The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration, of gathering with loved ones and enjoying delicious food, of giving gifts – but it can also be a time of excess and wastefulness. It is important for us to consider how we can reduce our environmental impact and celebrate in a more sustainable way. From choosing sustainable gifts to investing in reusable decorations, there are so many ways to make this festive season more sustainable.

By taking a more conscious approach, we can still have a joyous celebration while being mindful of our impact on the planet. Get to know some of the Circularise team as we share 13 tips for a more sustainable festive season.

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Mesbah Sabur is one of the founders of Circularise and is responsible for translating his vision into product and business development.

“This holiday season, you can gift someone a free online book called "Without the Hot Air”. While the original author passed away, there is a great community-maintained edition. The book remains a go-to reference and extremely useful for anyone interested in understanding sustainable energy. From a rational perspective, without the hot air. ;) "

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Phil Brown has a PhD in Circular Economy and over ten years of experience and expertise.

“There is such joy in giving gifts, it is always the thought that counts. So when giving gifts give a thought to shopping local when possible to reduce your carbon footprint and support your local community, making a gift or repurposing something old to make a new gift for someone.”

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Huwaida Ammari Tughar is Head of People & Talent Acquisition at Circularise and was probably a pastry chef in her previous life. She likes to think of the people department as a pastry well executed: quality ingredients and attention will result in an amazing dish you can be proud of.

“Christmas is a great time to make your own personalised gift baskets, such as homemade jams, cookies and even your own edible cards”

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Brian Smits has been with Circularise for the past five years and works on Business Development. He lives in Amsterdam with his wife and three kids, loves bike riding, and diving. He’s not the biggest fan of running, but still ran a marathon!

"Buy someone an experience every couple of years instead of a pile of unnecessary gifts each year – memories last way longer. Of course, take into account the impact of the activity you are planning as well."

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Robin von Holzschuher is a Business Developer and loves spending time in the sand playing beach volleyball.

“Organize a secret Santa with your family instead of getting a gift for each person individually. This way you can also increase the budget for that one gift and give them something really great.”

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Alexander Ejbekov converts coffee into code.

“Make your own Christmas decorations out of mohe-recycled plastic bottles with this + this + any 3d printer! (parts and assembly required)”

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Loes Börger is a designer at Circularise and really likes to make things sparkle.

“New idea from my dad this year: all our family members will present a service as their Christmas gift. For instance, my mom will bake any pie of choice, and my tech-savvy boyfriend will offer an hour of IT support. During the day we'll play games and the overall winner gets to choose first which service they want."

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Umberto Cucchi  is a Business Development Manager at Circularise and a fan of real and short espressos.
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“Using rechargeable batteries and solar-powered decorations can help reduce your energy consumption this Christmas.”

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Maria Alejandra Leon Aguirre is a problem-solving enthusiast and curious person with an analytical brain and an empathetic heart. She conducts workshops with project partners for research that help improve the technology at Circularise.

“If you are going to buy a natural Christmas tree, make sure to plant 3 trees! Once the Christmas season is over, don't just throw your tree away – turn it into compost! And if you are going to buy an artificial tree, buy one that comes from recycled materials!”

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Julia Semenko pretends to adore all sorts of winter sports like skiing, skating or horseback riding but deep in her soul, she prefers to enjoy the real flames and sparkling talks.

“Christmas and New Year holidays are no reason to forget about responsible consumption! To reduce food waste, plan your holiday menu in advance, and calculate the amount of food for each recipe. Most importantly, don’t forget that holidays with family and friends exist not only for eating together but also for nice communication, sharing of warmth, joint games and all kinds of outdoor activities!”

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Igor Konstantinov heads the marketing department at Circularise, enjoys sports, and is able to bake cakes after only tasting them.

“Make the biggest difference this Christmas by letting Circularise help you transition your business towards a circular economy! Check out our MassBalancer and Smart Questioning solutions for businesses.”

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Polly Smith looks after Circularise’s amazing investment partners and is the official "Whamageddon" administrator.

“It's that time of the year for some of us when we head off for the holidays… I challenge you to give up an hour of your holiday to collect rubbish wherever you go. Not only does it keep these beautiful places clean, it's also a great way to give back to the local communities and be respectful of their home!”

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David Sima translates the latest trends, interests and best practices into viral marketing campaigns. As a marketing intern, he brings in the fresh Gen Z perspective lacking in the boomers.
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“Instead of your usual, boring Christmas cards, consider gifting your friends plantable cards, thus offering a timeless gift that can also be personalised.”

By taking small steps towards sustainability, you too can make a difference. Together we can build a more sustainable future. The Circularise team wishes you happy holidays and a wonderful 2023 ahead.

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