Recycle those Cards

They are fun to receive, sometimes stressful to send (who did I forget) and easy to recycle.

If you have a heap of Christmas cards at home, or in the office, don’t bin them, take advantage of the Woodland Trust recycling scheme until January 31st 2008.

You can drop them off at WHSmith stores, TESCO supermarkets, TK Maxx stores or M&S and by doing that you will help them reach their target of recycling 100 million cards. The money that the Woodland Trust raises from the recycling will allow them to plant 24,000 trees in the UK.

So, turn your card back into a tree, de-clutter your house and make yourself feel good about all that paper which came through your letterbox in December.

More details can be found at: www.woodland-trust.org.uk

Should we send Christmas cards?

Christmas brings out the best in all of us, whatever our religious beliefs, we can all enjoy its spirit.
Family and friends can use the occasion to stay in touch. Cards are a token of that social outreach.

• Charity cards increase the good feeling of giving to those less fortunate


• An email and a direct donation makes good sense. (make sure you Gift Aid it to let the taxman help out a bit at the same time!)


• Those friends from whom you don't hear much during the year it is great to get their family update through an email or letter.
  But let's not be too prescriptive, you know your friends, family and collegues and you no doubt know what they would appreciate best.

Depending on how you want to balance between tradition and sustainable living, there are quite a few options from which you can choose.

Over the next few days I shall be looking at:

1. making your own Christmas cards
2. Sending recycled Christmas cards (like these designer ones from Nigel's eco store)
3. If you buy recycled Christmas cards from charities they donate up to 20% to less fortunate people.
4. Pick up the phone and surprise 10 friends or family members on your Christmas card list to have a chat and say Merry Christmas!
   

You will no doubt receive Christmas cards from other people. Those you don't want to reuse to make your cards for next year with, make sure they don't go to waste – take them to a Woodland Trust recycling point.