Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough residents who recycle are not only helping to reduce landfill (and the increasing tax burden that goes with it), save scarce resources and lower energy use – they are also helping to feed some of the poorest people on the planet.
For every tonne of aluminium drinks cans and foil collected in the Windsor and Maidenhead borough, not-for-profit recycling organisation Alupro grows a fruit tree in Malawi – and thanks to the efforts of borough residents 313 grafted orange trees have already been nurtured over the last year in nurseries in the African country.
Plant labels acknowledging the contribution of Royal Borough residents will be given to local community orchards when the trees are planted out.
Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead environment, said: "We are delighted that after just one year Royal Borough recyclers have been responsible for giving more than 300 fruit trees to help the people of Malawi feed their families and create opportunities for trade. We look forward to seeing photos of the trees growing and bearing fruit."
Cllr Paul Etherington, chairman of the Windsor and Maidenhead sustainability panel, added: "This is another good reason for every one of us to make sure we always recycle our drinks cans and foil. The more we recycle, the more fruit trees will be grown and help build a sustainable future in Malawi."
Recyclers across the UK will donate around 48,000 fruit trees this year through the Alupro project. Many of the trees will be grown by individual families, improving their nutrition, and in community orchards for trade.
The Windsor and Maidenhead project also seeks to identify budding entrepreneurs to develop small businesses drying and juicing fruits. It is hoped the business experience offered by the project will help ensure the right decisions are made, small loans are available and successful initiatives established.
The tree nurseries are run by local garden clubs and schools, which have been growing guava and pawpaw as well as the local lemon rootstock used for grafting the improved fruit species.
The first grafted trees were produced by trainees learning their new horticultural skills at the project and are being nurtured at charity Ripple Africa's base on the shores of Lake Malawi, where they will be subject to trials for disease and drought resistance, and at garden club nurseries.
As well as providing a greenhouse, training and materials, Alupro ensures the fruit trees grow to maturity. The organisation aims to encourage recycling by demonstrating how energy saved through recycling is linked to environmental challenges in Africa. Recycling aluminium is 20 times more efficient than making it from the raw material bauxite.
There is also the environmental gain of growing so many valuable trees in an area suffering severe deforestation. Ripple is also nurturing fast-growing trees at the nurseries so they can be coppiced for firewood, one of the major reasons trees are felled.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough residents who recycle are not only helping to reduce landfill (and the increasing tax burden that goes with it), save scarce resources and lower energy use – they are also helping to feed some of the poorest people on the planet.
For every tonne of aluminium drinks cans and foil collected in the Windsor and Maidenhead borough, not-for-profit recycling organisation Alupro grows a fruit tree in Malawi – and thanks to the efforts of borough residents 313 grafted orange trees have already been nurtured over the last year in nurseries in the African country.
Plant labels acknowledging the contribution of Royal Borough residents will be given to local community orchards when the trees are planted out.
Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead environment, said: "We are delighted that after just one year Royal Borough recyclers have been responsible for giving more than 300 fruit trees to help the people of Malawi feed their families and create opportunities for trade. We look forward to seeing photos of the trees growing and bearing fruit."
Cllr Paul Etherington, chairman of the Windsor and Maidenhead sustainability panel, added: "This is another good reason for every one of us to make sure we always recycle our drinks cans and foil. The more we recycle, the more fruit trees will be grown and help build a sustainable future in Malawi."
Recyclers across the UK will donate around 48,000 fruit trees this year through the Alupro project. Many of the trees will be grown by individual families, improving their nutrition, and in community orchards for trade.
The Windsor and Maidenhead project also seeks to identify budding entrepreneurs to develop small businesses drying and juicing fruits. It is hoped the business experience offered by the project will help ensure the right decisions are made, small loans are available and successful initiatives established.
The tree nurseries are run by local garden clubs and schools, which have been growing guava and pawpaw as well as the local lemon rootstock used for grafting the improved fruit species.
The first grafted trees were produced by trainees learning their new horticultural skills at the project and are being nurtured at charity Ripple Africa's base on the shores of Lake Malawi, where they will be subject to trials for disease and drought resistance, and at garden club nurseries.
As well as providing a greenhouse, training and materials, Alupro ensures the fruit trees grow to maturity. The organisation aims to encourage recycling by demonstrating how energy saved through recycling is linked to environmental challenges in Africa. Recycling aluminium is 20 times more efficient than making it from the raw material bauxite.
There is also the environmental gain of growing so many valuable trees in an area suffering severe deforestation. Ripple is also nurturing fast-growing trees at the nurseries so they can be coppiced for firewood, one of the major reasons trees are felled.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
