'Tis the season to gift sustainably

Gifts wrapped in reusable paper

Fa la la la la-la la la la!

As the festive season approaches, the hunt for the perfect Christmas gift is in full swing.

But with growing awareness of climate change, more of us are wondering: what are the environmental costs of our gifting habits?

Imperial College London’s researcher, Dr Semra Bakkaloglu (Department of Chemical Engineering), explores the carbon footprint of some of the most commonly bought Christmas gifts in the UK in 2023, and shares tips for a more sustainable festive season this year.

Cosmetic products

Beauty products are small but mighty when it comes to environmental impact.

Plastic packaging, transport and ingredients contribute to their carbon footprints significantly. 

• Ingredients: Producing 1 kg of each ingredient mix derived from bio-based side streams of olive oil production, for use in the formulation of a day face cream with sun protection factor, can generate 0.8–2.33 kg CO₂-eq [1].
• Mascara: 2kg CO₂-eq per item including the use phase [2].  

Sustainable tip: Opt for refillable or zero-waste beauty products. Gift sustainable skincare subscriptions or experiences like spa treatments. 

Clothing and fast fashion

The fashion industry is a significant emitter, responsible for around 8% of Global Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHGs) [3].

Gifting clothing often supports fast fashion, which exacerbates environmental impacts. 

• T-Shirts: A 1kg pure cotton t-shirt carbon footprint is 8.7-9.5kg CO₂-eq [4,5], whilst 1kg cotton/kapok blend t-shirt has a carbon footprint of around -24kg CO₂-eq [6].  
• Jeans: Producing a pair of jeans emits approximately 33.4kg CO₂-eq [6].

• Luxury items: High-end fashion items often have higher carbon footprints due to transport and premium materials. 

Sustainable tip: Choose sustainable brands or second-hand fashion. Alternatively, gift experiences like a wardrobe consultation or sewing workshop. 

Jewellery

Jewellery is another sought-after gift for UK customers. However, the environmental cost of producing jewellery, especially gold, silver and diamond pieces, is significant.  

• Gold: Based on World Gold Council, GHG emission intensity of 1kg gold is 28,700 kgCO₂-eq.  

• Diamond: 1 carat of diamond produces 108.5kg CO₂-eq on average, lab-grown based diamonds carbon footprint could be as low as -1g CO₂-eq per carat [7]. 

• A Silver ring: has 1.03 kg CO₂-eq per product [8].  

Sustainable tip: By choosing recycled materials, lab-grown diamonds, or vintage pieces, you can enjoy stunning jewellery whilst minimizing your carbon footprint.  

Books

Books are a thoughtful and timeless gift, but they still carry a carbon footprint. 

• Hardcover books: Producing a single book emits about 2-4 kg CO₂-eq, depending on the size and printing process [9]. 

Sustainable tip: Gift eBooks or audiobooks to save on paper and transport emissions. 

Electronics: Gadgets and gizmos

Electronics are a go-to Christmas gift, from smartphones to gaming consoles. However, their carbon footprint can be eye-watering due to resource extraction, manufacturing, and energy-intensive production processes. 

• Smartphones: Each device generates about 50-60kg CO₂-eq during production [10]. 

• Laptops: The average laptop (life time of four years) has a carbon footprint of around 147-452kg CO₂-eq [11,12]. 

• Gaming consoles: Consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X contribute to increased GHG emissions. The PS4 was reported to emit approximately 1 ton of CO₂-eq over its lifecycle in 2013 [16].
  
  Similarly, according to data for the Xbox One, a single console emits 1.23 tons of CO₂-eq over an eight-year lifecycle[13].
  
  In terms of hourly usage, the PS5 produces 0.022 kg of CO₂-eq, while the Xbox Series X produces 0.07 kg of CO₂-eq [14]. 

Sustainable tip: Opt for refurbished electronics or gift digital content like eBooks or subscription services to reduce resource consumption. 

Semra's gift tips

• Experiences: Theatre tickets, cooking classes, or memberships are low-impact and memorable. 

• DIY gifts: Homemade crafts or baked goods add a personal touch without unnecessary emissions. 

