Christmas is the most wonderful but also the most wasteful time of the year. Estimates suggest the amount of wrapping paper thrown out will go around the equator NINE times!

Here are a few ideas to reduce waste:  

Christmas Cards

• Reuse cards to make your own labels for next year's presents
• Recycle by dropping off at a recycling scheme or recycle with cardboard in kerbside collections

Wrapping Paper

• Reuse! Especially for young children's presents where the fun is the unwrapping, not how good the paper looks
• Shred spoilt paper to use as padding for future gifts or keep decorations safe for next year
• Use for cleaning windows - it works as well as newspaper as long as it's not shiny
• Spoilt paper (providing it is not foil) can be put out with cardboard in kerbside collections

Christmas Trees

• Take your tree to the local recycling centre, or garden centre if they will recycle Christmas trees 
• Use pine needles in your compost heap or use as a natural pot pourri

Don't forget to make the most of your recycling bin - just six mince pie foil cases will save enough energy to watch Eastenders!