Holiday Waste Collection Changes

The City of Edmonton has made the following changes to its waste collection schedule.

There is no waste collection on Wednesday, December 25, 2019, and Wednesday, January 1, 2020. If your waste collection falls on these dates, your waste will be collected on Monday, December 23, 2019, and Monday, December 30, 2019, respectively.

All other collection days remain the same and collectors will be working as usual, including Boxing Day.

The City encourages residents to help make collection easier by clearing ice and snow away from collections areas and spreading sand on icy areas. Heavy and bulky items cannot be collected through residential collection and should be taken to Eco Stations. Residents can also drop off holiday items such as decorations, artificial Christmas trees and interior lights at the Reuse Centre if they are in good condition.

Residents can try the free WasteWise app to help them sort their waste.

Visit edmonton.ca/wastecollection

Create Memories, Not Waste

Tricks and tips on how to reduce waste during the holiday season.

The holiday season is a special time. We search for the perfect gifts for loved ones, wrap them, decorate, and celebrate with food, drink and endless cheer.

While traditions are important, it’s also important to be mindful of our waste during the holiday season. Did you know Edmonton household garbage nearly doubles during this time of year?

“There are so many gifts to give that don’t produce garbage,” says Rodney Al, Master Composter Recycler Program Coordinator. “I encourage people to consider less wrapping and more reduction.”

This year, try giving the gift of experience. Take in a concert with a friend, sign you and a loved one up for a cooking class, or enjoy a dinner out, your treat! You can even gift someone an annual subscription to a streaming service or consider donating your skills or time to the recipient’s favourite charity.

Not in to giving experiences? Embrace your skills and come up with something creative like crocheted mittens, a scarf or blanket. Another great gift is food or baked goods. Bake your loved one some cookies or gift your friends a jar of homemade salsa or jelly. Homemade gifts and food are always more personal and sentimental.

If you plan to give a gift that requires wrapping, try to make the wrapping part of the gift. Wrap the gift in a nice scarf, bandana, kitchen towel or shawl. You can also use scrap fabric leftovers from other projects or find some at the Reuse Centre or a local thrift store.

Lastly, donate holiday items you no longer need to the Reuse Centre, or purchase as many holiday items as you need for only $5 (up to 25 kg) including artificial trees, decorations and gift wrap.

Be sure to share your favourite holiday waste reduction tip on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, using the hashtag #WastelessHolidays, and you could win 1 of 10 wasteless prizes.

Visit edmonton.ca/wastelessholidays

Tell One Friend: Wasteless Holidays

The holiday season is filled with decorations, parties and presents, but all this festivity can lead to an increase in waste. In fact, in the two weeks following December 25, the City of Edmonton collects almost twice the amount of waste compared to early December.

There are many ways to reduce waste during the holidays this year, including:

• Planning out festive feasts to reduce leftovers, and send food home with guests.
• Giving waste-friendly gifts, like experiences.
• Decorating for lasting memories by picking quality decorations, or making your own with items from the Reuse Centre.
• Recycling right! Use WasteWise to determine what waste can be recycled, online at edmonton.ca/waste or download the app.

Find more great tips at edmonton.ca/wastelessholidays!
Share how you are reducing your holiday waste by using the hashtag #WastelessHolidays and you could win prizes! To enter retweet, share or comment on a City of Edmonton Wasteless Holidays post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Read through our contest rules to make sure your entry counts. 
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Share Your Message Effectively
Try these tip to connect with friends, family, neighbours and co-workers. 

Model the Behaviour

Show friends and family how you put your wasteless holiday tips and tricks to action. 

Make it Normal

Post photos on social media documenting your wasteless holiday traditions.

Offer Timely Prompts

Encourage your friends and family to share their wasteless holidays tips and tricks on social media. Encourage them to enter the social media contest too!

Give Positive Feedback
"You're helping to reduce holiday waste this year, great job!"

