Many of us have old mobile phones laying around the house, patiently waiting to fulfil their purpose as a 'spare' in case the current - more modern - handset is lost, stolen, or suddenly decides to take a dive into the cup of tea on your desk... Sadly most of these will simply sit in the drawer, gathering dust, not to be touched until you decide to have a spring clean or move house.

Have you thought about recycling your unwanted phone? Now you can do so and help the environment with Vodafone UK's new phone recycling phone scheme that will raise funds for WWF UK's vital conservation projects across the world.

The newly launched scheme is available in Vodafone's 380 UK retail stores, or you can post your old phone to 'Freepost Vodafone Recycling'; any phone from any network or manufacturer will be accepted. Sometimes old phones can be worth only a few pounds, but if you recycle your handset with Vodafone, WWF receives a donation of about £9 for each phone. The money will be used by WFF, who is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, to tackle issues like climate change and to help endangered animals.

And you can be certain your phone doesn't end up on a landfill as Vodafone refurbish and reuse all phones, or break them down for other manufacturing.

I counted the bins outside my house this morning as I left for work: three. One small box for plastic bottles, cans and newspapers; one green for cardboard and garden waste; and one grey for general waste.

Now I won't get into how different London Boroughs have different recycling plans, but let me tell you, after almost two years in the same house I still struggle to figure out what goes where. Apparently I`m not able to recycle envelopes with plastic windows as one and have to mindfully separate the plastic from the paper before disposing...

Coming from Norway, considered as the 5th most environmentally friendly country in the world, I remember also having a tiny red box for things like batteries and broken glass, as well as bottle banks around town for unrecyclable bottles. Oh yeah, in Norway we have a great recycling scheme for bottles - not sure which other countries use it now; when you buy the bottle you pay a small 'fee' that you get back when you bring the bottle back for reuse. You can even count how many times each bottle has been reused by looking at the number of marks on the bottom - usually one bottle can be reused 10-15 times before it goes on to new adventures in the recycling world. Anyway, I do digress. The question was: how many recycling bins do Brits really need?

According to research by The TaxPayers' Alliance some councils are asking householders to sort their rubbish into as many as nine bins, bags and boxes, with the average being four. Is this too many?

Personally, I think as long as you have clear and universal guidelines - UK councils and London Boroughs take note - it doesn't matter if you have to separate your rubbish into three, four or nine sections. And increased recycling will only improve the impact we humans have on the world, but only if the waste is duly kept separate at the other end. It doesn't help if it all ends up in the same landfill after collection...

What is the recycling scheme like where you live, are you happy with it or not?

Image from Forskning.no

'New year, new beginnings', isn't that what they say? How about starting the new year with a look at our own consumption and how we can reduce waste on a daily, weekly and yearly basis?

In 2009/10 each household in England produced an average of 1,036kg of rubbish, of which 411kg - or 39.7% - was recycled, reused or composted. Almost 40% isn't bad, but what about the other 60%, could more be salvaged from the landfill?

There are many ways that you and I can help the environment, and the below are just some ideas to help you have a less wasted 2011.

A lot of household waste comes from packaging: plastic film, pizza boxes, milk cartons, glass jars and so on. It might not be convenient all the time but use reusable containers when you go shopping. Need meat? Head to your local butcher with reusable containers, and ask him to put the meat directly into these. Not only will you reduce waste from excess packaging, your freshly bought products will be ready to go into your freezer!

Some 13billion plastic carrier bags are used in Britain each year, so do your bit and Invest in a couple of solid reusable shopping bags to carry your groceries in. Not only will they make Mother Nature happier but are also much comfier for carrying heavy items.

Plan a massive spring clean of your life. That unworn dress you bought for when you finally slimmed down or the porcelain figurine from your old aunt, which is still in its box in the back of your wardrobe... Someone else might have better use of them, so find some jute bags and head to a charity shop near you with donations - they're always welcome!

Alternatively, use services like Freecycle. Find your local group and list any unwanted items. You never know who might be needing that old chair.

Only by refills of your most used items. If you switch brands, only buy a refill pack and keep on use the old bottle/jar.

What are your best tips for reducing your household waste?

Source: Defra

Photo of Reuse bag by Juliette McCawley via Shanghaiist.com

Now this is a great gift for any music aficionado. These days vinyl records aren't found in most homes, but with this clever new use of the classic item, you can add a bit of retro style to you home.

The coasters are made from abandoned records that have been pressed into shape and coated for durability. A great way to add a special touch to your New Year's Party!

Better yet, all sales support the Natural History Museum's research into understanding diseases like malaria and conserving biodiversity of our planet. So it's actually two gifts in one!

Available from the Natural History Museum's online shop for £18.00 + delivery.

Photo: Natural History Museum.

