One Saturday morning a month, recyclable material is being collected and sorted by Christians in a housing area near Guildford's town centre. This started with a few enthusiasts but increasingly local people are wanting to co-operate and do something positive for their environment.
We live in a culture of instant coffee, light at the flick of a switch and water from a tap. Everything comes in cartons, tins and packaging. Such a culture creates problems in the amount of waste produced. But what happens to the rubbish the dustmen take away? More often than not, it is stuck in a big hole in the ground and left to rot down. Out of sight, out of mind. Or is it? Some of this rubbish does not rot down, it stays in the ground for years.
For many people, the environment is not an issue, or it seems too overwhelming to do anything about. But there is hope. Waste such as paper and glass can be recycled. It can be made usable again. The Stoke group from Guildford Community Church have, over a period of time, started to collect recyclable material in a few streets in their area. They call at houses and collect on one Saturday per month. It takes about half an hour. The residents who co-operate with the scheme sort different types of waste into different bags, paper, glass and cans. These are then taken to a local scrap centre. Why do it? First, to raise people's awareness and understanding that not all rubbish is rubbish. Secondly, it is done to encourage a lifestyle of 'reduce, recycle and re-use'.
