I am peering through the blinds of my flat like a suspicious neighbour with something to hide. I have got something, it’s a full-to-burst bin bag. Outside in the wheelie bin this sack of guilt is anonymous rubbish, here in my hand it is proof of my failure. Thankfully my peering reveals nothing, no friendly neighbours or inquisitive friends popping by with the dreaded question, “how’s it going Matt, with the rubbish thing.?” I make a dash for it.

Sneaking to the bins makes me glad that our Spanish neighbours downstairs don’t read this article, however had they picked up a copy last month it may have been useful for alerting them to the impending arrival of my wormery. This stylishly finished wooden unit arrived early this week and took it's place on the front gravel next to the bins. Looking a bit like a two-tierred coffin for cats this handmade worm eatery represented the only real acheivement in my quest to live without creating any household landfill. I proudly showed it off to my girlfriend who looked less than impressed at the shortage of  worms. "All in good time my dear, we can leave it there empty overnight. It'll be perfectly safe."

Suffice to say I rapidly grew pretty attached to my new worm restaurant which only added to the devastation when I looked out of the window the next morning and found it gone. Sadness turned to anger as I imagined the sort of human being who would prowl the streets at night looking to steal another man's environmental waste disposal devices. My only hope of cutting the vegetable waste out of my weekly bin bag snatched from me before it had even started to work. Seeing one of my neighbours in the communal hallway I voiced my sadness and only then the truth was revealed. Unaware of my current eco challenge the Spaniards had assumed the wormery was rubbish and had adopted it for use as a coffee table. With apologies they reunited me with my worm haven and I took back every curse I had uttered about the breakdown of society.

So with a growing worm colony now outside my house I need to focus myself for the task in hand. I don't like failing but I will be the first to admit that I may have bitten off a bit more than I can chew. Yes, I have stopped eating plastic wrapped pitta bread and buying loose vegetables in the supermarket but it is just a drop in the ocean. Big changes are needed and they are coming this month. Definitely this month.