Dreaming of a green Christmas in Wokingham Borough
Christmas is usually a time of excessive eating, drinking and merriment but this year Wokingham Borough Council is urging residents not to make it a time of excessive waste and rubbish.
Residents in Wokingham borough are currently recycling around 37 per cent of all household waste and, with turkey, tinsel and all the trimmings making their annual appearance in less than four weeks, the council is asking residents to think before they buy and think before they throw things away.
There are more than 40 recycling points across the Wokingham borough where empty wine bottles, cranberry sauce jars and horseradish pots made from glass can be recycled as well as any other glass containers that featured food and drink delights over the festive period. All the borough’s recycling points accept glass.
Additionally anyone who receives new clothes or shoes from Father Christmas this yuletide can drop off old clothing or footwear at various recycling points. A full list of recycling points and what can be recycled at each one is available at www.wokingham.gov.uk/recycling
With thousands of real Christmas trees being decorated with tinsel and baubles in the borough alone, the Wokingham council’s recycling team is urging everyone who decorates their homes with real pines this year to cut their tree up and put it out with their green waste collection bag.
Anyone who is not part of the Green Waste Collection Scheme can drop their tree off at either Wyevale Garden Centre in Hare Hatch, Wargrave or Swallowfield Village Hall in The Street, Swallowfield on Saturday January 19 between 8am and 11am. They can also be taken to civic amenity sites in Longshot Lane, Bracknell or Smallmead, Island Road, Reading, for composting. Both sites are open seven days a week.
Once residents are finished stealing a quick kiss under the mistletoe they can also put it out with their green waste or recycle it at the civic amenity sites, alongside holly, wreaths and other festive foliage.
All Wokingham Christmas wrapping paper and cards can be put out for collection in the black kerbside recycling boxes as can cans and plastic bottles. If residents have too much recycling for their boxes they can either order more by calling by calling the borough council on (0118) 974 6302 or they can use the boxes for cans and plastic bottles and bundle up paper and card in an alternative box, which should be no bigger than the black boxes.
As well as recycling the waste that is generated over the Christmas and New Year period the council is asking residents to think of ways to limit the waste that cannot be recycled including plastic wrapping and packaging, unused decorations, and plastic carrier bags.
Simple steps to reduce waste can be taken this year with top waste reduction tips including:
· Buying loose instead of pre-packaged vegetables,
·Reusing last year’s Christmas decorations instead of buying new ones or, for the creative, using home-made decorations,
·Taking reusable shopping bags to the supermarket,
·Composting vegetable waste, including Brussels sprouts and potato peelings in a garden composter,
·Using glass or china plates, bowls and glasses at Christmas parties, which can be reused unlike disposable ones.
Peter Baveystock, Wokingham waste and recycling manager, said: “Christmas is a time of giving so we’re asking residents to give a little bit back to the environment this year. By buying a little less and recycling a lot more we will landfill less.
“For the arty there’s always the opportunity to make decorations and cards out of recycled or natural materials that can in turn be re-used or recycled but of course just reusing the ones from last year is contributing to a greener Christmas.
“I’d urge everyone to keep their fingers crossed for a white Christmas but do all they can to ensure it’s a green Christmas too.”
Residents in Wokingham borough are currently recycling around 37 per cent of all household waste and, with turkey, tinsel and all the trimmings making their annual appearance in less than four weeks, the council is asking residents to think before they buy and think before they throw things away.
There are more than 40 recycling points across the Wokingham borough where empty wine bottles, cranberry sauce jars and horseradish pots made from glass can be recycled as well as any other glass containers that featured food and drink delights over the festive period. All the borough’s recycling points accept glass.
Additionally anyone who receives new clothes or shoes from Father Christmas this yuletide can drop off old clothing or footwear at various recycling points. A full list of recycling points and what can be recycled at each one is available at www.wokingham.gov.uk/recycling
With thousands of real Christmas trees being decorated with tinsel and baubles in the borough alone, the Wokingham council’s recycling team is urging everyone who decorates their homes with real pines this year to cut their tree up and put it out with their green waste collection bag.
Anyone who is not part of the Green Waste Collection Scheme can drop their tree off at either Wyevale Garden Centre in Hare Hatch, Wargrave or Swallowfield Village Hall in The Street, Swallowfield on Saturday January 19 between 8am and 11am. They can also be taken to civic amenity sites in Longshot Lane, Bracknell or Smallmead, Island Road, Reading, for composting. Both sites are open seven days a week.
Once residents are finished stealing a quick kiss under the mistletoe they can also put it out with their green waste or recycle it at the civic amenity sites, alongside holly, wreaths and other festive foliage.
All Wokingham Christmas wrapping paper and cards can be put out for collection in the black kerbside recycling boxes as can cans and plastic bottles. If residents have too much recycling for their boxes they can either order more by calling by calling the borough council on (0118) 974 6302 or they can use the boxes for cans and plastic bottles and bundle up paper and card in an alternative box, which should be no bigger than the black boxes.
As well as recycling the waste that is generated over the Christmas and New Year period the council is asking residents to think of ways to limit the waste that cannot be recycled including plastic wrapping and packaging, unused decorations, and plastic carrier bags.
Simple steps to reduce waste can be taken this year with top waste reduction tips including:
· Buying loose instead of pre-packaged vegetables,
·Reusing last year’s Christmas decorations instead of buying new ones or, for the creative, using home-made decorations,
·Taking reusable shopping bags to the supermarket,
·Composting vegetable waste, including Brussels sprouts and potato peelings in a garden composter,
·Using glass or china plates, bowls and glasses at Christmas parties, which can be reused unlike disposable ones.
Peter Baveystock, Wokingham waste and recycling manager, said: “Christmas is a time of giving so we’re asking residents to give a little bit back to the environment this year. By buying a little less and recycling a lot more we will landfill less.
“For the arty there’s always the opportunity to make decorations and cards out of recycled or natural materials that can in turn be re-used or recycled but of course just reusing the ones from last year is contributing to a greener Christmas.
“I’d urge everyone to keep their fingers crossed for a white Christmas but do all they can to ensure it’s a green Christmas too.”
Wokingham Borough Council
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