If you think twice about reusing everyday items that you might just normally throw away, you'll be a green god or goddess before you know it.
It's easy to ignore issues like climate change and overflowing landfill sites, but they will become issues we can't ignore if we don't act now.
If we all reuse three or four everyday items instead of using new ones, we could make a big difference.
Here are some top tips about reusing household items, but the chances are, if you put your mind to it, you could think of something new to do with lots of things around your home.
Take your carrier bags back to the shops and use them again and again, and don't accumulate more by using a bag for life. You can also use these bags around the home as bin liners or use paper bags as wrapping paper. You can use the twist ties you get with food bags to secure loose things together like computer wires. Why not see if your local charity shop needs them or use them to cover your bike seat in the rain.
Use chipped or old mugs or cups as small planters on windowsills or put one by the phone to hold handy pens.
Use detergent bottles to water plants, or store a filled bottle in the car as spare screen wash or to clean your hands after changing a tyre.
Clean out and keep old jam jars and pots as storage for odds and ends or more food.
Use plastic trays from supermarket food to freeze portions of meat or fish or use them to take food to a picnic.Cut up old tablecloths and use them around the home as lint-free dusting rags or make napkins instead of using paper ones.
You could donate excess packaging like foil, egg boxes or bubble wrap to your local school or nursery - they make great craft materials!
Take old tyres to your local garage where they can be recycled, use them in the garden as unusual planters or you could make a tyre swing, using a strong rope and attaching it to a tree.
Old furniture can be taken to some charity shops or to charities like Hastings Furniture Service, which helps families with low incomes furnish their homes.
Old wood can be used for craft projects like a spice rack or a bird table or see if your local college would like some for carpentry students.
Use old ceramic tiles to make coasters or hot plates or give a new look to an old table by covering the top with tiles and painting the legs.
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This page last updated: 18/09/2007