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Working Together with Municipalities, Businesses & Multi-Family Residential Properties to Reduce Waste

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(portions of this blog post appeared in our last post, What’s Green In the South Okanagan)

Waste Reduction Week in Canada is here!

This year, the daily themes have been adjusted to recognize the pillars of a circular economy: crucial as we grapple with our global waste. Each day of Waste Reduction Week will highlight a different theme:

  • Monday, October 19: Circular Economy & Kick-Off
  • Tuesday, October 20: Textiles
  • Wednesday, October 21: E-Waste
  • Thursday, October 22: Plastics
  • Friday, October 23: Food Waste
  • Saturday, October 24: Sharing Economy
  • Sunday, October 25: Swap & Repair

In order to transition to a truly circular economy, we must reframe how we view the world, how we use resources, and how we return those resources back into the system once they are no longer functional. The Circular Economy asks us to imagine products that are useful again and again, returning them to the system once they’ve reached the end of their usable life so that nothing is ever wasted. As with a true circle, in the circular economy, there is no beginning and no end. Waste reduction is critical to the advancement of circular economy principles.

Infographic restating information about the theme for each day of the week during Waste Reduction Week in Canada

Here at Greenstep, we’re delivering a number of programs to target waste reduction throughout the Okanagan Valley, our home in Canada’s beautiful British Columbia. It has always been our mission to make sustainable business more profitable than business as usual, and waste reduction is a key component of any truly sustainable business. Read on to learn more about what we’re up to in the Valley, and how you can get involved!

Blue recycling bin in a field

Recycling Makeover Pledge & Training in the RDOS

Working with the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen, Greenstep has launched the Recycling Makeover Pledge to encourage businesses and multi-family residential properties within the South Okanagan, to a) commit to taking action on a specific, waste-related issue and in doing so, b) help save them money as they reduce the amount of garbage and recycling being sent to local landfills. For all who participate, free resources and tools await!

Through this program, business owners and multi-family residential property managers can sign up to receive a free onsite Recycling Makeover and Training Session with a recycling expert from GreenStep, or take on a guided DIY version to assess their current waste management practices, find areas for improvement, make meaningful, measurable change to divert more waste from the landfill, and become a Recycling Champion.

All participants who complete the challenge will receive recognition by the RDOS and Greenstep, and will be entered to win prizes!

Visit https://www.recyclingmakeover.com/ to take the Pledge and sign up!

Hands holding up items for recycling

Studying Multifamily Residential Recycling Practices in the RDCO

The Regional District of the Central Okanagan has engaged GreenStep Solutions to facilitate a study of recycling practices at multifamily residential properties throughout the region. As part of this study, we will be offering a limited number of free waste audits and infrastructure assessments to eligible properties.

The ultimate goal of any waste assessment or audit is ultimately to reduce waste by gathering enough good evidence to support updated waste reduction strategies. Waste audits not only help businesses and property managers to better understand their waste – answering questions such as, “Why is recycling ending up in the garbage bin??” – they also serve as a useful engagement tool for employees and residents alike.

To find out if your property is eligible, or to learn more, simply reach out to us!

Greenstep is available to design a project or program that suits your needs!

GreenStep offers a variety of creative, flexible solutions to help our clients meet their sustainability objectives and challenges. Whether you’re looking for a waste audit, an education session or a larger program or campaign, we’d love to design a solution that best meets your needs! Reach out to us to start a discussion!

Looking for other ways to reduce your waste? Here are some easy ideas with big impacts!

  • BYO bags to the grocery store and your family could reduce your plastic consumption by 1,500 bags! Source: Center for Biological Diversity
  • Visit refill stores to pick up staples like dried pasta, rice, spices, and so much more! Ensure you bring clean jars or pouches to be filled, and perhaps an extra snack bag for a treat like pretzels or gummies. One of our former Greensteppers took the big, green step of opening her own refill shop in Kelowna, and we are totally in love with it! Good practice during pandemic times: call ahead to ask about current refill practices.
  • Save the planet all while keeping your family safe and healthy: invest in reusable cloth face masks. Many small business owners and seamstresses have begun adding hand-sewn masks to their offerings, making this a great way to support the “buy local” movement as well.
  • Do your homework before disposing of your electronics. It may seem easier to just toss your old smartphone in your household garbage but those lithium-ion batteries can present a whole host of problems at local landfills…including fires! Learn more about e-waste by visiting Waste Reduction Week’s website.
Waste Reduction Week in Canada logo