EVERYWHERE you turn these days, we are being urged to recycle more and take better care of the environment. We sort our rubbish into different coloured bags, our cars are fitted with gizmos to reduce toxic emissions and we are exhorted at every turn to reduce that most evil of modern life's by-products, landfill.

It is with this in mind that Worcestershire County Council has been working behind the scenes to cut down on a particular type of smelly waste that has been piling up around the country.

We are talking, of course, about nappies. Whether you're using Huggies, Pampers or a supermarket own brand, there can be no denying where these things end up.

Some parts of disposable nappies do break down - but not all. They clog our waste sites for years on end. It is to combat this that County Hall has been hosting Nappaccino mornings, where parents and parents-to-be can enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat about real nappies.

Now, the phrase "real nappies" will bring back some fairly unpleasant images for people of a certain age. Big white buckets, foul smells and a over-size pair of tongs begin to loom large in the mind's eye.

However, all that has changed. Real nappies are now cleaner, simpler and far more ecologically sound than their disposable cousins.

Not only are they kinder to the environment, they also work out a good deal cheaper in the long run. What more incentive could you want?