Kia ora, my name is Jack Karetai-Barrett, and I’m a year 10 student at Whakatāne High School. This month, I’m writing part two of my article from last year; I’m dreaming of a waste-free Christmas.

Like every year, I’ve been thinking about Christmas and waste.

Unfortunately, Christmas has been called the world’s worst annual environmental disaster.

According to the team at expol.co.nz, in the week following Christmas, New Zealanders send an additional 50,000 tonnes of waste to landfill. A large portion of this includes materials like polystyrene, which is challenging to recycle and can take hundreds of years to decompose.

Take gift-wrapping as an example. The amount of non-recyclable wrapping paper we use each year is embarrassing.

New Zealanders go through 1600 tonnes of wrapping paper each year. Glitter, foil, and plastic coatings might look cool at first, but most wrapping paper is unrecyclable.

An easy alternative is using materials like brown paper, fabric, or even newspaper. Fabric wraps, inspired by the Japanese tradition of furoshiki, can be reused year after year, making them practical and environmentally friendly – a perfect mix.

Another major issue is how much we over-purchase for Christmas.

Whether it’s decorations, food, or gifts, a lot of what we buy ends up as waste.

One way to counteract this is to shop smarter, especially when it comes to food. For example, instead of buying small packets of spices or baking supplies that come in heaps of packaging, head to Bin Inn or another bulk food store.

What a great Christmas gift. Imagine this, you go and grab some second-hand jars from the op shop, or ones you’ve saved, and make your own spice mixes. By bringing your own containers, you can reduce waste and buy only what you actually need. It’s a simple change, but it makes a big difference.

When it comes to gifts, the idea of quality over quantity is key. Instead of buying heaps of cheap, mass-produced items, consider giving fewer, more meaningful presents.

Homemade gifts or second-hand finds have more personality and often tell a story.

Experiences, like a family trip or tickets to an event, can be even more memorable and don’t come with unnecessary packaging.

Most people don’t remember what they got last Christmas, but they’re more likely to remember a fun experience. Make a voucher to take people out for a picnic.

There are heaps of berries around at the moment, make jam, or other berry-based treats. What a great gift from the berry town.

Food waste is another area where small changes can have a big impact.

Making too much food during the holidays is common, but much of that food ends up in the bin.

Planning meals more carefully, sharing leftovers, or even composting scraps/feeding to pets are simple ways to reduce waste.

If you’re hosting, ask your guests to bring containers or give some of your old containers, so that way everyone can take home a share of the leftovers.

There are some great websites around such as lovefoodhatewaste, that offer really cool ideas for using up leftovers. I love it when mum makes frittata, it’s a great way to use up all of our eggs we get at this time of the year.

Something else we often overlook is the sheer energy cost of all those lights and decorations.

Fairy lights are amazing, but leaving them on all night or using old, inefficient models contributes to energy waste. Switching to solar-powered like the ones Mum and I use, is an easy way to lower your energy use.

If you don’t have solar, consider turning your lights off before you go to bed as you don’t want to waste energy.

What has become clear to me is that Christmas doesn’t need to be about overconsumption.

Somewhere along the way, the holiday has been commercialised to the point where it’s easy to forget its original purpose.

Whether you celebrate it for religious reasons or as a family tradition, Christmas should be about spending time with your whānau, not maxing out your credit card or filling your bin to the brim.

This year, I’m challenging myself and my whānau to think differently.

How can we celebrate in a way that’s kinder to the planet and more meaningful to us?

Small changes, like using bulk stores, choosing sustainable gifts, and cutting down on food waste, can make a huge difference.

If we all take a moment to rethink our habits, we can make Christmas not only enjoyable but also sustainable. It’s about finding ways to create joy without creating waste, and living within the limits of the planet.