Ethical Christmas

[sophy]

Trying to be more green/ethical this year. So far have decided to buy all presents locally and from independent shops not chains, fair trade where possible. Can't avoid plastic tat completely because of DS's love of everything star wars but getting stuff like that 2nd hand on ebay. Not buying any wrapping paper, have been saving tissue paper and those little paper carrier bags up from shops, which kids will decorate, and will use last year's cards cut up for tags. Can't give up xmas cards as love them but will be mixture of recycled, home made and charity. Xmas dinner will be mainly organic and locally produced. Tree will be from forestry commission certified sustainable source. Anyone got any other good ideas for ethical xmas?

A bank loan to pay for it?!!!

Sounds jolly expensive, all that local, free range, organic food!

Not expensive if you buy from farmers markets and farm shops and cook everything from scratch.

I'm trying to acheieve a "fairly traded" chocolate Christmas...but it seems it's going to be prety hard to pull off.

Managed to get the DS's fairtrade Advent calendars (complete with fairtrade chocolates in them), but there's just so little nice chocolate junk, type food to buy that's no made by cadburys or some other equally unethical chocolate producer .

I agree local, free range, organic food not too expensive if you shop around (if you shop at the supermarket - then yes you'll pay stupid prices - but local shops,markets etc not too bad)

local free range organic food isn't expensive - air freighted rubbish from asda is articifically cheap [gets off high horse]

ok what about expensive food and drink as presents? (single malt scotch, nice drop of bordeaux, spanish ham) - no plastic, limited packaging, can be as local as you like.

and "experience presents" - i'm toying with the idea of getting my dp a voucher for a massage at neal's yard.

dh would be well chuffed to get some "ethical" scotch or bordeaux (organic of course) lulu !!