Visit edmonton.ca/wastelessholidays

Previous Tell One Friend: Reduce Holiday Food Waste

  

International Volunteer Day is Coming Up!

December 5 is International Volunteer Day! We thank you for all of your amazing work as an MCR this past year. This year, Waste Services wants to hear why you volunteer and/or your peer to peer recognition story.

Tell us here.

From your stories, we will fill out one of the two slips below, post them on a wall in our offices and share them in future newsletter editions.

If you also volunteer at the Reuse Centre, pop in there to take a photo for their photo-wall.











For more information visit Volunteer Canada or UN General Assembly

                                

Tell One Friend: Reduce Holiday Food Waste

On average, Edmonton's garbage contains around 22 to 26% food waste. The amount of food waste found in Edmonton's garbage increases significantly around the holidays, according to City waste audits. Getting together with friends, co-workers and family during the holidays often involves food. With an abundance of food, food waste is a likely possibility around this time of year.

Getting creative with leftovers, encouraging guests to bring their own reusable containers to take home food, storing or freezing food correctly and planning out meals all help to prevent holiday food waste.
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Share Your Message Effectively

Try these tips to connect with friends, family, neighbours and co-workers.

Model the Behaviour

Encourage those who will be taking part in the meal to help plan out the food.

Make it Normal

Talk about preventing food waste while enjoying a shared meal and simple ways to prevent it.

Offer Timely Prompts

Did you know that a well planned out holiday meal is sometimes all it takes to prevent food waste?

Give Positive Feedback

Thank you for taking home and eating leftovers. You have prevented food waste!


Visit edmonton.ca/foodwaste

Previous Tell One Friend: Eco Stations, Open 7 days a week

  

A New Chapter in the World of Waste

It’s been a long road for Waste Services.

More than 2 years ago, we started a process to determine the best way to move forward with waste management in Edmonton.

Now, after researching best practices, conducting internal assessments, considering over 30,000 points of input from 2 rounds of public engagement and receiving feedback from the Edmonton Cart Rollout to 8,000 homes—we have a clear path forward. On September 10, City Council approved the 25-year Waste Strategy and accompanying reports.

“This is the beginning of a new era for Waste Services in Edmonton,” says Michael Labrecque, Branch Manager, Waste Services. “We’ve worked hard to build a plan that will help divert waste from landfill, in a way that works for Edmontonians. Now, we’re excited to put that plan into action.”

What’s Next?

Beginning in 2020, a 4-stream waste collection system will be rolled out in phases to single-unit residences. More information will be provided to residents as details solidify. 4-stream waste collection includes:

• A 120L green cart for organics (primarily kitchen scraps, topped up with yard waste)
• A black cart for residual garbage (residents will initially receive a 240L cart, with the option to exchange it later for a 120L cart at a reduced rate)
• Recyclables collection in blue bags
• Seasonal yard waste collection in paper yard waste bags, twice in the spring and twice in the fall

By the end of 2021, all single-unit Edmonton residences will receive 4-stream collection. Soon, planning and consultation will begin to develop new approaches to waste for condos and apartments and the commercial sector.

The 25-year Waste Strategy uses a Zero Waste Framework. This doesn’t mean we’re aiming to divert 100 percent of waste right now; our waste diversion goal remains 90 percent. Rather, Zero Waste implies a system that is constantly improving, with a strong focus on waste reduction. With that goal in mind, next steps will include developing rules to restrict some single-use plastic items, and supporting waste reduction-focused community programming.

But How Much Will It Cost?

Changes to waste services will be funded by small rate increases of about 2.5 percent per year for the next three years. Without changes to how we manage waste, it is likely that these rate increases would be higher. The Waste Services fee is included on EPCOR bills.

Learn more about the Future of Waste in Edmonton.

  

Tell One Friend: Eco Stations, Open 7 days a week

Spread the word! From Sept. 29 to Nov. 9, all four Eco Stations will be open 7 days a week from 9am to 6:30pm.

