About two thirds of that waste goes to landfill.

Hunter councils are encouraging people spend less, waste less this Christmas with its Small Acts Big Change campaign.

The three-year campaign involves nine Hunter councils, including Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, and ties in with the Regional Waste Strategy.

A big part of the strategy is educating the public and that is where the campaign comes into play. In the form of a television advertisement, the campaign is a call to action for people to shop local, avoid buying over-packaged presents and to plan their Christmas menu wisely to avoid food wastage.

Hunter Councils' regional waste education co-ordinator Juliana Caine has implemented some of these strategies in her own home.

The campaign's top five tips this Christmas are:

■ Plan your menu wisely;

■ Research recipes to use leftovers or freeze them to eat later;

■ Visit your local farmers' markets to buy produce;

■ Shop smarter for gifts; buy vouchers for local businesses such as restaurants, shops or a night away; and

■ Change to digital magazine subscriptions, books and music.

Go to smallactsbigchange.com.au for more information or watch the television advertisement here.