WHAT do you do with all the loads of extra rubbish generated over Christmas?

The answer is to think rubbish and recycle, according to Sue Fyleman, of Welcome to Our Future.

The WTOF charity was set up to provide information and raise awareness on issues relating to sustainable development in Worcestershire and Herefordshire and specifically to promote the well-being of people, their communities and their environment.

Sue Fyleman is the Rethink Rubbish - Turn the World waste administration campaign manager.

"So now it is all over what can you do with your cards, paper, Christmas trees, unwanted presents and other left-overs that you don't want to reuse?" she asked.

She pointed out that charity shops and other charitable organisations welcomed all kinds of items for resale, from clothes and textiles to unwanted gifts.

Bottle, glass jars and cans can be disposed of at recycling banks or household waste sites. Clean foil and foil trays can go in with cans which are collected fortnightly by refuse collectors in most districts.

The Woodland Trust has set up a special Christmas card recycling scheme with the support of Tesco and WH Smith. Just take cards along anytime between January 5 and February 1.

Many charities also collect card fronts for reuse. Unwanted parts of cards can go with other paper for recycling.

Real Christmas trees will be accepted for recycling for compost from January 2 to January 12 at Proculture, Knowle Hill, Evesham, Three Springs Garden Centre, Defford Road, Pershore, Forest Farm, Allen's Hill, Pershore, and the Civic Amenity site at Hill and Moor.

Home composting can also play a big part, with up to 30 per cent of the contents of rubbish sacks taken out of the waste stream altogether for garden compost, saving money and the environment.

"It's really very easy," Sue Fyleman said. "Anyone with a metre of space for a compost bin can compost their biodegradable waste at home.

Bins come in a range of sizes and can be bought at 60 per cent discount by calling 01884 841515.

Alternatively, compost bins can be made out of wood.

"All raw vegetable matter can be added to the compost bin, along with egg shells and egg boxes, thin layers of torn up paper, not too much at a time, and anything else that is rottable, such as used animal bedding and the usual garden waste.

Even more exciting for children - and adults - are wormeries, where the natural process can be watched going on. Wormeries will cope with the left-overs of cooked food which should not go into the compost bin."

More information and details of products are available on the website at www.turnthe-world.com