than on other days. Gift wrapping accounts for a large proportion of Christmas waste. But there are alternatives. Even without completely doing without packaging, a lot can be done. For example, you can use environmentally friendly materials or reuse existing household items such as cloths or nets. Natural materials are just as suitable for decoration as plastic ribbons.

Campaign is part of the European Week for Waste Reduction

The European Week for Waste Prevention (EWAV) takes place from 18 to 26 November. Thousands of public campaigns across Europe will highlight alternatives to the throwaway society and the waste of resources. This year, the European Week for Waste Prevention is focussing on the sustainable use of packaging under the motto "Clever packaging - solutions against the flood of packaging".

The waste advice centre in Bocholt is also taking part with an inspirational evening. "Waste avoidance is active climate protection. We support the campaign because we all need to use packaging more sustainably. It would help a lot if we also thought about whether packaging is really necessary when shopping. Ultimately, these are all resources that are more important elsewhere than being used for one-off packaging and then ending up in the bin. We all need to rethink this and everyone can do something," says waste consultant Petra Tacke.