Recycling...as nature intended

Belinda Kersten

I can't count how many times I've seen or heard the words 'Reduce, Re-use, Recycle' in the last year or so, but this has become the mantra for saving our planet.

Nature manages to find perfectly good ways to 're-use' things, so why not us? An example... walking through my garden I came across a weaver's nest which had been turfed (spring cleaning?). Upon closer inspection I noticed a familiar ginger-gold coloured hair lining the inside. I discovered that the clever little weaver birds had seen the opportunity to 're-use', when my gigantic long haired collie-cross had gotten a trim at the beginning of summer. They had dived in and flown away with little balls of fluff to warmly line their little homes, how clever.

So... in my quest to do the right thing, and my bit for the planet I discovered a website called Eco-Monkey, who provides you with a recycle-bin at no charge and collects and cleans bins once a week, at a monthly collection fee of under R100. Also try Resolution Recycling, Urban Sprout or Hybrid Living. They'll inspire you to get your GREEN juices flowing.

Mondi however still have their kerbside paper pick-ups every week. If you haven't as yet started leaving your paper/magazines/newspapers for Mondi to collect, visit www.paperpickup.co.za, search for your region and find out which day of the week they'll be collecting in your area. They also have tips on thier site on what you can and can't send them for recycling.
Another alternative for your newspapers is to drop them off at your local SPCA, who uses newspapers to line kennels for the doggies and kitties waiting for new homes.

Once you've been bitten by the 'recycling-bug' there’ll be no going back, so get to it...you'll soon start looking for new ways to minimize waste and maximize our planets resources!