The Pat Kenny Show A sustainable guide to festive hosting!
Dec 4, 2025
Jo Linehan, a climate journalist and sustainability expert, shares her insights on hosting low-impact festive celebrations. She discusses the pros and cons of real versus artificial Christmas trees and emphasizes recycling options. Jo introduces reusable fabric crackers that can be refilled, significantly cutting down waste. She also tackles holiday food waste with practical tips like making lists and sharing meals. For table settings, she advocates for reusing items and renting sets, while suggesting meaningful experiences instead of typical Secret Santa gifts.
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Choose And Recycle Your Tree Wisely
- If you buy an artificial tree, invest in a high-quality one and keep it for around 20 years to lower its impact.
- When finished, take it to your local authority for proper recycling instead of tossing it out.
Reusable Fabric Crackers Demo
- Jo Linehan brought reusable fabric crackers made by Timeless Celebrations to demonstrate a sustainable alternative.
- The crackers have Velcro, reusable poppers, and can be refilled with Irish goodies year after year.
Plan To Cut Food Waste
- Make a shopping list, check it twice, and avoid panic buying to cut Christmas food waste by up to half.
- Share extras with neighbours or freeze leftovers and search recipes to reuse them creatively.