Trees hug back in a new Australian environmental campaign launched by The Newspaper Works this weekend.

Popular science icon Dr Karl Kruszelnicki fronts the national advertising campaign which congratulates Australians for being among the best newsprint recyclers in the world.

The campaign, titled The trees are hugging back, was developed for TNW’s environmental advisory group and has Dr Karl getting up close with a tree to say thank you. It highlights that print newspapers and magazines are produced using recycled fibres and sustainably managed forests.

Australia has one of the best newspaper recycling rates in the world, recycling enough newspapers every year to fill 7605 swimming pools, or stretch to the moon and back.

“Around 25 million newspapers are in circulation in Australia every week, so our readers’ efforts nationally to recycle newsprint is significant,” TNW chief executive Mark Hollands says.

“Initiatives of the environmental advisory group are another example of the ongoing collaboration between newspaper publishers. As a result of public education and kerbside recycling programmes, Australia’s newspaper recycling rate is one of the best in the world, with 78 per cent of newsprint being recycled.

TNW’s environment executive director Peter Netchaef says the campaign is an opportunity to highlight the importance of the industry’s ongoing environmental responsibility.

It will run for nine weeks in magazines and metropolitan, suburban and regional newspapers across print and digital formats.

The environmental advisory group succeeds the PNEB, formed in 1990 to advance newsprint recycling and improve product stewardship. Participating publishers are News Corp Australia, Fairfax Media, APN News and Media, West Australian Newspapers, Pacific Magazines and Bauer Media.