In late 2003, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government unveiled a no-holdsbarred television advertisement as part of its 'Race Against Waste' campaign. Viewers of the advert witness 'Judgement Day'- at least as far as Ireland's waste crisis is concerned. A typical suburban street is literally deluged by a wave of waste and vermin that would not seem out of place in the Book of Revelations. In the midst of this carnage, one man strives to rescue a little girl from the ensuing chaos and danger - here one person can truly make a difference. This award-winning advert carries a simple yet powerful message: individual behaviour can make all the difference to the waste problem. But that is not all. The subtext of this advert is that those who live in suburban streets are those that produce the mountains of waste that now confronts us. It is they who should pay for the mess that they have created.