MoreThanWaste.com - Anna Ryder Richardson backs Christmas card recycling campaign (03/01/2008)

"Recycling is one New Year’s resolution that is easy to make and keep throughout 2008. Christmas cards are one of the easiest things to recycle after all the festivities have ended and people will not only be helping to support the Woodland Trust but helping to tackle climate change too"

Fridey Cordingley, Head of Recycle Now

Banbury, Oxon., England: Fresh from her stint in the ‘celebrity jungle’ keen recycler Anna Ryder Richardson has today teamed up with Recycle Now, to launch the national Chrismas card recycling campaign for England, according to WRAP (Waste and Resources
Action Programme). This new challenge is set through the annual Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme.

The challenge is by no means small as a collection target of 100 million cards has been set by the Woodland Trust and Recycle Now, which will enable 24,000 trees to be planted and save 2,600 tonnes of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gases – equivalent to taking 800 cars off the road.

Special collection bins will be available throughout January at mainland WH Smith high street stores, Tesco stores (including selected Express), any TK Maxx stores and all M&S stores including selected M&S Simply Food stores (see ‘Further information’ below).

Anna Ryder Richardson said:

“I love sending and receiving Christmas cards. It’s a great tradition and in the UK we send one billion of them each year. But I want to encourage everyone to remember to recycle them after Twelfth Night – not only will it help the Woodland Trust plant more trees but also stops recyclable waste needlessly ending up being sent into landfill and help the environment.”

All the cards collected during the campaign are taken to paper mills where they are recycled into brand new paper products, with the money raised helping the Woodland Trust plant thousands of new trees throughout the UK. This in itself helps to mitigate atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is locked into the trees structure through photosynthesis during a tree’s development stage.

Following collection, the Christmas cards are 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.

Sue Holden, Chief Executive of the Woodland Trust, says:

“Your efforts not only prevent cards going to landfill which generates greenhouse gas, but you help us plant thousands of trees. The UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe – just 12% of the UK is covered by woods compares to the European average of 44%. By recycling your cards, you can help us plant thousands more throughout the UK.”

Fridey Cordingley, Head of Recycle Now commented:

“Recycling is one New Year’s resolution that is easy to make and keep throughout 2008. Christmas cards are one of the easiest things to recycle after all the festivities have ended and people will not only be helping to support the Woodland Trust but helping to tackle climate change too.”

Further information

For more information visit www.recyclenow.com and www.woodland-trust.org.uk/cards.

Collection points

Collection points include all WHSmith mainland stores (excludes Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Belfast and Jersey); all Tesco stores excluding Tesco Express stores and all M&S stores including selected M&S Simply Food stores and excluding stores in the Republic of Ireland.

WRAP

WRAP works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment.
Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by Government funding from Defra and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Recycle Now

Recycle Now is a campaign to encourage people in England to recycle more things more often. Six out of ten of us now describe ourselves as committed recyclers, compared to less than half of us when the campaign began in 2004.

The Woodland Trust

The Woodland Trust - is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland. Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodland-trust.org.uk .


	Anna Ryder Richardson backs Christmas card recycling campaign (03/01/2008) "Recycling is one New Year’s resolution that is easy to make and keep throughout 2008. Christmas cards are one of the easiest things to recycle after all the festivities have ended and people will not only be helping to support the Woodland Trust but helping to tackle climate change too" Fridey Cordingley, Head of Recycle Now Banbury, Oxon., England: Fresh from her stint in the ‘celebrity jungle’ keen recycler Anna Ryder Richardson has today teamed up with Recycle Now, to launch the national Chrismas card recycling campaign for England, according to WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme). This new challenge is set through the annual Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme. The challenge is by no means small as a collection target of 100 million cards has been set by the Woodland Trust and Recycle Now, which will enable 24,000 trees to be planted and save 2,600 tonnes of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gases – equivalent to taking 800 cars off the road. Special collection bins will be available throughout January at mainland WH Smith high street stores, Tesco stores (including selected Express), any TK Maxx stores and all M&S stores including selected M&S Simply Food stores (see ‘Further information’ below). Anna Ryder Richardson said: “I love sending and receiving Christmas cards. It’s a great tradition and in the UK we send one billion of them each year. But I want to encourage everyone to remember to recycle them after Twelfth Night – not only will it help the Woodland Trust plant more trees but also stops recyclable waste needlessly ending up being sent into landfill and help the environment.” All the cards collected during the campaign are taken to paper mills where they are recycled into brand new paper products, with the money raised helping the Woodland Trust plant thousands of new trees throughout the UK. This in itself helps to mitigate atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is locked into the trees structure through photosynthesis during a tree’s development stage. Following collection, the Christmas cards are 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. Sue Holden, Chief Executive of the Woodland Trust, says: “Your efforts not only prevent cards going to landfill which generates greenhouse gas, but you help us plant thousands of trees. The UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe – just 12% of the UK is covered by woods compares to the European average of 44%. By recycling your cards, you can help us plant thousands more throughout the UK.” Fridey Cordingley, Head of Recycle Now commented: “Recycling is one New Year’s resolution that is easy to make and keep throughout 2008. Christmas cards are one of the easiest things to recycle after all the festivities have ended and people will not only be helping to support the Woodland Trust but helping to tackle climate change too.” Further information For more information visit www.recyclenow.com and www.woodland-trust.org.uk/cards. Collection points Collection points include all WHSmith mainland stores (excludes Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Belfast and Jersey); all Tesco stores excluding Tesco Express stores and all M&S stores including selected M&S Simply Food stores and excluding stores in the Republic of Ireland. WRAP WRAP works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment. Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by Government funding from Defra and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Recycle Now Recycle Now is a campaign to encourage people in England to recycle more things more often. Six out of ten of us now describe ourselves as committed recyclers, compared to less than half of us when the campaign began in 2004. The Woodland Trust The Woodland Trust - is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland. Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodland-trust.org.uk .