After the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, took place in Glasgow last month, climate change has been the topic on many people's minds.
There's a lot of work to be done and we all have a role to play if we want to make a real difference.
And we can easily get started this Christmas by being a little less wasteful and a lot more sustainable when it comes to the presents, food and decorations we buy.
Tessa Clarke, the co-founder of food sharing app OLIO has shared some of her top tips for how to achieve just this.
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More than 85% of us feel we go too far with our gifting at Christmas, according to new research by OLIO, so we can change that by avoiding buying 'things' and gifting experiences instead.
Tessa suggests giving our nearest and dearest experiences such as meals, massages or movies which have all proved popular with her friends and family in the past.
She also recommends buying pre-loved, secondhand items, especially for kids as they don't really mind if a gift is brand new or not.
"What counts is that it’s new to them," she explains, "Why not search sites such as OLIO, eBay, Shpock or Depop for pre-loved gifts."
Or you could get creative and try making gifts for others.
Tessa continues to advise: "Nothing says I love you more than a homemade gift! Not big into cooking or crafting? Not to worry, I find a super simple traybake of brownies is always a hit, and if that’s not your thing then check out OLIO’s MADE section or Etsy for the homemade touch."
Other ways to be more sustainable when Christmas shopping is to avoid items with single-use plastic and ditch the wrapping paper.
"Peace with the Wild is a great website full of gorgeous toiletries and beauty products that would convert absolutely anyone to the eco-movement, without them even realising it," shares Tessa.
"Around 227,000 miles of wrapping paper ends up in the bin every Christmas. Why not ditch the paper and instead go Japanese style and wrap your gifts in reusable cloth instead? Totally unique, much prettier and eco too - what’s not to love?"
And when it comes to food, you can avoid waste by planning exactly how many people to cook for and not buying extra and by eating less meat.
But if you're not ready to take the plunge and go without turkey, you could always start small by experimenting with vegetarian or vegan starters and snacks over the festive period.
OLIO's co-founder also encourages people to get out and go foraging for their decorations instead of buying fake, plastic ones from supermarkets.
You might be able to find pine cones, twigs, green leaves or holly and festoon them with eco-friendly fairy lights for a natural but festive twist on Christmas.
Tessa also says it could be worth keeping your loo rolls, using the cardboard inserts to make personalised Xmas crackers, adding personalised zero waste gifts like, eco-friendly nail polish, lip balm in a tin and alcohol miniatures. And when it comes to seeing loved ones this Christmas, she's adamant you should avoid getting on a plane where possible.
She adds: "Stay local - the biggest single culprit of carbon in our lives is flying. So why not stay local this Xmas and make the most of what the great UK has to offer.
"Don’t fancy cooking? Check out what great local hotels may have on offer instead.
"If you do need to travel, go by train or carpool where possible."
And while these tips were mainly focused on the festive season - many of them will apply to other situations we face in our daily lives, so be sure to keep in mind ways you can reduce waste and be more sustainable all year round, not just at Christmas.
How are you trying to be more sustainable in your daily life? Let us know in the comments below.
