Waste Reduction Week
Did you know that Canadians produce more than 21 million tonnes of garbage annually! Waste Reduction Week in Canada (October 16-22, 2006) raises public awareness about waste in the hope of conserving our diverse resources and curbing wasteful practices. The theme is "Too Good to Waste" which focuses on seven waste reduction hot spots including home, travel, work, school, play, shopping, and community.
City staff have set up a display for Waste Reduction Week since 2003, twice in the City Hall foyer and once at Tansley Woods. In 2003, staff were asked to bring gently used clothing, books, etc. A raffle was also held for one of two compost bins generously donated by Halton Region Waste Management. In 2004 and 2005, a week long display was set up. Information that was available included composting wheels, One Tonne Challenge brochures, idling bookmarks, naturally green stickers, home EnerGuide grant information, etc.
Follow these simple steps year round to reduce the amount of generated waste:
At Home:
- Use native plants in your garden.
- Avoid the use of pesticides.
- If you have a lawn, leave the clippings as they act as a natural fertilizer.
- Use non-toxic cleaning products and help to reduce the 27,000 tonnes of household hazardous waste that Canadians dispose of incorrectly each year.
- Turn the water off when brushing your teeth and save up to 22 litres of water.
- Use a programmable thermostat.
- Avoid gasoline-powered garden equipment. On a per engine basis, these machines emit more amounts of pollutants than vehicles. Top
Travel:
Try active (walk, cycle) or more sustainable (transit, carpool) forms of transportation.
- Ensure your vehicle is well maintained.
- Check your tire pressure often.
- Ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the engine. Top
Work:
- Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing components of the waste stream with more than 140,000 tonnes accumulating in Canadian landfills each year.
- Donate old equipment to a school or charity.
- Sell computers to staff.
- Contact the manufacturer of your equipment as some take back the products they manufacture.
- Recycle laser printer toner cartridges. Top
School:
- Pack a litter free lunch for all the members of your family.
- Participate in International Walk to School Day in October each year.
- Hold a tree planting event where seventeen trees are planted for every tonne of paper used in the school each year.
- Form a waste exchange within the school to find new homes for unwanted books, clothing, jewellery, sports equipment, and other items. Top
Play:
- When visiting natural areas, "leave no trace" take out what you brought in.
- Do not remove plants, animals, rocks, or minerals.
- Pick up what others have left behind. Top
Shopping:
Buying in bulk reduces consumer packaging.
- Reduce transportation costs by supporting locally produced goods.
- Think "green" when buying gifts send electronic cards rather than paper cards
- Provide a gift certificate for a lesson i.e. cooking, swimming, etc.
- Give native plants.
- Give reusable items such as mugs.
- Purchase tickets to festivals, plays, or national parks. Top
Community:
- Give unused or unwanted items away to a second-hand store or charity.