The California Department of Conservation today unveiled a new report showing that Californians are recycling a record number of beverage containers. More than 14.7 billion beverage containers were recycled by Californians in 2007, an 11% increase over 2006 levels, and 50% more than were recycled just five years ago.

If you think it is a chore to sort out the recycling on garbage night, try sorting out the garbage from the real figures on how much packaging is being recycled in Australia.

Recycling rates have risen, and the UK is on schedule to meet EU targets, but the key to dealing with our escalating waste problem lies in changing our buying habits and our attitudes to consumption, according to the authors of a new Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) publication.