Do you really need that Australia day flag, that plastic hand at the cricket, those pamphlets at the dentist, and those marketing stickers at the school fair? Muster the courage to start saying no to products that end up being sent to be buried in our landfills.

It’s the last straw - make a personal pledge to never accept a straw again.

Avoid all wastes that can’t be recycled, like metal chip packets, polystyrene, tetra packs (fruit boxes) and squidgy yoghurt containers.

Make sure you have the right bins set up at home: one for recycling; one for flexible plastics; one for compost scraps; one for the animals; and one for landfill.

Refuse junk mail and advertising circulars at the mailbox (it’s not just the trees you save, it’s also the dyes, chemicals, energy and water used in processing). Every time you receive mail that you don’t need, email or ring them and get removed from the mailing list straight away.

Take reusable bags to shops, and use resealable containers.

Buy a battery charger and use rechargeable batteries.

Waste hierarchy - Recognise, refuse, rethink, reduce, re-use, rot, recycle, run away from the problem