We may all hope for a white Christmas, but one conservation group is aiming to make the festive season "green" this year.
According to figures, around eight million Christmas trees are bought and thrown out in the UK each year, producing some 12,000 tonnes of waste. Sudbury-based environmental group, Woodland B.A.T.S (Bio-diversity Around Towns Scheme), has come up with the idea of "renting out" live trees so they can be re-used next year. The group has been growing the festive specimens at their tree nursery in Chilton on the outskirts of town.
Group chairman Peter Clifford said, "I think it's possible to hire an artificial Christmas tree, but as far as I know we are the only people in the area renting out real Christmas trees. I have managed to keep Christmas trees going for years at home by planting them in my garden in between seasons. So as an eco-group, we felt that hiring trees which can be used for many Christmases to come would be the ultimate recycling. All we do ask is that customers take off the decorations before sending them back!"
The trees are about 4ft tall, are all organically grown, come with good roots and already potted. They can be hired for a fee of £5, with a £10 deposit, and include care instructions and a date by which they must be returned.
