Seven year old Jade Baxter's prize winning recycled Christmas decoration creation is a great example of how to have an environmentally friendly festive season.
Jade won the Tauranga Environment Centre's Funky Junk Christmas Tree Decoration Competition, where people made decorations from recycled and reusable materials.

Jade Baxter took home a Trade Aid prize pack after winning the Tauranga Environment Centre's Funky Junk Christmas Tree Decoration Competition.

Jade's decoration was made from a toilet roll, crepe paper and other recycled materials.
TEC waste minimisation projects coordinator Kim Cleland says the consumer focus of Christmas can lead to excessive waste creation, but there are lots of ways people can minimise harm to the environment at this time of year.
Ideas include making home-made Christmas crackers, cards and decorations out of reused and recycled materials; buying local produce for Christmas lunch or dinner; checking out op shops or Trade Aid for recycled gift ideas; reducing, reusing or recycle wrapping paper.
'Gift giving is a wonderful tradition and with a little thought, we can limit our impact on the planet during the festive season,” says Kim.