An ambitious new year recycling scheme by the Woodland Trust and Recycle Now aims to recycle Christmas cards and raise enough money to plant 24,000 trees.
Special collection bins will be available throughout January at all Marks & Spencer, Tesco, TK Maxx and UK mainland WHSmith high street stores.
The woodland conservation charity, Woodland Trust, estimates that if everyone in the UK recycles just one Christmas card with the initiative, they will be able to plant 15,000 trees.
The public's efforts last year helped collect 73.6 million cards, bringing the Christmas Card Recycling Scheme's 12 year total to 600 million cards recycled. This has enabled the Woodland Trust to plant 141,000 trees, save 12,000 tonnes of paper from going to landfill, and stop 16,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere - the equivalent of taking more than 5,000 cars off the road for a year.
The UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe with only 12% woodland compared to 44% on the continent. Of this only 4% is wildlife friendly broadleaf woodland where some of the country's most endangered species live. The Woodland Trust's primary aim is to double this native woodland and increase these vital habitats.
Sue Holden, chief executive of the Trust said, "I would like to ask as many people as possible to recycle their Christmas cards with the Woodland Trust, as the more woodland you help us plant, the more vital habitats we can create where endangered species such as dormice, red squirrels and the magnificent Red Kite can thrive."
