BUY local, cook local, travel local, think local and long- term. Don’t waste.

That’s the message for an environmentally friendly Christmas, according to a range of eco-minded folk and NGOs who spoke to The Herald yesterday.

This was also the way to bolster local jobs and development, they said.

Local versus further afield – at worst overseas – is all about cutting carbon emissions, Pierre- Louis Lemercier of the Renewable Energy Centre in Greenshields Park explained.

The further the distance, the worse those greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Distance in this context is that distance from where your Christmas purchase is produced to where you load it in your shopping trolley and unpack it in your home.

African Centre for Conservation Ecology director Prof Graham Kerley suggests that, instead of tucking into imported turkey, one should feast on venison or Karoo lamb.

“Instead of buying toys from China or elsewhere overseas, why not make your child a member of a local conservation organisation? The purchase would not only be carbon zero but would also be an investment in the future – your child’s future.”

Having an eco-friendly Christmas also means thinking about that Christmas tree, he said.

“Using a pine tree or branch is good because of the need to get rid of alien vegetation. But the problem is when Christmas is over, these trees usually end up in our landfills.”

Barbara Cohen of Walmer, wife of senior environmental consultant Mike Cohen, said this problem could be avoided by shredding the pine tree and turning it into compost.

To decorate the tree, families can make their own decorations using waste products like bottle tops and milk cartons (the inside is coated with silver).

“A good present would be an indigenous plant. Presents can still be wrapped, but the trick is to use old newspaper which the kids can finger-paint.”

Wildlife and Environment Society (Wessa) regional manager Prof Martheanne Finnemore called for an end to unnecessary wrapping of presents with specially bought paper, and for advantaged families to consider reaching out to other less advantaged communities.

“Instead of over-indulging, why not take that surplus food and throw a little party for some poor families who would really appreciate it?”

Zwartkops Trust conservation manager Jenny Rump said she would be using her “Wonder Cooker” as usual to prepare her family’s Chrismas meal. “They work like a bomb – and also make great Christmas presents.”

For other presents and Christmas tree decorations, thought should be given to recycled goods produced at the Noziqhamo Arts and Crafts centre in Motherwell, she suggested.

SANParks conservation planner Stephen Holness said residents should consider exploring their own country and a SANParks Wild Card (offering cut- price access to SA’s 19 national parks) would be a good present.

Trudy Malan, operations manager of the St Francis seabird rehabilitation centre Penguins Eastern Cape, recommended the approach of “empowering people through penguins”. Her centre sells penguin crafts made by local women.

Aysha Cantor of Kragga Kamma Game Park make cards and wreaths of thorns and each guest leaves after their annual Christmas eve dinner with a thorn tree.

“For the Christmas tree itself we use a different indigenous tree each year, like a yellowwood or a gardenia. Then we plant it in our garden.”