Mr Prescott, who is the Environment Secretary, was lifted 30 feet off the ground to remove the star from the top of the Westminster Christmas tree.

The deputy prime minister was launching Planet Pledge, an initiative which encourages companies and individuals to make a new year resolution to help the environment.

John Prescott will recycle his own tree on Friday

He was using Christmas tree recycling to make his own personal pledge.

Mr Prescott told BBC News Online: "Everybody will be faced by what will we do with the Christmas tree.

"We can either throw it in the garden, use a lot of labour to cut it up, or mulch it with your local authority and then they'll put it back on the gardens for the beautiful plants that come in the spring.

"It is a recycling process where we improve the environment rather than damage it."

After removing the star from the top of the 20-foot tree, back on the ground Mr Prescott put a much smaller tree through a "chipper".

John Prescott tells BBC News Online: "It's common sense - do your bit."

The remains of the trees from the Houses of Parliament will be used by the royal parks in London for mulch.

Mr Prescott said he would recycle his own Christmas tree on Friday.

He said: "It's common sense - do your bit."

The environmental awareness charity Going for Green, which is behind Plant Pledge, wants people to sign up to making small lifestyle changes, such as fitting energy saving lightbulbs, cutting water use or using the car less.

Mr Prescott's name - along with millions of people nationwide who sign up to Planet Pledge 2000 - will appear on the "Pathway to the 21st Century" display, a national exhibit to be housed at the new Earth Centre, near Doncaster, and unveiled during a major ceremony in January 2000.

Professor Graham Ashworth, chairman and chief executive of Going for Green, said: "Throughout 1999, people will be looking more closely at the issues facing us as we approach the new Millennium, and the environment is no exception.