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8 December 2020, Sydney, Australia – With Christmas less than three weeks away, Aussies are swapping sleigh bells for sustainability, according to new research by Finder.
The Finder survey of 1,004 participants has revealed that 51% of respondents – equivalent to 9.9 million Australians – are planning to make environmentally conscious choices this Christmas.
Around 1 in 4 people (24%) will avoid disposable dinnerware, with that same number using recycled paper or gift bags to wrap presents.
1 in 10 (11%) have committed to only exchanging sustainable or non-physical gifts in an attempt to reduce waste.
A study conducted by ING in 2019 found that an estimated $400 million was spent on 10 million unwanted gifts last Christmas, much of which ended up in landfill.
Ben King, Finder's CSR manager, said that it's encouraging to see so many Aussies going green this year.
"Christmas and sustainability don't exactly go hand in hand. We tend to overeat and overspend, and this culture of holiday excess leads to an increase in landfill and food wastage.
"It's great to see that Aussies are becoming more conscious about their environmental impact, especially over the festive season.
"Even seemingly small measures like ditching plastic cutlery or reusing wrapping paper can make a big difference," King said.
The survey also found that 1 in 7 (14%) will deck the halls with solar-powered Christmas lights, while 12% will serve up a vegan or vegetarian menu.
Gen Z is leading the charge, with 63% planning to make sustainable choices this year, whereas just 40% of baby boomers intend to do the same.
Females (55%) are more likely than males (47%) to have a green Christmas.
Queensland residents are the most environmentally conscious, with over half (55%) planning to make sustainable choices over the holidays, followed by New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, all at 49% respectively.
King said that making sustainable choices can also be good for the bank balance.
"If you're unsure where to start, a good first step is to take a 'less is more' approach to your Christmas shopping."
"Instead of buying for the whole extended family, suggest doing Secret Santa or only buying for one person.
"Reducing our festive excess is the best gift we can give to the environment, as well as our wallets," King said.
For more information check out Finder's guide for going green at Christmas: https://www.finder.com.au/21-ways-sustainable-christmas
Do you plan to do any of the following sustainable activities this Christmas? | |
---|---|
I don't plan on doing any of these | 49% |
Avoid disposable dinnerware | 24% |
Use recycled paper/gift bags | 24% |
Use solar-powered Christmas lighting | 14% |
Make a vegetarian/vegan menu | 12% |
Exchange sustainable/no physical gifts | 11% |
Other | 1% |
Source: Finder survey, November 2020
*Responses are tick all that apply
How to have a green Christmas
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Disclaimer
The information in this release is accurate as of the date published, but rates, fees and other product features may have changed. Please see updated product information on finder.com.au's review pages for the current correct values.
About Finder
Every month 2.6 million unique visitors turn to Finder to save money and time, and to make important life choices. We compare virtually everything from credit cards, phone plans, health insurance, travel deals and much more.
Our free service is 100% independently-owned by three Australians: Fred Schebesta, Frank Restuccia and Jeremy Cabral. Since launching in 2006, Finder has helped Aussies find what they need from 1,800+ brands across 100+ categories.
We continue to expand and launch around the globe, and now have offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Poland and the Philippines. For further information visit www.finder.com.au.
12.6 million average unique monthly audience (June- September 2019), Nielsen Digital Panel