The amount of waste in our society is driving me to distraction – in 2020 I plan on only buying what I really need

In all aspects of our society we overcomplicate things under the guise of making things easier and simpler, when in fact we are doing the opposite

Needless rubbish can be infuriating – particularly round this time of the year (iStock)

Recently I’ve been going a bit mad with how much we as a society overcomplicate everything. It’s driving me to distraction, if the truth be told. Those nearest and dearest to me think I’m turning into a bit of a weirdo and I don’t fully disagree. I’m having a something of an existential crisis and am not sure what the solution is.

Growing up as the youngest daughter to immigrant parents, it was instilled in me from an early age to not be wasteful and to be respectful of money and possessions. I was always to finish what was on my plate and take less and replenish rather than take too much and throw away. After all, where my parents were from there were those who couldn’t even afford to eat. I was mindful that clothes, objects and items had all been designed and manufactured. Thought had gone into those processes, so to mindlessly treat everything without care or as disposable was disrespectful. Things should be valued.

Early on in my TV career I remember filming for the Blue Peter Water Aid appeal in a very poor, remote village in Mozambique where everything was bartered. After interviewing one family we gave them rice, cooking oil and other useful bits and pieces as a thank you. An argument broke out and we were told by our interpreter that they were arguing over the carrier bag we had given everything in. Back then we would have called it a “disposal bag”, not even a “bag for life”! Nonetheless, it was durable and useful for carrying things. It was light, waterproof and able to scrunch up small when not in use, a good piece of kit.