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Can you celebrate love without consuming? Conscious holidays are the theme of the month in December

2024-12-10 10:43:00

In December, we turn to the festive season in our Sustainability Theme of the Month project. We write about how the holiday can be more sustainable if the focus is on living real relationships instead of consumption.

Our vision for December:

The snow is falling quietly as we walk home from our community café, where we attended a Christmas play by local theatre groups. Big word for Christmas Eve, we haven’t had snow at Christmastime for years. They say the tables may be slowly turning, we’ll have to get used to harsh winters again due to the slowing North Atlantic Current. Hot summer, freezing winter, more extremes. Some processes are irreversible, but we are trying to adapt to them.

But other processes have taken a turn for the better,” I reflect, looking at the modest yet lovely Christmas decorations on the pedestrianized street. A few rows of lights, a few heartfelt messages, and to avoid light pollution, they don’t go on all night. We lit a bonfire on the winter solstice, and its energy will last until February.

In one window, a sign warns of moderation: ‘Buy some time for Christmas and spend it on your loved ones’. This thought keeps rolling around in my head as we walk along. “Buy” – as if time really can be bought. Of course, I know they mean well, they’re urging against buying. If we buy less, we have more time for what really matters. For each other.

In the old days, it would be family dinner, but for a few years now, our community has been celebrating together. We prepare a Christmas dinner together, local farmers bring the ingredients, our chefs prepare it with enthusiastic local volunteers, others set the table, decorate, and everyone helps with their own skills. The evening is for everyone in the community for free, so no one is left behind, no one celebrates alone. We hold each other together, even when it’s sometimes hard, because we know that’s what the celebration of love is really about.

Author: Máté Kovács

Our Christmas consumption is putting even more pressure on the environment

The end of the year and Christmas are all about joy and relaxation, but we pollute our environment in many ways, much more than the rest of the year. Much of this pollution is linked to the food we eat. At Christmas, we consume 80% more food than usual, of which a significant proportion is meat, which has a high environmental footprint. Meat can account for up to 70% of the environmental footprint of the entire Christmas dinner. Moreover, a not insignificant proportion of food ends up as waste. In the UK alone, around £1 billion (about HUF 500 billion) of food ends up in the bin this season, but in Hungary almost 40% of food ends up there, too.

On the other hand, the amount of other waste is also very significant. The packaging used to wrap presents generates 125,000 tonnes of waste in the UK alone, but in Hungary the amount of waste generated is also 10-15% higher at the end of the year. In addition, a significant proportion of gifts end up as waste, with some research suggesting that by March around 40% of gifts are broken or become boring and end up in the bin.

In the case of gifts, the environmental impact of their production and transport must also be taken into account, so if a toy or gift ends up in the bin without meaningful use, it not only generates additional waste, but the materials and energy used to produce and transport it are also wasted.

Finally, the energy consumption of Christmas lights is significant, and they also cause light pollution and can cause confusion for the wildlife around us. If you do want decorative lighting, it’s worth bearing in mind that LED light bulbs can reduce energy consumption by around 90%.

Our sustainability challenges for December:

This year, give your loved ones a little gift you made yourself. It’s not the value of the gift, but the joy of giving and the connection with your loved ones that matters.
If you choose to buy, look for a product that supports a good cause. There are many NGOs where you can buy a gift, including charity shops, Maacraft, Szuno and the Ornithological Association.
If you know of a similar place, share it with your friends or email it to us at mate.kovacs2@uni-corvinus.hu. We’re preparing a collection of gift opportunities from NGOs in December.
Think of those who don’t have a home, a family, a gift. You can participate in charity events, but the best way to help is to volunteer. If you need help, contact the Corvinus Science Shop, who can refer you to an organization among their community partners.
Agree with your loved ones in advance what you’d like to give this year. If you draw names out of a hat, you don’t have to buy gifts for everyone, and you can agree on the amount. This way, you can avoid the gift and purchase being a compulsion to just comply.
As you prepare your festive menu, think about the sustainability challenges of the previous months. Try to choose foods with as little environmental footprint as possible, mainly, reduce the amount of meat. Also, plan your menu in advance, write a shopping list and only buy what you will actually use up during the holidays.
If you do have leftovers, check out the posts on the Nébih’s No Leftovers programme. Here you can find out what and how to use or freeze it so it doesn’t end up as spoiled food in the trash.
If you’re putting up Christmas decorations and lights, make sure you use LED bulbs and only operate them in the dark, reducing energy consumption.
Spend quality time with your loved ones in nature. You can walk in a park, explore hiking trails, watch the cycle of life change from autumn to winter.
Do nothing! Consciously doing nothing can help you to step out of the constant rush, which is not only good for your mental health but also for avoiding over-consumption. Taking time just for yourself today was also a worthwhile use of your time.

+1: Reflect! The winter festive season, the winter solstice, is a great time to reflect on the successes of the previous season to build from it. We can write a gratitude journal with things we are thankful for. By observing ourselves and our surroundings and appreciating what we have or what has always been there, we have less need for new things. In this way we can take a step towards wholeness this holiday season.

Authors: Zombor Berezvai, Máté Kovács

The Sustainability Theme of the Month project will continue in December, with the aim of presenting an interesting and relevant environmental-social theme at Corvinus each month. This time we are writing about conscious holidays, and we welcome related events, activities and results at mate.kovacs2@uni-corvinus.hu.