With the arrival of Easter, a period of celebrations and gatherings with family or friends is announced. Of course, the choices we make during these festivities have an impact on the environment. The production of waste, the excessive use of packaging and the consumption of single-use products are all factors that can contribute to the increase of our ecological footprint. We have therefore prepared some ideas for a sustainable celebration.

A responsible egg hunt (even for pitou!)

Colored plastic eggs are a common part of Easter celebrations, but they are also a source of waste. If you already have these hollow shells that open, it is better to reuse them as many times as possible rather than buying something else.

If you don't already have eggs on hand, opt for reusable solutions.

Stones or wooden eggs decorated by hand can be a very interesting solution for the environment but also a great activity to do with the family. They can also be used as decoration for the table for example. They do not open to hide treasures like plastic shells, but it can be interesting to use them for treasure hunts that rack your brain using a coded alphabet, for example.

Clues written on scraps of recycled paper can also be a simple alternative.

**Remember to count the coconuts left on the way to prevent your animals from accidentally falling on leftover candy or chocolate.

Hunt for pitou

From a large scrap of fabric, scissors, some KALŪ food kibbles and treats (we used Canadian beef jerky), we prepared our canine-style Easter 'eggs'.

We used whatever fabric we had on hand, but an old tea towel or sweater would also work. We cut 20cm by 20cm pieces of fabric that we rolled up, hiding kibble in them, then we tied everything lightly, a bit like bundles.

After preparing a few, we asked the children to hide them in fairly accessible places in the house and let Sunny go in search of them. Once she found her first 'coconut', she had to work a bit to figure out how to access the treats placed inside. She crunched from the outside a few times, before managing to untie the roll, to her delight!

To see the video of our hunt with Sunshine, click here.

Decorate with natural elements

Meudon white window painting, credit Jesus Sauvage Pinterest

Easter decorations can be made from natural elements such as branches, leaves and flowers. Use these elements to create unique and eco-responsible decorations. You can also buy decorations made from durable materials such as wood, glass or metal.

Painting the windows with Meudon white is an easy activity to carry out and the positive point is that it is also a charm to clean! Indeed, Meudon white is a natural cleaning agent that looks like chalk. Mixed with water, it can be used as paint for windows without any risk. Hours of fun for young and old to express their creativity.

Painting on eggs is a favorite activity of families during this period. With a little creativity, it's possible to change up the technique without reducing the fun! Here are some decoration ideas:

-Flowers and foliage in stencils or appliqués

- Natural colors

-Grains, seeds and cereals

 

Opt for less chocolate and better quality

Some statistics: Over 90 million chocolate bunnies are produced each year!

Cocoa cultivation is the leading cause of deforestation in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana and the third in the world. This production endangers forests and national parks, thus catalysing global warming. This cultivation, to meet global demand, also endangers animal species, elephants and chimpanzees, whose lives depend on these habitats.

The chocolate industry is also very water-intensive: one kilo of chocolate requires a total of 17,196 liters to manufacture, or the equivalent of 3,400 liters to produce a tablet.

The solutions?

1- Consume less. Buy only the amount of chocolate that will be consumed during the day or during the weekend rather than provisions that will go to the freezer for the weeks (or months) to come.

2- Opt for companies that produce fairly and fight against deforestation. Choosing local businesses that offer chocolate in bulk is one option for doing your part.

3- Make your own chocolate treats with fair trade cocoa sold in bulk.

Here's an interesting chart that ranks major commercial brands according to their efforts to protect the environment.

If you want to encourage local , here are a few local companies that have these same values ​​at heart: Amango , Umano (Bulk products), Favorite Chocolates , Galerie au chocolat (Part), as well as several bulk shops that offer options without packaging.

Other chocolate alternatives

Rather than offering chocolates throughout the hunt, it can be interesting to find environmentally friendly gifts that will be useful such as reading material, game books, vouchers for activities, privileges or family outings.

Edible gifts such as homemade cookies or other treats appreciated by our loved ones can be just as pleasing.

Some treats offered in bulk will create beautiful surprise bags wrapped in fabric or Masson jars!

In conclusion, there are many ways to celebrate Easter in an eco-responsible way. By using reusable eggs, avoiding disposable packaging and decorating with natural elements, we can all help reduce our impact on the environment.

Happy Easter !

Kalū's team