Biome charity baskets!

Earlier this year, Biome was contacted by The St Vincent de Paul Society to supply some of our lovely handmade baskets. Every Christmas the students of Dominican College, Belfast organise food baskets which are then distributed to underprivileged families within the Belfast area. The college wanted the hampers to not only be fair trade but to be reused by the families for laundry and storage. The SVP is a voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing direct practical assistance to anyone in need. Active in England & Wales since 1844, today it continues to address many people’s needs.

Biome Lifestyle were honoured to be involved with the project and thought we would share some photos of the students with our baskets below. As you can see, the baskets are stuffed full with food and supplies which will hopefully be well received by families. We hope to be involved with the Dominican College project again next year and want to say a big well-done to all the students involved!

Which Christmas Tree?

Every December, people buy a new Christmas tree which is lovingly decorated, then in January unlovingly thrown away!

This tradition has been followed for many years but if you are looking for a more ‘eco option’, what are the alternatives?

- Probably the least eco option is artificial trees. On the one hand, the good thing is they can be reused year after year. However, the material they are made from can be extremely bad for the environment and your health. The majority of artificial trees are made from PVC and even worse, lead is apparently used to stabilize certain PVC products, which is why you'll see a label on faux Christmas trees cautioning you to avoid inhaling or eating any bits of lead dust that may fall from the "branches”! On top of that, when their lifespan is finally over, artificial trees will not biodegrade easily. Plus think about the air-miles associated with most artificial trees as they are often made in South East Asia. All in all, not a great option!

- Cut real trees are at least carbon neutral, absorbing as much carbon dioxide as they grow as they will emit when burnt or left to decompose. Plus they do not emit any toxic nasties like artificial trees do. However, as the roots have been removed, re-planting a cut Christmas Tree is not a possibility…

- Therefore, the best eco-option would be a re-plantable Christmas Tree, i.e. one which is bought in a pot with its roots still in place. Then in January, why not plant the tree in your garden? I can remember my dad replanting our tree years ago! The tree is now thriving in the front garden and is always decorated every Christmas with fairy lights. If you don’t have anywhere to grow your tree after Christmas, maybe a neighbour or friend does? Alternatively, make sure your tree is recycled by your local council.Even better, try buying your potted Christmas Tree from a sustainable grower and/or make sure the tree has Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation; go to www.soilassociation.org/christmas for a list of suppliers.

Eco wrapping

Given the time and thought that goes into picking a Christmas gift, the standard wrap job -- a rumpled bow slapped on a store box or a bag and tissue paper picked up at the department store - rarely does justice to the contents. But visual appeal isn't the only reason to reconsider your wrapping habits. It is estimated that over Christmas as much as 83 square km of wrapping paper will end up in UK rubbish bins, enough to cover an area larger than Guernsey!

This year make gift wrap that's both gorgeous and green by creatively repurposing stuff others might toss. Here are some ideas…

Natural
Birch bark and fresh leaves are surprisingly pliable; just roll and secure with twine. Find them in Asian markets and outdoors.

Fillers
Biodegradable stuffing cushions small, fragile items just as well as plastic bubble wrap or Styrofoam peanuts, a recycler's worst nightmare.

Cloth
In Japan, the art of wrapping gifts in cloth is called furoshiki, and it's brilliantly ecofriendly. Secure open ends with a button, safety pin, or knot.

Paper
Easy to find and work with, vintage and repurposed papers add pop to presents. Layer several colors and textures, or add vintage beads for a finished look.

Herbal Fire Starters

Pinecones and dried herbs such as rosemary, sage leaves, and cinnamon sticks make fragrant kindling for a winter fire - and, unlike composite firelogs and lighter fluid, don't rely on chemicals to ignite the flame. Here’s how to do it: 1. Bundle dried herbs and small pinecones in a sheet of newspaper and secure the ends with raffia or cotton twine. 2. As you pile up logs for your fire, nestle the herb bundle underneath, with paper ends sticking out. 3. To start the fire, light the newspaper ends. As the paper burns, the herbs inside will ignite and incinerate, giving the logs a chance to catch fire. Sit back and enjoy the fragrance and your fire!