WasteNet Southland 21 Day Recycle Challenge

Day One: 3 easy things to recycle: cardboard, aluminium cans and plastic bottles.

Day Two: Before you toss, take the lid off. Lids are typically made from a different type of plastic than the bottle they came from.

Day Three: Wash all plastic, metals and glass before tossing them into your recycling.

Day Four: Know your plastics. Plastic bottles can be recycled but sweet wrappers, chip packets and foil pouches cannot.

Day Five: Stop wishcycling: the practice of tossing questionable items in the recycling and hoping they can be recycled.

Day Six: No - tissues, paper towels and wet wipes cannot be recycled.

Day Seven: Yes - pizza boxes can be recycled; remove all food before recycling.

Day Eight: Small things = big problems. Items smaller than an envelope cannot be recycled; this includes straws, lids, bottle caps, coffee pods, plastic cutlery and paperclips.

Day Nine: Stop wishcycling - soft toys, cushions and pillows are not recyclable.

Day Ten: Know your plastics - plastic bottles are recyclable, but lids, pumps and triggers are not.

Day Eleven: Have a bin in every room. Good recycling systems begins with designating places to store your recycling inside your home.

Day Twelve: Save space in your recycling bin by flattening cardboard and paper.

Day Thirteen: If your recycling smells.. you are not washing it thoroughly.

Day Fourteen: Stop wishcycling - timber, kitchen sinks and plumbing fixtures are not recyclable.

Day Fifteen: Make a list of the items you can recycle and pin it to your fridge or calendar.

Day Sixteen: Milk bottles = very recyclable.

Day Seventeen: Keep your recycling loose.

Day Eighteen: Fit recycling into your lifestyle. Recycling well is about creating good habits. Day Nineteen: 'Take the plunge' - recycle your shampoo bottles. Or use hair bars.

Day Twenty: When in doubt, check it out and don't be afraid to throw it out.

Day Twenty-One: Lastly and most important - buy recycled.