It's really completely amazing how much rubbish we as a nation throw away everyday, every week, every month. I drive past the landfill site on the other side of the N3 to Alexandra, usually stuck in traffic, and stare at this disgusting man made mountain of waste and think to myself "This is crazy, surely we shouldn't be making mountains as big as this!"

Before we started making a conscious effort to recycle I was almost filling up two wheelie bins every week. We decided that it was time for a change. After putting into place a few simple recycling habits we've now managed to reduce our waste to just half a wheelie bin a week.

Follow the steps below if you too want to recycle and reduce your household rubbish;

1. Buy four bins or plastic boxes, making sure that they'e not too big to carry when full of bottles, or too big to fit all of them all in your car.
   
   
2. Label each of them; cans, glass, paper and plastic.
   
   
3. Start to be far more selective about what you and your household simply 'chuck' out, putting each item in the relevant bin. See the image above for a list of what can be recycled.
   
   
4. Remember to rinse anything that contained food before putting it in the bins; milk bottles and food cans can smell very bad, very quickly, especially in summer.

There are a number of options for you to choose from to get your materials recycled. (Use Harmonious Living's recycling point search facility to find your nearest one.)

1. Find a school or charity that is collecting what you have. This is a great option as the material that the charity collects provides them with much needed income.
   
   
2. Take everything to one of the Pikitup collection points that are positioned across Jo'burg. This is a convenient way of getting rid of everything all at once.
   
   
3. Contact Mondi (who collect paper and cardboard) and find out if and when they make a kerbside collection on your street. They will provide you with a large bag in which you can put all of your newspapers, magazines and cardboard. Leave this on the road outside your gate on the day of collection. Visit www.paperpickup.co.za for more info.

It may take a little more effort to put recycling into practise in your household but it soon becomes a habit and is really quite satisfying. People - it's now time for you all to don your eco-halo and give it a bit of polish.