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There are some easily achievable eco-friendly tips for clearing up in the New Year.
Make sure you compost all greenery and recycle bottles, paper, tins, aluminium foil and recyclable plastics. If you don't know where your local recycling centre is you can find details here at recyclenow . Make an extra-virtuous start to the year if you have to drive to the tip by combining the journey with a shopping trip or similar, to ensure you keep your transport-related emissions down by minimising unnecessary road journeys.
Take any unwanted gifts or items of clothing (whether new or the old ones they are replacing) to your local charity shop rather than throw them away. Alternatively give them a second home by advertising on sites like eBay or freecycle. Retailers like Marks and Spencer are helping to reduce the amount of unwanted clothes going to landfill by building partnerships with charities like Oxfam. Take your old M&S clothes to participating Oxfam shops and receive a £5 M&S voucher per visit in exchange.
M&S are also helping to drive the recycling momentum by working with the Woodland Trust's Christmas card recycling scheme. Most M&S stores have special bins near the tills for your old cards, and in return the Woodland Trust will plant new trees.
Many local councils have arrangements to shred Christmas trees to produce mulch or chippings, check with yours to see if they operate this scheme. Or try your local Scout group, many of whom also collect trees for recycling.
The UK Regulations for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the WEEE directive) came into force in 2008, and most old electrical items can be recycled at your local amenity tip. Visit Recycle Now for more information on acceptable equipment and to find details of your nearest centre.
Finally, why not make a News Years resolution to be greener in 2009? Most of the things you can do will not take much effort, and they are mostly sensible ways to reduce, reuse or recycle that save you money into the bargain!
HAPPY NEW YEAR from us all !
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