I don't know about you, but for me there is no Christmas without a real Christmas tree. And it seems like many of you out there may agree, as over six million real trees are bought every year in the UK.

A real tree doesn't only bring holiday cheer into your house; filling each room with a delightful scent; it also many other positive uses.

Christmas trees provide a great source for production of oxygen, each acre of trees producing enough oxygen for the daily need of 18 people! Also if you buy your tree from a certified BCTGA grower you can be certain they are sustainably grown and haven't caused any damage to local wildlife. And with the growing availability of potted or rented trees, you don't even need to cut one down - simply chose which one to get, and either plant it in your garden after Christmas or send it back to the farm until next season. Read more about how to best care for your real tree and recycling here.

Earlier this week, London received its annual Norwegian Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square, and today the BCTGA are delivering a 16ft tree to 10. Downing Street - a tradition that has been going for over a decade. Now it's up to Prime Minister Cameron and his helpers to decorate it beautifully.

Photo: www.christmastree.org.uk

With Christmas Eve just one month away, and the British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) warning of a Christmas tree shortage, it is time to think about which tree to get: real or fake?

Over six million real trees are bought every Christmas, manifesting Britain's unceasing love for the real thing. However, there has been an increase in the popularity of artificial trees over the years as they last season after season, as well as offer a solution to the 'needle drop' problem.

But when choosing whether to go for a real or a fake tree it is important to put your eco hat on and consider: which is most environmentally friendly?

Despite offering a quick solution that will last for years, most artificial trees are made of metal and plastics, and have been transported from the Far East. Most fake trees are also non-bio degradable, and are likely to end up cluttering some landfill for centuries after having been discarded for a newer, more fashionable version.

You may argue that real trees get cut down and also end up on some landfill come January, but being a bit eco savvy there are great options out there for those wanting to do their bit for the environment while still enjoying all that the festive season can offer.

Why root for British grown Christmas trees?

Christmas trees provide a great source for production of oxygen, each acre of trees producing enough oxygen for the daily need of 18 people, and for every tree cut this season at least one more will be planted in its place. All BCTGA growers subscribe to a code of conduct that ensures their crops are sustainable and do not cause damage to the local wildlife.

What are the greener options?

Choose locally grown Christmas trees that have been cultivated in a sustainable manner (visit www.christmastree.org.uk to source). If this is your choice, don't buy the tree earlier than 1st December to ensure that it keeps for the length of the festivities.

If the idea of cutting a tree down is unbearable, buy a container grown tree and replant it in January. If looked after properly, it could end up bringing Christmas cheer to the household for years - and perhaps save a couple of pennies too!

Alternatively, there are many rent-a-tree companies, like Trees for Rent, popping up these days to help make Christmas as eco-friendly as possible. Simply place an order via the website, wait for the tree to be delivered, keep it over Christmas and then watch it go back to the field it came from once the festive season is over. For as little as £35 a tree can be your year after year.

However, if you would rather do-good than buy a real tree, check out urban tree planting charity Trees for Cities to buy a gift that will keep on giving. Their green gifts are sustainable and will make a real and lasting difference to UK communities and around the world. Choose between an apple tree in Addis Ababa or an ice cream tree in Peru for £10, or give children in urban areas a tree-mendous experience trough Trees for Cities' community greening projects for as little as £15 .

Give your tree a bit of TLC

If opted for the real thing, keep in mind the tree is a living object that needs some tender loving care in the weeks it embellishes your house. Keep the tree in water (or the pot) outside until you're ready to bring it indoors, where it should be placed away from direct heat and keep watered throughout the season - it will drink at least a quarter of a gallon of water each day.

Remember to recycle

Hippyshopper readers of course know the importance of recycling, but unfortunately only 10% of real Christmas trees are recycled each year. This is truly a shame as there are so many great options available.

Last year, 33 London boroughs offered Christmas tree recycling schemes. Visit the Recycle for London website to find your nearest Reuse and Recycling centre.

Outside of the capital, local authorities, as well as DIY retailers and garden centres, offer recycling services. Look on www.recyclenow.com to find your local tree collection points.

Alternatively, if you have a garden, place your tree outside and let animals inhabit there, or chip it to create mulch that can be used around other trees and shrubs. If you have no need for mulch, your local authority would welcome it as they use it to create paths and hiking trails or at playgrounds.

Happy Christmas tree shopping!

Everyone knows that getting on your bike is a great way to reduce CO2 emissions while keeping fit. Why not go the extra mile and make your cycling as green as possible.

October 31st is fast approaching, and while it has long been big business in America, Halloween has now well and truly made its way across the Atlantic. A holiday hijacked by consumerism, it can be one of the most wasteful times of the year. Here are some simple ways you can reduce the impact on the earth, while still enjoying the fun this halloween.

