Campaign to turn cards into trees

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Britons are being urged to recycle 100m Christmas cards to raise money to plant thousands of trees.

The Woodland Trust and campaign group Recycle Now want to turn enough used cards into other paper products to fund 24,000 trees.

Saving the cards from landfill will also save 2,600 tonnes of greenhouse gases, equivalent to taking 800 cars off the road, Recycle Now said.

Cards can be donated at WHSmith, Tesco, TK Maxx and Marks and Spencer.

Collections bins will be in place throughout January.

Last year, the campaign collected 93m cards, enough to pay for 22,000 trees.

'Needless waste'

Sue Holden, chief executive of the Woodland Trust, said: "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."

To launch the campaign, interior designer Anna Ryder Richardson will hand over her cards on Thursday in London.

Ms Ryder Richardson said sending Christmas cards was "a great tradition".

"But I want to encourage everyone to remember to recycle them after Twelfth Night," she said.

"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."