How to have a plastic free Easter

Easter is fast approaching and a lovely time of year to get together with family and friends. Although, with the ever-increasing pressures of climate change we have been investigating ways in which we can make it a more sustainable celebration too.

One of the main joys of Easter is chocolate, offering the ideal opportunity to indulge, particularly in chocolate eggs! However, these items also traditionally come with a mountain of superfluous single use packaging, none of it recyclable but all of it destined for landfill. Given the negative effects excess packaging and plastic have on our environment though, a chocolate egg just doesn't taste quite as delicious when we think about all the layers of single-use material we've fought through to get to it. 

Fortunately, there are now many brands that offer both Easter eggs and alternative chocolate treats without too much packaging or plastic, so we can reduce our waste without sacrificing enjoyment. Look out for them in local supermarkets and independent confectionery shops. There are many different varieties in minimal or recyclable packaging and a few brands even use sustainable packaging tape and wrap where needed too. We also found chocolate eggs and treats that are both fair trade and organic, making them an even more ethical choice. 

When it comes to organising Easter egg hunts and table displays or decorations, we found lots of alternative ideas to using plastic that are just as good if not better, and with a little time spent crafting, could be fun to make too. For those of us that aren’t that keen on chocolate, we like the idea of making our own easter egg-shaped cookies and decorating them with sugar paste. Not only are they delicious but they look lovely as a table decoration too. 

Instead of using fillable shop bought plastic eggs for Easter egg hunts, we love the idea of making fillable felt eggs, decorated wooden eggs or papier mâché eggs, and packing them with small treats. These can all be upcycled, reused and in the case of papier mâché, are compostable. Making fillable eggs is a great activity to do with children and we found many inspiring ideas on the internet. Alternatively, seek out and attend a local family crafting session in places such as the Farnham Maltings or Hale Community Centre, to name just a few. 

Nature also offers many ideas for alternative egg decorations. Rocks are fun to hunt for and paint in bright colours for displays. Decorated blown-out eggs make lovely table decorations and will keep beautifully indefinitely. You can make your own homemade natural dyes from many different food ingredients, just look online for ideas. Other options we found included dyeing eggs to make plant silhouettes or using beetroot juice to create pretty ruby eggs. 

So if like us, you are looking to make more sustainable choices and think plastic free this Easter, hopefully these ideas will inspire you. As well as eating beautiful treats you’ll have fun creating lasting Easter decorations too. 

To find out more about Plastic Free Farnham and how we work in partnership with the Farnham Rotary Clubs and Farnham Town Council to encourage local businesses and organisations to gain the town plastic free status, please contact us on plasticfreefarnham@gmail.com. 

Read the published article in the Farnham Herald here