Heading to Vintage at Goodwood this weekend or perhaps Edinburgh Festival Fringe? Then you might want to check out the Container House from fair trade coffee maker Cafédirect. As well as being a place where you get complimentary coffee (always an added bonus) it's also a kind of eco-home.

Designed and furnished by Hemingway Designs (Wayne Hemingway and his daughter Tilly) the Container House is made from entirely sustainable materials and features, among other things, recycled coffee sack covered chairs from Restore and modified Graham and Brown wallpaper. Coloured bright orange you can't miss it.

See Tilly Hemingway explain the concept for the Container House here.

Government statistics suggest that each person in England generates around half a tonne of waste annually. If you need help visualising this then it might make more sense to say that a family of four's annual waste can weigh as much as an elephant does. While a certain amount of waste is unavoidable, the bins below should help you make your throwing away a little more eco-friendly.

I've heard about trashing hotel rooms, but this is ridiculous. It's a hotel made entirely out of rubbish collected on the beach. Created to mark last weekend's World Environment Day, it's been designed to help promote the preservation of European beaches.

Located in Rome, the Corona Save The Beach hotel was created in conjunction with German action artist HA Schult. And its first guest was eco warrior and supermodel Helena Christensen.

Though the hotel is no longer open for customers, you can still go onto the website to nominate endangered beaches at www.coronasavethebeach.org throughout the summer and the winner will be recovered by Corona.

Last year, fans of the website chose an Italian beach (Capacotta) which received a major clean up in July 2009.

With the longest, coldest, most horrible winter since the dawn of time almost behind us, a spring clear out is well and truly on the cards. While chuck-it-in-the-green-bin recycling is a good place to start, you might just find that your trash is just what someone else is looking for and that it can live a much more useful second life.

For any household goods you're ditching, Emmaus is the perfect place. The charity employs ex-homeless people who undertake a range of tasks, including restoring donated furniture and using profits to live self-sufficiently.

If the thought of a spring cleanout on your own seems daunting, roping in friends should make things more bearable, and if the word 'party' is involved it's almost quite appealing. Swishing parties are a top trend in eco-friendly fashion at the moment, letting you revamp your wardrobe without buying anything new.

Old milk cartons, used party poppers and empty drinks cans sound to me like a list of things to rinse, sort and put in the correctly coloured bins with no thought to how they might be reincarnated.

Well, apparently there is an art to recycling, and these objects have been used to make some the most interesting and individual art around. Recycled art tends to be commission based because of its unique nature, and is the perfect way to be green whilst getting your hands on a one-off work of art. See our gallery to discover recycling in a new light, and to find out the true meaning of one man's trash being another man's treasure...

CLICK THE IMAGE TO START THE GALLERY

Billed as combining the best bits of Freecycle and eBay, the wonderfully-named GoodNewsForPolarBears is a free local recycling website that lets people recycle things they no longer need by simply giving them to other people that DO need them.

Like eBay, items are listed with multiple photos, helping others see exactly what's on offer - except all items listed must be free. The only difference though is that all the items are FREE. Visitors can search the site, browse through categories, or set alerts to get automatically emailed when stuff they want is on offer.

The website's founder, who goes by the mysterious name of 'The Big Bear', set up the site in response to seeing perfectly serviceable items being dumped at the household recycling site:

"I realised that some people were dumping perfectly good items like baby stair-gates, patio furniture, and computers, while another bunch were in the high street buying the exact same stuff. It seemed like such a waste. Many of those buying new would have been perfectly happy with a used item for free, and many of those dumping stuff would've been over the moon to have someone take it off their hands and put it to good use."

The site which has just come out of beta testing has so far attracted about 1100 members with suppport from prominent people like Sir David Attenborough, Arne Naevra (Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year), and Nicholas Hanley (Directorate-General Environment at the EC in Brussels).

The site helps the environment by helping people to recycle consumer goods, thereby reducing waste and landfill, and conserving raw materials and relies on donations to keep it going. Currently offered on the site free of charge are a Samsung Colour TV, old fashioned oak teachers' desk and a ladies' wetsuit, size 14.

www.GoodNewsForPolarBears.org

Do your bit for the environment by composting this autumn. Working in partnership with a number of local authorities, the Recycle Now campaign is encouraging keen and novice gardeners alike to take advantage of the final days of a number of bargain compost bin offers being run by local authorities. But you'll need to hurry, as the scheme ends on 30 September.

Carl Nichols, Head of Home Composting at Recycle Now, says:
"Autumn is a great time to get composting as we all tend to have a clear-up in the garden before winter sets in. Leaves, grass and clippings put in with general waste end up in landfill where they release harmful greenhouse gases as they break down - composting at home helps reduce this problem."