NIRN - Northern Ireland Resources Network

Day 9: Rechargeable Joy 🎄🎁12 Days of Sustainable Christmas Batteries are everywhere at Christmas. On day nine, let’s switch to rechargeable batteries and reduce electronic waste. A small change, but one that counts! #RechargeDontReplace #EcoTips

Day 8: Reduce Plastic Waste Plastic toys and decorations often take centre stage during Christmas, but this year, let’s make a change. On day eight, consider opting for wooden toys or second-hand decorations instead. These small swaps can create a meaningful difference. Alternatively, you could give the gift of a voucher for a toy library, offering an eco-friendly solution where toys can be borrowed and exchanged continuously. #ReducePlastic #RethinkReuseRepair

Day 8: Reduce Plastic Waste Plastic toys and decorations often take centre stage during Christmas, but this year, let’s make a change. On day eight, consider opting for wooden toys or second-hand decorations instead. These small swaps can create a meaningful difference. Alternatively, you could give the gift of a voucher for a toy library, offering an eco-friendly solution where toys can be borrowed and exchanged continuously. #ReducePlastic #RethinkReuseRepair

Day 7: Upcycling Gifts 🎄🎁12 Days of Sustainable Christmas Give old items a new lease on life! On day seven, why not make gifts from upcycled materials? From candle jars to jewellery, handmade gifts show you care, are fun to make and don't cost the planet. #SustainableChristmas #Rethink #Reuse

Day 6: Zero-Waste Feast Tips 🎁🎄12 Days of Sustainable Christmas Reduce food waste on day six by planning meals carefully, using leftovers creatively, and composting. Let’s enjoy a festive feast that doesn’t cost the Earth. Check out our members who are saving and resharing food including CLOUGHMILLS COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM FareShare UK Creggan Country Park East Belfast Mission LIBERTY CONSORTIUM ENTERPRISES C.I.C. Foyle Network Foundation - Foyle Foodbank #ZeroWasteChristmas #FoodSustainability Hubbub Department of Agriculture and Rural development, Northern Ireland Government

Day 5: Five Golden Ways to Donate 🎁🎄12 Days of Sustainable Christmas Day five is all about sharing! Donate unused items to charity shops or community centres. Your clutter might be someone else’s perfect gift! Across NIRN, countless individuals and groups could greatly benefit from your generous donations, including Habitat for Humanity Ireland SVP - Society of St. Vincent de Paul Ireland Hope365 COMPASS ADVOCACY NETWORK LIMITED British Heart Foundation HANDS THAT TALK East Belfast Mission #DonateToReuse #SpreadTheJoy

Day 4: Repair Before You Replace 🎄🎁12 Days of Sustainable Christmas Is your favourite Christmas jumper looking a bit worn? On day four, let's mend instead of tossing! Repairing clothes helps the planet and keeps your festive style intact. #RepairDontReplace

Day 3: Deck the Halls Sustainably 🎄🎁12 Days of Sustainable Christmas Homemade or upcycled decorations are a great way to bring Christmas cheer! On day three, let's make our own ornaments from recycled materials. #DIYDecor #RethinkReuseRepair

🎄 12 Days of Christmas: Rethink, Reuse, Repair🎄 🎁 Day 1: The Gift of Reuse 🎁 This Christmas, let’s rethink our traditions and embrace sustainability! Choose to give a thoughtful, pre-loved gift that carries its own charm and history, making it a meaningful and sustainable choice. Charity shops are packed with unique treasures that are ready to be cherished again. A thoughtful gift with a smaller environmental footprint can make a big difference. Join us in spreading the joy of sustainable gifting this season. #RethinkReuseRepair #SustainableGifting #12DaysOfSustainableChristmas WRAP Department of Agriculture and Rural development, Northern Ireland Government SVP - Society of St. Vincent de Paul Ireland East Belfast Mission

Our Executive Director Eimear Montague recently had the privilege of meeting Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibold, Minister of Finance, at The Playhouse to discuss the transformative Artitude project. Artitude, funded by the National Lottery Climate Action Fund, is a collaborative initiative that uses the power of the arts to inspire communities to engage in climate action and embrace circularity. As a proud partner of the project, NIRN is dedicated to demonstrating how creative approaches can drive meaningful change for both people and the planet. During our conversation, we took the opportunity to highlight a key policy issue: public procurement. Thanks to the leadership of the previous Minister, Conor Murphy, public procurement policies in Northern Ireland now require the demonstration of social value in tenders exceeding a certain value—a vital step towards sustainable governance. However, with public procurement representing an estimated £3.5 billion annual spend by the Northern Ireland government, we believe there is significant untapped potential to further embed sustainability and circularity into these processes. We were eager to understand Minister Archibold’s perspective on: - Opportunities for leveraging public procurement to support the reuse and repair sector - Ways to integrate sustainability principles into procurement policies to drive systemic change Advocating for policies that promote reuse, repair, and circularity is central to NIRN’s mission, and we are committed to ensuring the voices of our members and the wider environmental sector are heard in these crucial discussions. We would love to hear from you: How do you think public procurement can play a greater role in driving climate action and circularity? Let’s keep the conversation going. Department of Finance The National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland Eimear Montague