By Retailist Team
The British population is making a conscious effort to make this year’s Christmas eco-friendlier according to new research1 from The Green Insurer, which is focused on helping drivers reduce carbon emissions and drive in a more environmentally friendly way. Around three in four (72%) adults say that they plan to take actions to make this festive period more green and eco-friendly.
Reducing food waste by planning meals so that leftovers are not thrown away (cited by 41% of adults) tops the lists of environmentally-friendly actions being taken. This is followed by ensuring that Christmas lights are on a timer and turned off when not in use (38%) and re-gifting any unwanted Christmas presents or passing them on to charity (23%).
Actions taken by consumers to help make Christmas “greener” this year
| Action | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Reduce food waste by planning meals to avoid leftovers being thrown away | 41% |
| Make sure Christmas lights are turned off or operated by a timer | 38% |
| Re-gift any unwanted Christmas presents | 23% |
| Choose eco-friendly, non-plastic festive decorations that can be re-used or recycled | 18% |
| Opt for a locally sourced Christmas tree that will be recycled or re-planted | 15% |
| Give gifts from sustainable or eco-friendly brands | 12% |
| Send digital e-cards instead of paper Christmas cards | 11% |
| Choose to travel to Christmas celebrations by public transport instead of driving or taking a flight | 7% |
The findings show that just one in 14 (7%) Brits say that they will take public transport as opposed to driving or flying to Christmas celebrations. This low number may be reflected by the more than one in four (28%) of motorists who say that their decision to use their car is based on concerns about possible delays or cancellations to public transport.
Paul Baxter, CEO, The Green Insurer, said: “This research highlights the growing awareness and action being taken by individuals to combat climate change. By making small, everyday changes we can all collectively make a significant impact on reducing carbon emissions.
“However, we also recognise that some will need to get into their cars over the festive period in order to see friends and family. This need to drive is why we launched our car insurance policies with environmentally conscientious drivers in mind. They are particularly attractive to those motorists who need to drive but who have also got concerns about environmental sustainability and who wish to reduce their personal carbon footprint.”
The Green Insurer has launched car insurance policies that customers can buy direct from its website at www.thegreeninsurer.com and through leading price comparison websites. A customer’s Green Driving Score will be used to calculate their renewal premium and to offer discounts when they renew. Policies are linked to a mobile app, which monitors how customers drive.
Every mile driven by customers will be offset using a range of carbon offset projects which are assessed for their carbon and environmental effectiveness as well as the social impact on the people and communities where they are based.
All customer enquiries to The Green Insurer will be dealt with by humans based in the UK rather than chatbots or overseas call centres.
Up to 70 companies have partnered with The Green Insurer to offer rewards and discounts including ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s Waitrose, Iceland and Morrisons plus retailers Clarks, Harvey Nichols, Halfords, Habitat and Waterstone’s as well as restaurant chains Zizzi, Ask Italian and Café Rouge. On a weekly supermarket shop of £200 a 6% discount would be worth more than £600 a year.
Independent and green offers include eco laundry capsules, eco clothing, refillable natural deodorant, sustainable sunglasses from Coral Eyewear and National Trust membership. The company plans to expand the number of rewards partners and is contacting companies who can also sign up on its website. It will also add other insurance partners in the future and potentially expand the types of policies it offers.
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