12 days of Christmas recycling campaign

4th December 2008

Get behind our 12 days of Christmas recycling campaign

On the 1st day of Christmas the council sent to me, a reminder to recycle this summer…

On the 2nd day of Christmas, my supermarket said please use an eco-bag and reuse when you can...

After two successful summer initiatives encouraging New Zealanders to ‘Rest and Recycle’ over the summer, the Packaging Council is once again launching its 12 Days to a Greener Christmas campaign.

Paul Curtis, Executive Director says that the campaign is starting to become embedded in many councils’ summer recycling communication plans:

“A number of Councils have already asked us if we will be running the campaign again this year, to which we’ve said ‘Of course we will!’ - So wherever you spend the holidays in New Zealand, you’ll get the message and more importantly you’ll know just what can be recycled and how to do it.”

“New Zealanders generate an estimated 30% more waste over the summer holidays in line with international trends and most of it can be recycled if people put it into the recycling bin rather than the rubbish bin. We recycle around 50% more glass in tonnage in January but we know that sales of glass and cans actually goes up 3 times our normal levels over the holiday period and we want to encourage people to recycle it all. In addition we send around 225 million greetings cards every year, most of which are Christmas cards and all cards and wrapping paper can be recycled.”

“Part of the problem is that people tend to know the collection times when they are at home but often these vary during the holiday period or they may be down at the bach and not know local arrangements. Many of our tourist areas now have the distinctive ‘Love NZ – Recycle with Care’ recycling bins in public places to make recycling easier.”

The Love NZ initiative is a partnership between central and local government to establish a network of easily recognisable recycling bins in high foot-traffic and key tourist locations across New Zealand. Those councils participating are:

• Auckland City Council Group (Auckland City, North Shore City, Waitakere City, Rodney District & Franklin District Councils)
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• Auckland Regional Council
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• Buller District Council
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• Christchurch City Council
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• Environment Waikato (Otorohanga District Council & Thames Coromandel District Council)
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• Environment Waikato (Taupo & Raglan)
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• Far North District Council
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• Gisborne District Council
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• Greater Wellington Regional Council
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• Invercargill City Council
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• Kaikoura District Council
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• Queenstown Lakes District Council (Queenstown Airport, Wanaka & Arrowtown)
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• Tasman District Council
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• Tauranga City Council
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• Wanganui District Council
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• Wellington City Council
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• Westland District Council
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Mr Curtis said the supermarkets and The Warehouse will continue their efforts to ask consumers to take fewer plastic bags when they are out Christmas shopping but encourages other retailers to do more:

“Our research shows that consumers think that the supermarkets are doing much more to change consumer attitudes towards using eco bags but don’t think other retailers are doing enough. We are asking shoppers to use their eco bags wherever they shop - not just for groceries.”

The Packaging Council asks you to support its 12 days to a greener Christmas initiative and make a difference in your local community and to resolve in 2009 to recycle more.

ends

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