IF amassing just one dustbin bag of rubbish in a year wasn't enough, the Strauss family have reduced their waste for landfill even further.

Richard, Rachelle and their daughter Verona have left just one carrier bag of rubbish out for the bin collectors in 2010 by recycling, reusing and composting everything else.

"We did make a concerted effort this year," said Rachelle, 38.

"The main difference was we kept in close contact with manufacturers to see how their packaging could be reused.

"Also, we made good choices before we bought things in order to eliminate packaging.

"If you don't make these choices in the shop, then you are left to deal with the packaging when you get home.

"We try to use farm shops which don't use packaging, and when we go to the butchers in Mitcheldean we collect what we want in our own containers."

The amount of household rubbish left by the Strauss's is miniscule considering that the average household throws away an extra five refuse bags of rubbish away after Christmas.

"I do remember three years ago that I was one of those people who didn't recycle much," said Rachelle.

"But with what we've achieved this year, I don't know how much lower we can go.

"I think what we are going to concentrate on this year is offering advice and helping other people who are interested in reducing the amount of waste they send to landfill.

"I'm also hoping to speak to the county council about how we can improve recycling facilities."

In 2009, the Strauss family threw just one average refuse sack of rubbish away.

The carrier bag the Strauss's threw away in 2010 contained things that they could find no way to reuse or recycle, including broken plastic toys, empty felt tip pens and razor blades.

To keep up to date with the Strauss's recycling efforts, and to pick up some helpful tips, visit http://myzerowaste.com">http://myzerowaste.com.