When it comes to recycling, are you 'doing your bit, switching things up, or saving the planet'?
This Recycle Week (23-29 September), find out what your recycling behaviours say about YOU.
Your results will share a fun insight into your recycling nature, and some practical tips on how you can improve the way you recycle.
To take part, simply keep track of your answers - are they mostly A's, mostly B's or mostly C's?
The results tabs below will reveal what kind of a recycler you are.
1. How do you know you’re putting the right thing in the right bin at home?
A) I go with gut feeling
B) I check my council’s website if I’m not sure
C) I am in frequent contact with my local council’s recycling team and always keep up to date with what I can recycle out and about and at home
2. Do you ever talk about recycling?
A) Never, I don’t like to discuss it
B) Only if someone asks me directly what to do
C) Yes, when I see someone putting the wrong thing in the wrong bin
3. You’re in the park and you notice someone putting a plastic bottle in the rubbish bin, what do you do?
A) Glare at them as they walk by but say nothing
B) Talk to your friend very loudly about how recyclable plastic bottles are as they walk by
C) Run to the bin, fish out the bottle then chase after the person to tell them the error of their ways
4. You receive a birthday gift wrapped in shiny or glitter paper, what do you do?
A) Unwrap the present and feel guilty about the paper
B) Say thank you but advise the gift giver that the paper can not be recycled and advise them to use brown paper or a reusable bag next year
C) I wouldn't get a gift in glitter paper, all my friends and family know I'll only accept gifts wrapped in recyclable paper or a bag I can use again
5. You need to bake a cake, the recipe calls for one apple, and your local supermarket only stocks multipacks of apples wrapped in plastic. Do you...
A) Buy the multipack and place plastic packaging in the bin.
B) Rework the recipe and replace it with another fruit that you buy as single without packaging
C) Boycott the supermarket and write to the CEO demanding the apples be set free
6. You’re out and about on a hot day and you need a drink of water. Do you…
A) Buy a plastic water bottle from a shop
B) Have a drink from your reusable bottle, which you carry wherever you go
C) Go to the nearest cafe displaying the refill station sign, you know where they all are as you helped set them up in your local community
7. When you host a party, do you...
A) Designate a receptacle for cans and bottles and leave it up to the guests to put things in the right bin
B) Use reusable crockery and cutlery to reduce my waste
C) Use it as an opportunity to talk about my zero waste lifestyle and showcase the best in zero waste party practices
8. If your vacuum cleaner breaks, what do you do with it?
A) Put it in the recycling bin because it is made up of some plastic and metal, which are all recyclable.
B) Take it to my local Reuse and Recycling Centre or book a bulky item collection with my council.
C) Organise a repair workshop in my local community so we can all fix our broken electricals
Mostly A's - here are some recycling insights for you
You're a Doing My Bit recycler
You recycle items based on the look and feel of the product, and what you think is correct. For the most part you get it right, but you take some risks when it comes to recycling and hope for the best. You care about protecting the environment, but recycling isn't always at the top of your mind, or something you typically discuss with your friends or family.
Your recycling efforts make a difference to the planet, but you could enhance your impact and recycle better if you followed the below tips:
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Check your council’s website for their recycling leaflet - you might find that more of the items you use can be recycled
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If in doubt leave it out - if you're not sure if something is recyclable, until you have time to clarify, make sure you keep it out of your recycling bin to avoid the wrong items being sent away for recycling
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Rinse out and dry all recycling before putting it into the recycling bin - Liquid and food remains can damage the paper in mixed recycling, so make sure your recycling is clean and dry.
Mostly B's - check out these handy recycling tips
You're a Switching It Up recycler
You're a resourcer and you spend quite some time considering your impacts on the environment. You look to minimise waste as much as you can by recycling and using reusable options wherever possible, but you want to do more. You look for the most sustainable solutions and get real joy from knowing you're doing the right thing.
Your recycling efforts make a big difference to the planet, but you could enhance your impact and recycle better if you followed the below tips:
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If you buy a water bottle or take away coffee, make sure you can recycle the bottle or cup - recyclable options are available and when disposed of correctly, they'll come back as something new
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Avoid products that come in packaging that can’t be easily recycled - manufacturers are doing more than ever before to ensure their packaging is recyclable, so do your best to choose these options over everything else
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Swap your water bottle or take away coffee cup for a reusable one - it will save you money, protect our resources and is also a cool accessory (have you seen the variety of patterns available? They're amazing!)
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Make use of your local reuse and recycling centres - Many household items can be recycled or reused, so make sure they end up at a recycling centre instead of being thrown away.
Mostly C's - find out how you can take your recycling to the next level
You're a Changing the world recycler
You are the ultimate recycling advocate and go to great lengths to ensure you do the right thing with your waste. You use every opportunity you can to talk to others about why recycling is so important, and you do your best to encourage those around you to make positive changes to their recycling behaviours.
You have a genuine passion for protecting our environment and will go above and beyond to help reverse the world's current environmental situation.
Your recycling efforts make the biggest difference to our planet, but there is always more to be done. Here are some ways to take your recycling journey to the next level:
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Join your local Plastic Free group, or if there isn’t one, start one up - recycling is important, but waste reduction will always be the best option. Plastic Free groups are a great way to spread this message and connect with other passionate recyclers in your area.
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Start a recycling campaign in your local area - Veolia offer small grants of cash, equipment and resources to environmental projects that encourage people to do the right thing with their waste, via its Recycling Fund for Communities.
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Become a recycling champion - ask your local council if they run a support scheme and find out how to get involved. Recycling schemes are lots of fun and your love for protecting the environment is something that should be shared!