MOST people these days attempt to be environmentally-friendly, whether it's by saving used newspapers or the wine bottles after a particularly great party.

Some even make it to the recycling bank.

But from Tuesday, June 3, city householders will have no excuse for failing to do their bit for the planet.

In a major shake-up of the refuse collection system, bin men will be able to take away most recyclable rubbish, in addition to normal refuse, from the kerbside of 38,000 homes.

The aim is to double the amount of household waste Worcester recycles from nine to 18 per cent by next April. Starter packs, outlining the scheme and when people can expect their first fortnightly collection, are being sent out.

On the face of it, it sounds simple.

People sort their rubbish into different categories - paper and textiles or cans and plastic - and fill the colour-coded collection bag left by bin men with the usual black sacks.

Details of the kind of materials that should be deposited are printed on each sack.

The bags are then taken to a recycling centre near Pershore where they are sorted, baled and sent to re-processors.

In theory, it should be an overwhelming success, but whether today's convenience-driven society will make that extra bit of effort remains to be seen.

Teachers Richard and Purvi Wood, who have two children, Asher, aged four, and Judah, two, are "very excited" about the scheme.

But although preserving the planet is close to their hearts, the pair, from Belmont Street, off Rainbow Hill, admit to being a bit slack when it comes to fighting the eco-war.

So they have volunteered to let the Evening News follow their progress as they attempt to become more green.

"I do find it a pain to go to the recycling banks and, until recently, when our conservatory was built, there was nowhere to store anything," said 30-year-old Purvi, a full-time mum.

"Although we take glass to the bottle bank, I feel quite awful about how much we throw out."

Husband Richard, who teaches geography at Bishop Perowne High School, said his training had made him aware of the planet's "desperate" situation.

But one of the main problems with environmental schemes was the lack of short-term visible benefits.

"To many, its just a bit more hassle," he said.

"Educating kids is a great way of getting the message across because they are excited by it and it's their future.

"But when you get down to brass tacks, many aren't motivated unless they see an immediate impact."

He said the scheme would give his family the opportunity to take some responsibility for the environment.

He compared putting out five or six bags of rubbish every week to eating too much chocolate.

"I feel uncomfortable about it and this service will allow me to feel cleaner about my actions," said the 34-year-old.

"We'll have bins for each material and, hopefully, our children will grow up seeing recycling as a matter of course."

Mrs Wood said it would be interesting to see if those who bought a lot of "convenient" tinned and pre-packaged food - which ultimately creates more rubbish - would also have less time to sort out their waste.

On a national scale, Worcester's track record for recycling leaves a lot to be desired, with England and Wales, as a whole, re-processing three per cent more waste.

Compared with other Western European countries, however, the entire nation is seriously lagging.

The Swiss currently recycle 52 per cent, Austria, 50 per cent, Germany, 48 per cent and the Netherlands, 46 per cent.

Worcester City Council's environmental protection officer, John Bond, admitted there was a lot to do.

"It's crucial we take more steps towards recycling," he said.

"We are simply creating too much waste and running out of space to bury it.

"Once in the ground, the rubbish breaks down into gasses which are altering our climate."

He said the drive towards a "cleaner, greener" Worcester, funded by a £444,802 Government grant, would make a huge difference.

To prove the level of commitment, the council has pledged to recycle up to a quarter of all household waste by 2005.

"It's achievable - but only with the help and goodwill of the public," said Mr Bond.

"Because of the sheer scale of the project, we expect a few teething problems in the early days.

"Typically, householders may be unsure what to leave in each bag and when to leave them out for collection.

"At the same time, we're already aware that it will also be difficult to provide a collection service to every household in Worcester - especially to the many city centre flats and dwellings located over commercial premises."

Anyone with queries should call the recycling hotline on Next week: How did the Wood family manage?