A renewable energy company in Bath is urging the business community to ditch "pointless gifts" this Christmas and think about the impact on the environment.
Pure Planet, which employs 80 people in Bath, is giving every staff member a tree as a Christmas present instead.
Employees will have the option to plant the tree at home, in a local community space or have it planted in a sustainable forest.
The trees were bought by Pure Planet through the Woodland Trust shopping portal, with team members able to choose the particular species they wanted.
Pure Planet co-founder Steven Day said: “At Pure Planet we want to help everyone contribute to a zero-carbon future, and that starts here with our team.
“So many offices opt to do Secret Santa at Christmas, which quite often accumulates pointless stocking fillers that end up in landfill after the festive period.
“We decided enough with the pointless plastic gifts, instead opting to give all our staff a tree for Christmas.
“The difference with giving everybody a tree is that whether they choose to plant it at home or donate it to a local conservation project it can last for centuries and helps the planet.
'We urge other companies to ditch pointless gifts'
“The reaction to the trees has been very positive, our team thinks it’s great to get something engaging and a bit different, with so much tat out there, it’s nice to receive something meaningful that also positively impacts the environment and wellbeing of our communities.
“We urge other companies to ditch pointless gifts and think about giving a tree to their staff instead," he added.
Pure Planet's digital marketing manager Anna Mountford is donating her tree to a local community initiative aiming to enhance green spaces in the village of Winsley, in Wiltshire.
She said: “Planting a tree is a Christmas gift which can be nurtured for generations to come, without any waste ending up in landfill.
“I’ve decided to donate my tree to Winsley’s local parish council, and will be bringing in the help of my daughter’s classmates to plant the tree in the village.”
As an extension to the scheme, new employees of Pure Planet also get a tree when they start working at the company, which Steven says encourages "sustainable gifting" throughout the year.
