After John William Waterhouse – Johnsadlerillustration.com

• SOME good ideas in your feature (23 tips for ’23, January 5).

Here’s a few more:

— These days, many food products are well-labelled regarding recycling but still there is room for improvement, and leading supermarkets should lead the way.

For example, a tin of mixed nuts advises regarding recycling for two parts of the packaging, yet there are three parts – buck up M&S! Sainsbury’s can do better too.

— Many of us have too many pens and pencils, some new, some little-used, perhaps more notepads and plain paper than needed too.

Keep what you need, of course, but perhaps the names of schools or other organisations that would welcome these items could be published, and advice offered as to how best to pass them on.

— Too many books?

Not only will most charity shops welcome books but hospitals may have patient libraries. The CNJ could publish helpful advice.

— If you have not yet installed a water meter then you really should consider doing so. I should have acted years before I did but water metering has had two good results for me.

I was already using water carefully, but paying for water usage really does help one try harder to use still less.

The other, of course, is that my water bill is smaller. I now use 25 per cent of the water I did before and, of course, pay less too.

If you live alone, it’s not difficult to flush the loo only when necessary. You know what I mean!

I keep two plastic one-pint mugs by the wash-hand basin and two plastic bottles nearby. When washing hands after using the lavatory, I usually end up with both mugs full, my having held one mug per hand wash under the tap.

That water goes to flush the loo after a pee and other surplus water goes in the plastic bottles as and when. After all, one does not need fresh water to flush a lavatory.

— In cold weather, leave the oven door open after cooking. The heat is free, so to speak.

In an open-plan kitchen and living room, I often find that no other heating is necessary after cooking, at least for a while.

— Most of us want to wash our hands after using the bathroom and also after depositing waste and recycling in the appropriate bins outside one’s home.

Save water on one occasion each day by taking out your rubbish after visiting the bathroom and wash your hands once instead of twice.

Doing green things is not only going to reduce your footprint on the planet but sometimes you save money too.

In both cases every little helps!

LESTER MAY
Reachview Close, NW1