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Contact: Cherry Hamson
Tel: 01527 597757

May 23rd, 2006

JOHN CRAVEN ANNOUNCES CLIMATE CHANGE SUCCESS FOR RECYCLERS

Broadcaster John Craven announces today (May 23) that UK recyclers are beating the targets to recycle aluminium drinks cans and foil to help tackle the effects of climate change in Africa by more than 20%.

Just half-way through a campaign to grow trees in the sub-Saharan drylands of West Africa - simply by recycling aluminium drinks cans and foil in the UK - the amount of material which has been given for recycling has exceeded all expectations.

This means that 24,000 trees are already being planted with five village communities in the Gabio Forest, Burkina Faso. And by encouraging more and more people in Britain to get the recycling habit, John hopes that the figure will more than double by September, making 50,000 trees a realistic new target.

"A tree will be grown for every tonne of aluminium cans and foil recycled" promises John "so, if you aren't yet a regular recycler, please start now. The World Cup is going to result in plenty of empty beer cans, so it's an ideal time to get started."

Climate change is having a devastating effect in some parts of Africa, with trees dying earlier, bush fires increasing and food more scarce, so the new trees resulting from the UK recycling programme are making a significant contribution to the livelihoods of the people who depend on the forest for survival. All the trees are for food or medicinal uses - mango, cashew, baobab and acacia - with the specially-grown seedlings being given free to villagers, and sold at a nominal price to more commercial community foresters.

The campaign is organised by not for profit organisation, Alupro, to boost recycling rates. Project partners are Bristol-based charity Tree Aid - of which John Craven is a patron - which has its own project team in Ouagadougou, working with local communities to adapt the way they manage ancient forests in the face of climate change.

Full details can be found at www.alupro.org.uk

ENDS

Editor's notes

Recently-published Government figures (Defra) show that 31,238 tonnes of aluminium packaging were recycled in the three quarters from April - December 2005, a rise of 21% over the same period in 2004. This means that, at the half-way mark of Alupro's 'Trees for the UK/Trees for Africa' campaign, 31,238 trees will be grown. Around 7,000 trees have been claimed for UK planting by 300 registered local authorities, with the balance of 24,000 donated to the African project.

ENDSENDS