uplyme.com

[Rhodie]

Nine months on from the ‘Revs’ request for ideas on how to deal with the recycling of cardboard, http://uplyme.com/debate/viewtopic.php?t=660&highlight=cardboard, every household in Uplyme had a leaflet delivered containing EDDC news and details of refuse and recycling collections over the Christmas period.

We are still encouraged to take our heaps of cardboard to the nearest DCC Recycling Centre. That’s at Sutton Barton near Honiton about 11.5 miles from the centre of Uplyme. In addition it is suggested that we now take our Christmas trees along for ‘recycling’ to Axminster between 1:00 and 3:00 pm on 6 January, a round trip of about 10 miles. Perhaps EDDC should concentrate on the day in day out problem of collecting cardboard and relegate Christmas trees to the once a year problem that they justify.

How do you recycle a Christmas tree? Give it the kiss of life and replant it?
Here are six ways of doing so, http://video.about.com/treesandshrubs/Recycle-a-Christmas-Tree.htm, where would we be without them?

Recycling has become a religion. Something to be followed blindly and not questioned. ‘R’ecycle is the last option of the three ‘R’s. I don’t see EDDC doing much to encourage ‘R’educing or ‘R’eusing. If landfill tax was not to increase from its present £48/tonne (+VAT) to £80 in 2014/15 would EDDC be recycling at all?

Whatever miracle of reincarnation you bestow on your old Christmas tree it will not compensate for the CO2 your car will emit on the return trip to Axminster? Even burning your tree would probably produce less CO2 than would your car journey (1 gallon of burnt petrol = 10.4kgs CO2). Besides your car releases CO2 that has been safely locked away for millions of year whereas burning the tree produces CO2 that was in the atmosphere just a few years ago and the equivalent will again be taken up by the next batch of Christmas trees. Burning wood as a fuel is carbon neutral, apart from the transportation, and burning a Christmas tree is no different with the additional advantage that it decorated your home if only for a short period. So save your journey, burn the tree and bury your gilt and if you have a wood burning stove put it on there and you have an additional spin-off.

In passing I notice that two attempts were made, in the leaflet, in trying to spell the word ‘interpretation’ and they failed on each occasion. About 20% of the leaflet was taken up with the subject of saving money in face of the tough financial straits ahead. Money saving suggestions please, on a post card to EDDC! I know where I would start.
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It's later than you think

[Rev]

I agree, by far the best way to use the Christmas tree (that you sourced locally) is to burn it in your fireplace or wood-burning stove. It's carbon-neutral and saves (albeit a small amount) on heating.
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Uplyme Church - joining in with the mission of God.