I despair that my recycling won't change the world. But others' will

I tried to recycle my bed to do my bit and save some of the world's resources. I failed, but there's still hope - not everyone has given up

I've had a horrible feeling lately that the world is sliding down its final slope, with the brakes off: filthy seas, burned and ruined forests, vanishing species, flattered cities, millions of displaced people, desperate refugees and endless, murderous wars. It is difficult not to abandon hope.

Fielding is also feeling rather gloomy. "Jesus Christ," says he. "Give me a reason to get up in the morning." But I think that's rather wet. We must put up a bit of a fight. So I tried to recycle my bed, to save a speak of the world's resources.

Easier said than done. It's a single divan, with a fireproof label. And the council will recycle it. But not the mattress. Only the base. Fair enough. Who wants somebody else's old mattress? They'll collect it and dump it. I could have tried another recycling charity, which takes furniture, but you have to do that online, then they ring you, and may take your bed or whatever. It all sounded a bit vague. Would it ever happen?

Out goes the mattress, but then a call from the council, moments before bed-base collection time. They've changed their mind. They don't want any more beds. Sorry, madam. All right, perhaps someone else will take it. Decorator thinks so. We drag it outside. It rains at one. We drag it back in again. Hopeless. But luckily a kind friend, Steffan the Recycler, has contacted the recycling charity for me, and it rings. Miraculous. They would like the bed. But only with the mattress. Which I have just thrown away. Now I must throw the base away as well. I am fiddling while Rome burns.

I don't think you're going to stop the Chinese economy," says Fielding. No, I'm not. I couldn't even save a small bed. Creeping despair. But only briefly. Because not everyone has given  up. Olga turns cast-offs and scraps into divine outfits, Steffan turns old wellies into wallets, and Francisco turns into exquisite art. I'll stick with them, because it all adds up and may help to stop the slide. We hope. nothing much else can.