MOST homes now have an array of rubbish bins to promote recycling. We are encouraged to reuse our carrier bags when we go to the supermarket and anyone who drives a 4x4 on flat, town centre roads is seriously frowned upon. Everywhere you look, we are reminded of ways in which we can protect our environment for future generations.

So how pro-active are we in helping to save our environment? Take recycling, for example. In north Northamptonshire our recycling rate is between 25 and 30 per cent and rising all the time but we need to be hitting 50 per cent by 2020. There are countless small changes we can make to our daily lives. County councillor for the environment Ben Smith said: "Everybody can do something to be more green and even the little changes can make a big difference. "There are all sorts of ways to start being more environmentally friendly. For example, you can shop smarter by choosing products with less packaging, reusing your carrier bags or buying recycled goods. "Another way to make a difference is to sign up to the Mailing Preference Service to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, or you could have a go at making your own compost so that less of your rubbish ends up going to landfill. We all have a responsibility to look at how we can be more green and reduce our carbon footprint. Changing the way you do things might seem like a lot of effort at first but it soon becomes much easier once you get into the habit." Now take our test to find out– how green are you?