Cardboard Christmas

Cardboard Christmas became an Avalanche!

Hundreds of Shrewsbury Residents brought their cardboard to Cardboard Christmas’s collection points collecting at least 5 tonnes of cardboard and raising money for the Hospice and Hope House sending a strong message to the Council that kerbside collections need to be reinstated.

Ali Thomas and Katy Anderson from Transition Shrewsbury who organised the event said “we were overwhelmed by the response.     Close to 1,000 people brought their cardboard to Cardboard Christmas’s collection points in town last Saturday.  Some people walked in or biked in with a few bags of card, whilst others brought the cardboard from their whole street or school. We’d like to thank everyone who supported us by bringing their card, our 48 volunteers and the companies who helped make this possible.  Cae Post lent us their compactor truck without which we would have drowned in cardboard;  Cwm Harry, Reviive, Frog Rentals and Salopian Brewery who helped us with the transits;  Shropshire Building Supplies, Jewsons and SKM Enviros who gave us kit and to the Red Barn pub, the United Reform Church and Riversway Elim Church who let us take them over for the day. All in all it was a true community effort.

Ali Thomas said “If the Council needed proof that kerbside collections need to be reinstated, this is it.  It was clear from people’s comments that they want to recycle.  They told us ‘It’s crazy to throw this away’ and ‘We like recycling and don’t want to stop’. They were also worried that there would be no space in their bin of landfill waste if they had to put cardboard in as well.

“The loss of kerbside collections hits those without a car hardest as they can’t get to the cardboard collection points.   Lots of people, especially pensioners, contacted  us to ask for our help as they don’t have access to a car and really don’t want their card to go to landfill.

Katy Anderson made the point that “Recycling card makes both economic and environmental sense.    Shropshire used to recycle about 4000 tonnes of cardboard a year, much of which will now go to landfill. Every tonne now costs about £70 in landfill disposal costs yet is worth £40 when sold to be recycled.   So that’s about £520,000 a year additional costs and lost income to be borne by Shropshire. It is also £520,000 with which to pay for kerbside collections rather than putting a valuable resource in a hole in the ground.”

Ali Thomas went on to say that “Lots of people have asked whether we’ll be doing this regularly.   We are hoping that the Council will have new solutions in place soon so that we won’t have to.   But we’re getting in touch with them to find out what’s happening and if to see if they need us to help in the meantime.  So please hang on to your cardboard if you have space; collect it with your neighbours, friends and workmates and we’ll let you know how we get on via www.transitiontownshrewsbury.org.uk

If you want to make your voice heard then sign the petition for kerbside collection on  http://petitions.shropshire.gov.uk/petitions.ti/cardboard