When You Throw it Away…

Did you know that, in Canada, 34 million tons of waste is generated each year? Half of that waste ends up in landfills when 93 per cent could be either recycled or composted. Fortunately, awareness Waste Reduction week is in October. The week will offer all kinds of activities along with recommendations to apply all year round! The real challenge is at the individual, municipal, school and consumption levels.

At the commercial business level, companies such as Sorinco and Prorec can be good examples on how to reduce your environmental footprint. At the individual level, sort plastic, recycle paper and cardboard, metal and glass, compost, collect wood, dispose of hazardous materials and construction waste. Accountability for our actions should be the first step in leaving the world a cleaner place.

To conclude, here are some simple tips to reduce your waste:

• Always ask yourself how to make the most of what you want to get rid of;
• Recycle;
• Compost;
• Bring your empty yogurt containers to a buy-in-bulk store and fill with flour, sugar, dried fruits nuts and spices;
• Buy less of unnecessary things;
• Keep the packaging at the store. You thus force manufacturers and retailers to pay for the recovery of packaging waste;
• Use cloth diapers;
• Go shopping in a public market with your reusable bags;
• Reduce your consumption of meat;
• Find the nearest EcoCentre to you.

For the more enthusiastic, check out “The Basic Guide to recycling in Quebec” or pick up the book “You and Your Waste” by Marlene Hutchinson.

Have a successful Waste Reduction Week!

Sources: Statistics Canada, sqrd.org, homeownership.ca