Too Good to Waste is the theme of this year's Waste Reduction Week - a Canada-wide campaign that starts Monday to raise awareness about the need to reduce consumption and make more environmentally responsible choices.
Reducing our waste makes good economic sense. Less garbage means lower transportation costs and disposal fees and a reduced need for landfills. It also cuts down on greenhouse gas (GHG) production.
Of the 3 R's of waste management - reduce, reuse, recycle - most of our individual efforts have been focused on recycling because it doesn't require us to change our consuming habits. But "reduce" is actually a more effective way to deal with the mounting problem of waste. According to the Waste Reduction Week handbook, "If we can reduce the amount of waste that is produced in the first instance, we are conserving resources and limiting the need to reuse or recycle."
Canadians have embraced recycling. While municipalities like Edmonton, Halifax and Markham (Ontario) boast diversion rates of 60% or higher, this only represents residential garbage - 40% of the total waste stream. The balance comes from commercial, industrial, construction and demolition sources.
In reality, we are diverting less than a quarter of the 31 million tonnes of waste we produce annually. The rest ends up in one of Canada's estimated 10,000 landfills.
Once in the landfill, what doesn't end up leaching into our groundwater system will eventually decompose. This process not only makes our landfills stink, it produces vast amounts of carbon dioxide and methane.
In response, many municipalities have introduced green bin or curbside composting programs to divert organic materials from the waste stream.
While this is a good start, if we really want to get serious about waste reduction, we need to add a fourth R - rethink - to help us focus on how we can reduce, reuse or recycle our waste into valuable resources. After all, it really is "too good to waste."
For more information, visit www.wrwcanada.com.
Reduce
Simply put, when you reduce your waste, you don't have to worry about reusing or recycling it later, making it the most efficient way to conserve resources, save energy and protect the environment.
* Twenty percent of the food we buy ends up in the garbage. Before you buy, make a list and check it twice. Use groceries while they're still fresh.
* Start a backyard composter and feed it with your kitchen and yard waste. This can reduce your garbage by one-third and produce an excellent soil conditioner for your garden.
* Pack garbage-less lunches.
* Rent (rather than buy) items that you don't use frequently, or share with friends and neighbours.
* Invest in a stainless steel water bottle to refill, instead of buying bottled water.
* Buy in bulk to reduce packaging.
Reuse
Reusing items gives them a second life and reduces the amount of energy and resources needed to manufacture new ones or recycle the old ones.
* Buy from second-hand stores and charity shops.
* When renovating, visit salvage centres for used doors, hardware, lighting fixtures and other building materials.
* Instead of buying plastic food containers, rescue widemouthed glass jars from the recycling bin and use them to store leftovers.
* Donate yarn and cloth scraps, buttons, wallpaper ends and samples, toilet paper rolls, small boxes, egg cartons, yogurt containers and apple baskets to daycare centers and kindergarten classes for crafts.
* Don't throw it out, fix it up. Repair broken toys, furniture and appliances to extend their useful life and save money.
Recycle
Curbside recycling is just one way to recycle unwanted goods.
* Donate old clothes, toys, furniture and appliances to charities such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill.
* Have a garage sale.
* Drop off old magazines at doctors' offices, hospital waiting rooms or nursing homes.
* Sell unwanted books to used bookstores or donate them to a seniors' centre.
* Use old clothing for Halloween costumes.
* Donate used computers and other electronics to schools, churches or charities.
* Donate eyeglasses to organizations such as the Canadian National Institute for the Blind or Operation Eyesight for distribution to those in need.
* Invest in a rain barrel and "recycle" rainwater for your garden.
* Check out Freecycle.org, a great avenue for giving away things you no longer want or need.
