You’ve made the decision to recycle, as part of your ruthless determination to save the planet, but you haven’t the time to drop it off at the local depot, or there isn’t one close enough to you to make it viable.

Help is at hand. In both Cape Town and Jo’burg there are now a few companies, with names like Abundance recycling, Clearer conscience and Whole Earth, who can make recycling that much simpler. They’ll pick up recycling at your home and make sure that it all goes to the right places, for a nominal monthly fee. Some of them also offer this service to the business and industrial sectors, so there’s little excuse for not recycling at work anymore.

It’s a win-win situation all round, particularly as most of these... companies in turn provide others with work and a sense of self-worth.

Recycling collection in Cape Town:
Abundance Recycling won a real simple green innovation award for green service for their recycling initiative. Gary Fort has motivated over 500 households to recycle, reducing landfill dumping by some 20 tons a month; Kool Waste Management covers all areas in Cape Town; Clearer Conscience is a newer kid on the block. They give you a step-by-step guide on their website as to how to prepare for collection; and Mr Recycle does a monthly pavement recycling collection for the Gordons Bay, Strand and Somerset West areas.

Recycling collection in Jo'burg:
Resolution Recycling who operated a door-to-door collection have closed their doors; Whole Earth offer a recycling collection service to both individuals and offices. They also accept e-waste; and Mama She's is committed to recycling waste paper, waste cardboard, waste plastics, waste glass, used metal cans and other waste products. They collect or you can deliver to their recycling collection depots.