From choosing eco-friendly decorations to opting for more sustainable gifts, we explore the practical solutions to enjoy the spirit of Chanukah while contributing to a healthier planet.
Chanukah is a time for reflection, gratitude, and togetherness that offers an opportunity to incorporate more sustainable practices into your celebrations. It’s more important than ever to consider how festive celebrations can be adapted to honour both heritage and the environment, to ensure traditions can shine brightly for generations to come.
Low impact lighting
Beeswax, soy, and palm oil provide more natural alternatives to traditional paraffin candles, as paraffin produces byproducts that can contribute to greenhouse gases. Not only are these eco-friendly materials better for the environment but they’re also healthier for you to inhale, as some of the synthetic ingredients used for colour and scent in traditional paraffin candles (such as toluene, benzene, and formaldehyde) can be unhealthy to inhale. Contemporaryjudaica.co.uk has a set of 45 natural beeswax candles with a honey-sweet aroma and the natural purity of beeswax that are packaged with recycled components, so you can celebrate Chanukah sustainably for years to come!
Eco-friendly feasting
It can be easy to get carried away when cooking for loved ones but being more mindful about how much food you’re cooking and how much might be left over is vital to ensure minimal waste.
Plan your food using local, seasonal ingredients that have minimal or no packaging or consider plant-based or vegetarian options to make your menu eco-friendly. The UN estimates that globally, the impact of livestock on emissions makes up more than 14% of all man-made greenhouse gases.
PETA has a great selection of recipes on its website that cover Chanukah menus with everything from vegan latkes to egg-free doughnuts that will delight your loved ones and their tastebuds this holiday.
Greener gifting
Look for items that are handmade, locally sourced, or eco-friendly from small businesses. If you’re looking to go the extra mile, consider regifting! You could even make this into a new family tradition, when you know you’ll no longer use something, pass it on to someone who will. This will make for a great way to ensure that every gift is used to its full potential.
Another idea for sustainable gifting is to give your loved ones an experience, rather than a physical item. This could be anything that creates memories such as tickets for a favourite event.
If you are gifting physical items, try sourcing environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional wrapping paper, as a lot of it is lined or manufactured with fragments of plastic or metal so is not recyclable. Whether it’s decorating kraft paper, gifting wrapped in fabric, or just upcycling old wrapping paper, choosing an eco-friendly gift wrap will help you to contribute to a sustainable Chanukah.