Does recycling make us feel better than it actually solves?

Recycling matters.

But it can also distract from a more uncomfortable question: why do we create so much waste in the first place?

Should the next generation of environmental policy focus more on recycling, reuse or reducing unnecessary material altogether?

Putting something in the right bin is a useful habit, but it does not tell us what happens next. Collection systems, materials and local markets differ. Reusable products also need a realistic plan for return, washing and repeated use. Rather than choose a slogan, let us compare the full journey of everyday items and ask where less material could deliver the same service.

• Which item would you redesign first? • What makes reuse inconvenient? • What local information is missing?