Councillor celebrates tree-mendous recycling success
Published on:
08
December 2008
Councillor Eddie Carrick will perform a special tree planting ceremony on 10th December 2008 to celebrate the Council's part in helping to recycle enough Christmas cards to enable the Woodland Trust to plant 1,000s of trees.
The Council has been sent a free sapling by the leading woodland conservation charity as a thank you for its work in supporting the charity's annual Christmas Card Recycling Scheme.
Councillor Carrick will plant the holly bush in Greenfield Park, Alloa, at 11am on Wednesday 10th December. You are invited to send a photographer.
Cards are recycled, throughout January, in bins at WH Smith, Tesco, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer. Bins are also available for staff to use within the Council's offices at Greenfield and Lime Tree House. Because the cards are recycled rather than being dumped on landfill, Clackmannanshire Council donated recycling credits which generates money for the charity to buy and plant trees.
Last year 73.6 million cards were recycled which enabled the Trust to plant 17,000 trees in some of its 1,000 UK woods. Two of the Trust's woods are in Clackmannanshire - Geordie's Wood in Muckhart and Wood Hill Wood, Alva.
Councillor Carrick, Sustainability Portfolio Holder, said: "I am delighted to be able to plant this special holly bush. It symbolises the Council's commitment to supporting the Woodland Trust's Christmas Card Recycling Scheme through the years. The scheme not only helps make the area a greener place, with less waste going to landfill, but also leads to 1,000s of trees being planted."
Since the scheme was founded 12 years ago more than 600 million cards have been recycled which has enabled the charity to plant 140,000 trees.
Janette Wickens, from the Woodland Trust said: "A commemorative tree planting ceremony seemed like the perfect way of saying a great big 'thank you' for helping to recycle thousands of Christmas cards year on year. Each card recycled helps us create new woodland, which people young and old will be able to enjoy forever. Please continue to support the Woodland Trust by recycling your cards this year in bins at WH Smith, Tesco TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer, throughout January."
For more information log onto www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/cards.
Notes to Editors
1. The Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme.
The cards collected in stores are taken to WHSmith, Tesco, TK Maxx and M&S depots, where they are collected by their own recycling agents. The cards are then graded and taken to recycling plants where they are treated and eventually turned into new products such as tissue paper, photocopy paper or corrugated cardboard.
2. Recycling Credits
Money is raised through recycling credits. A recycling credit is the value of the saving made by the Council in not having to landfill any household waste that is recycled. The Council chooses to pay this saving in disposal costs back to any voluntary or community groups that are involved in collecting household waste for recycling (in the case of the CCRS - the Woodland Trust) because they wish to promote recycling in their area. The value of the credit varies across the different areas due to differences in disposal costs, and is paid for each tonne of household waste that is recycled. The value of the credit increases each year with RPI (Retail Price Index) and with any increases in Landfill Tax.