Manchester People - Issue 37, New Year 2009

Now that you've taken down your festive decorations and packed away the tinsel, you're probably wondering "How on earth am I going to fit all that rubbish into my dustbin?"

The answer is: Don't!

A special scheme for recycling Christmas cards, with collection points in Tesco, WH Smiths, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer stores, directly supports The Woodland Trust. This year they're aiming to collect 90million cards, so take yours along between 2 and 31 January and help the trust look after the UK's woodlands.

Manchester City Council started recycling real Christmas trees in 2003, when 3.75 tonnes were collected. The trees are either chipped for the city's parks, or replanted if they have roots. Since 2003 the number has increased dramatically, with 104 tonnes collected in 2007.

If you've had a real Christmas tree, please don't throw it away.

• Take it to one of the temporary collection points (9.30am-3.30pm from Saturday 3 - Sunday 11 January) in Alexandra Park, Boggart Hole Clough, Chorlton Water Park, Debdale Park, Fog Lane Park, Heaton Park, Platt Fields or Wythenshawe Park.
• Take it to the City of Manchester Stadium at Sportcity, next to the Manchester City Football Club shop.

If you've received this copy of Manchester People after the park collections, it's not too late:

• If you have a Kerbit green bin for garden waste, leave your tree beside it on either of your January collection days.
• If you can't take your tree yourself, contact Environment On Call before Friday 16 January.
• Take it to one of Manchester's three Household Waste Recycling Centres (Longley Lane, Sharston; Reliance Street, Newton Heath; or Sandfold Lane, Levenshulme).

Environment On Call 8am-8pm Phone: 954 9000; Fax: 957 8397; Textphone (minicom): 957 8402; Text message: 86099; Email: contact@manchester.gov.uk; Post: Environment On Call, PO Box 204, Manchester M12 5WL.