Climate Week and NHS Forest have joined forces with the aim of planting 5,000 trees throughout the UK. The Fones 4 Forests campaign, which is to be launched at Govtoday’s NHS Sustainable Development Conference on 14 February, is a mobile phone recycling scheme that plants a tree in the NHS Forest for every phone donated between 14 February and 28 March 2012.
Over 100 hospitals have already signed up to the initiative and the scheme is open to anyone who has a mobile phone to donate. Fones 4 Forests will help create recuperative green space around hospitals and have a positive impact on the environment.
Barney Jenkins of Fones 4 Forests said, “We are thrilled to partner with Climate Week. Together we can help highlight the issue of climate change, show how we can all play our part in reducing our environmental impact and help patients recover quicker through access to nature.”
Climate Week is Britain’s biggest climate change campaign, inspiring a new wave of action to create a sustainable future. Culminating in a week of activities, it showcases practical solutions from every sector of society.
Kevin Steele, Chief Executive at Climate Week, said, “We are delighted to be working with NHS Forest on their excellent initiative involving over 100 hospitals. Planting thousands of trees is good for the environment and will help to engage NHS staff in further work to lower carbon emissions and help combat climate change.”
NHS Sustainable Development 2012: Delivering the Sustainable Healthcare System is the third annual NHS Sustainability Conference organised and hosted by Govtoday. It will discuss how NHS staff can contribute towards a more sustainable healthcare system.
Scott Buckler, editor at Govtoday said: “Govtoday is pleased to support such an innovative solution to tackling climate change whilst also helping patients. The sustainability agenda within the NHS has now become an integral part of healthcare operations which means initiatives such as Fones 4 Forests are hugely important.”