1. The Environmental Impact of the Christmas holiday season

2. The UK Produces Rubbish In the UK we consume a lot! In the UK we consume a lot! As a result we throw away a lot of rubbish! As a result we throw away a lot of rubbish! Currently, levels of household waste in the UK is growing at 3% each year. Currently, levels of household waste in the UK is growing at 3% each year. This means the rubbish we produce is DOUBLING every 20 years. This means the rubbish we produce is DOUBLING every 20 years.

3. Christmas Rubbish Waste levels spike during Christmas and New Year. Waste levels spike during Christmas and New Year. Around one tenth of our annual rubbish (3 million tonnes) is generated over the festive period. Around one tenth of our annual rubbish (3 million tonnes) is generated over the festive period.

4. UK Consumer Spending UK Citizens spend £13 billion on Christmas each year. Individually they spend an average of £543 celebrating Christmas, with most going on gifts (£215) and festive food and drinks (£127).

5. Average UK Spending ACTIVITY AVERAGE SPEND Gifts & Cards £215 Food & Drink £127 Social Occasions £96 Tree & Decorations £27 Party Outfits £35 Travel£43 Total£543 (Source: http//uk.virginmoney.com)

6. Cost of Waste Disposal? The government-sponsored RECYCLE NOW organisation estimates that 1 billion Christmas cards, eight million Christmas trees and 750 million extra bottles and 500 million jars needed to be disposed of each year. The government-sponsored RECYCLE NOW organisation estimates that 1 billion Christmas cards, eight million Christmas trees and 750 million extra bottles and 500 million jars needed to be disposed of each year. And that’s just the UK!!! And that’s just the UK!!!

7. Christmas Rubbish So how many hundreds of millions of other people worldwide also generate Christmas waste surpluses? So how many hundreds of millions of other people worldwide also generate Christmas waste surpluses?

8. Where Does all the rubbish go? Once the holidays are over where do we put the bottles, jars, discarded paper, cards, uneaten food and old trees? A hole in the ground. Currently 75% of waste ends as landfill.

9. Environmental Impact As well as additional rubbish the UK generates 2 million tonnes of extra greenhouse gases! As well as additional rubbish the UK generates 2 million tonnes of extra greenhouse gases! Caused by roasting turkeys, watching more TV & Christmas lights in homes and streets. Caused by roasting turkeys, watching more TV & Christmas lights in homes and streets. This is bad news for climate change. This is bad news for climate change.