• Digital gifts: Online subscriptions, eBooks, or donation gifts are low-carbon alternatives. 
• Go second-hand: Vintage and pre-loved items carry charm and  much lower environmental costs. 

By choosing responsibly produced goods, we conserve resources, reduce carbon footprints, and ensure a future of joy and harmony for generations to come. Dr Semra Bakkaloglu Researcher, Department of Chemical Engineering

As Dr Bakkaloglu states: "Embracing sustainable choices this Christmas isn’t just a gesture—it's a meaningful commitment to reducing environmental impact and supporting ethical practices. By choosing responsibly produced goods, we conserve resources, reduce carbon footprints, and ensure a future of joy and harmony for generations to come. Let your gifts this season reflect care for the planet and its people."

About Dr Semra Bakkaloglu

Semra is a Research Associate in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London, with over 10 years of experience spanning academia, industry, and consultancy. Her expertise encompasses environmental process engineering, life cycle sustainability assessment, energy systems modelling, and the mitigation of methane emissions. Her research also focuses on negative emission technologies, biomethane and biogas production, and waste treatment technologies. 

References

1. Secchi, M., et al., Assessing eco-innovations in green chemistry: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a cosmetic product with a bio-based ingredient. Journal of cleaner production, 2016. 129: p. 269-281.
2. Rocca, R., et al., Development of an LCA-based tool to assess the environmental sustainability level of cosmetics products. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 2023. 28(10): p. 1261-1285.
3. UNECE. UN Alliance aims to put fashion on path to sustainability. 2018; Available from: https://unece.org/forestry/press/un-alliance-aims-put-fashion-path-sustainability.
4. Chen, Y., et al., Impact of additional carbon storage of natural plant fiber on product carbon footprint: A case study of cotton/kapok blended T-shirt VS pure cotton T-shirt. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2024. 434: p. 140237.
5. Wang, C., et al., Carbon footprint of textile throughout its life cycle: a case study of Chinese cotton shirts. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2015. 108: p. 464-475.
6. Levi Strauss & Co. The life cycle of a Jean. 2007; Available from: https://levistrauss.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Full-LCA-Results-Deck-FINAL.pdf.
7. Skydiamond. Cloud-sourced diamonds. 2022; Available from: https://skydiamond.com/pages/cloud-sourced-diamonds?srsltid=AfmBOopDtN9ru9swWNhpHyMH-c57lzOSCwjOkNoN11R9p-PzDPKKiCIR.
8. Usapein, P. and C. Tongcumpou, Greenhouse gas emission in jewelry industry: A case study of silver flat ring. Appl. Environ. Res., 2016. 38(1): p. 11-17.
9. Wells, J.R., et al., Carbon footprint assessment of a paperback book: Can planned integration of deinked market pulp be detrimental to climate? Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2012. 16(2): p. 212-222.
10. Ercan, M., et al. Life cycle assessment of a smartphone. in ICT for Sustainability 2016. 2016. Atlantis Press.
11. O'Connell, S. and M. Stutz. Product carbon footprint (PCF) assessment of Dell laptop-Results and recommendations. in Proceedings of the 2010 IEEE international symposium on sustainable systems and technology. 2010. IEEE.
12. Tayyab, M., R.M. Singari, and P.M. Sathikh, Comparative Analysis of Carbon Footprint and Environmental Impact of Laptops. Nanotechnology Perceptions, 2024: p. 3016-3024.
13. CNET. Xbox, PS5 and the climate crisis: Next-gen video games could be worse for the planet. 2020; Available from: https://www.cnet.com/science/features/xbox-ps5-and-the-climate-crisis-next-gen-video-games-could-be-worse-for-the-planet/.
14. GreenGeeks. The PS5 Is the Most Eco-Friendly Next-Gen Console. 2021; Available from: https://www.greengeeks.com/blog/ps5-most-eco-friendly-console/#:~:text=The%20research%20found%20that%20the,what%20the%20Series%20X%20does.

15.  Sustainable(ish). What is The Carbon Footprint of Christmas? ; Available from: https://www.asustainablelife.co.uk/what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-christmas/

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