No, we’re never going to experience a white Christmas here in Australia but there are some places around the country doing their best to have a green one! See below for some lovely examples of councils and cities spearheading environmentally friendly and energy-conscious ways to celebrate.
Brisbane City Christmas Tree
Brisbane Christmas Lights
This year the 22m tall tree in the centre of Brisbane, one of our Cities Power Partnership councils, will be decorated with thousands of glittering fairy lights, and a huge colourful star, all powered by a solar-charged battery.
Woollhara Municipal Council
Small-leafed Lilli Pilli
To help residents be more sustainable in their Christmas celebrations, Woollahra Council, a Cities Power Partnership member, supports a native Christmas Tree program where select native species can be purchased in pots to be used as a native Christmas tree, and then donated to Council the following January to be planted in a local park.
The council is offering a variety of native trees including the small leaved- Lilli Pilli (pictured).
Sydney’s Darling Harbour “Luminous” light installation
Although not specifically constructed for Christmas, Luminous nevertheless will be getting Sydneysiders into the spirit of things with its brilliant shimmering canvas-like facade. Made from 557 LEDs, and powered by 100% renewable energy generated by solar panels affixed to the roof, Luminous showcases unprecedented advancements in green energy technology.
Darling Harbour Luminous Christmas
On are more individual level, we’re all thinking about how to celebrate Christmas in a better way. Extreme weather, climate change warnings, bushfires, even the current political discourse, will cause many people to approach the festive season with Mother Earth in mind. Here are a few great ways to do it:
- Councils like the Central Coast Shire Council and City of Fremantle are holding sustainable gifts workshops, teaching people how to make things like beeswax wraps, and reuseable bags.
- Think about where your Christmas tree comes from, and maybe start a new tradition of buying native trees, renting a tree that gets replanted after Christmas, or making your tree out of stuff you have at home.
- There are lots of ways to wrap gift that reuse items you probably have lying around the house: newspaper tied with pretty string, leftover pieces of fabric, a nice l
ooking tea towel that you can hang back in the kitchen later – or do as the Japanese do andwrap without tape so you can save the paper
If the thought of buying more stuff is getting you down, think about donating to a worthy charity instead. And if climate change and the move to clean energy top your list of important causes, consider donating to The Climate Council!
