Pro Carton is supporting The Tree Council’s National Tree Week (28 November – 6 December) with its ‘Trees Into Cartons, Cartons Into Trees at Home’ initiative as the second wave of coronavirus pandemic lockdowns take effect.
National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration and encourages communities and schools to come together through the planting of saplings and seeds. The movement was first established in 1975 but is even more relevant today with the looming global climate crisis.
Recent scientific research has even discovered the advantages of miniature forests, particularly in urban areas, in helping tackle greenhouse gas emissions and restoring biodiversity. These miniature forests can be as small as a tennis court, yet advocates for the method say the miniature forests grow 10 times faster, become 30 times denser and 100 times more biodiverse than those planted by conventional methods.
The last few months have seen the number of coronavirus cases across the globe rise, with the steepest increase taking place in Europe. As a result, tighter lockdown regulations across the UK have resulted in the cancellation of community events – including tree planting and the creation of mini-forests – in high risk areas.
Pro Carton aims to help those living in lockdown get involved and boost their local treescape through its ‘TICCIT at Home‘ initiative. The programme was first developed during the initial outbreak of Covid-19 to help parents teach their children about the environment in a fun, interactive way whilst schools remained closed. But now it will help families and members of the same support bubble participate in this year’s National Tree Week as the programme involves planting a tree sapling (or a cutting or seed) inside a biodegradable carton and then into the ground. This highlights the importance of sustainable packaging to all generations whilst also demonstrating the biodegradable nature of cartonboard.
Online support materials include a comprehensive programme guide, an editable presentation with pictures and notes, and a colour-in poster template for children, all of which can be downloaded for free here: https://bit.ly/3cm7M0A.
Tony Hitchin, General Manager of Pro Carton said, “National Tree Week is something that Pro Carton can really get behind, as it brings people together with the sole purpose of planting and protecting trees to help save the environment. It is unfortunate that some areas in the UK may not be able to take part in community plantings due local lockdowns, so we hope TICCIT at Home will help to continue this important work. It makes for a great activity for families to complete together as they can make a direct positive difference and learn all about the important role that trees, packaging and recycling play in the protection of our planet.”
