One in three executives and one in five dustmen think it will be a recession-flirting 0-2.5%.

ECONOMIST: Might dustmen be the people to ask about 2012?

Strangely, since then the world's banks and news organisations have not rushed to rummage through dustmen's economic forecasts.

ECONOMIST: Might dustmen be the people to ask about 2012?

In areas of Britain where the dustmen come round only every other week, recycling rates are 10% higher than elsewhere.

ECONOMIST: Less is more

The dustmen and the global executives have similar views on global growth: 58% of businesspeople and 80% of binmen expect it to be between 2.5% and 5%.

ECONOMIST: Might dustmen be the people to ask about 2012?

In October The World in 2012 put three questions on the year ahead to five London dustmen (our careful sample took in Mile End, Chelsea and Earl's Court).

ECONOMIST: Might dustmen be the people to ask about 2012?