This gives residents extra opportunities to drop off grass, leaves, and yard waste for FREE. Extended hours also make it more convenient for Edmontonians to drop off household hazardous waste, batteries and more at no cost.

On November 10, Eco Stations will transition to regular winter hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 9-4:30pm.

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Share Your Message Effectively

Try these tips to connect with friends, family, neighbours and co-workers.

Model the Behaviour

Show friends and family how you sort and take items to an Eco Station.

Make it Normal

Post photos off your Eco Station trip on social media highlighting the extended hours and dates.

Offer Timely Prompts

Did you know that dropping of your grass and yard waste to an Eco Station along with household hazardous waste can happen 7 days a week? All free of charge. 

Give Positive Feedback

"Now you can take your Eco Station items in, 7 days a week."

Visit edmonton.ca/ecostations

Previous Tell One Friend: Prepare Your Autumn Leaves

  

What Behaviours to Choose?

Another installment about Effective MCR Conversations

"Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't."

~ Erica Jong

We all have an idea in the back of our mind about what behaviours we want our friends, family, and neighbours to adopt. But first, it's important to find the most realistic option for them!

What would be most successful?

With this in mind, ask ourselves: How do we select behaviours that we target for a friend or neighbour to do?

Step One: Listen

Yes, it sounds too simple, but listening to our audience is sooo important! Consider them for who they are and what is realistic for them.

Step Two: Come up with one small ask

No... NOT two asks. Look for an ask that is:

1. Non-Divisible: It cannot be divided into multiple actions.
2. End-State: Will this action lead directly to the outcome, or will they have to do something else?
   
   For example, one small ask could be "program a programmable thermostat." (Not purchasing it and not installing it, but programming it.)
   Once they program the thermostat, we know that leads directly to less energy used

Step Three: Make sure your ask has...

1. High Impact: Something that will make the most difference.
2. High Probability: Something they are likely to do.
3. Low Penetration: Something that they are not already doing.

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Example: Use less single-use plastic bags

1. Well... just listen.
2. One small ask: Bring a reusable grocery bag into the store. (non-divisible and end-state)
3. Make sure your ask has:
• High Impact: Most single-use plastic bags are grocery bags. So yes, this works on grocery bags.
• High Probability: IF they bring reusable bags into the store, there is a high chance that they will use them. So, yes.
• Low Penetration: No, not many people are already doing it.

Alex V. is a recent graduate from The King’s University where she graduated with a BSc. in Environmental Studies and Biology, and a Certificate of Education and the Environment. She is enthusiastic about anything related to waste reduction and living sustainably and loves sharing her tips and tricks with the community around her.

More "Effective MCR Conversations"

Previous What are the Competing Behaviours?

MCR Success Stories in September, 2019

Future Waste Reduction Specialists
MCR Rebecca chatted with children about waste. She especially loved when the children took over the conversation about improved waste behaviour; this gave her the feeling that the future of the city will be great.




How to Compost in Castle Downs
MCRs Mildred, Angela and Natasha taught local residents how to start composting at home. This workshop was hosted by Councillor Jon Dziadyk.






Vermi-Composting Success
MCR Kit provided compost support to a family and assisted them to set up a worm bin to start vermi-composting.

Wasteless Movie Night 
MCR Christine T. hosted a movie night and a conversations about waste discussion panel for about 20 participants. They watched and talked about the movie WALL-E. MCRs Mila, Craig, Tony, Line, Alan and Margo helped organize the event and spoke during the panel discussion. Team effort!

Enjoy more time and less waste at Eco Stations this fall

The City's four Eco Stations will be open seven days a week from September 29 to November 9. Drop off items like yard waste and household hazardous waste, free of charge, daily from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Extended hours make it more convenient to divert waste from the landfill by using your local Eco Station.

Yard waste can be dropped off at an Eco Station for composting when these guidelines are followed:

• Yard waste (leaves, twigs, branches, fallen fruit, dead plants, grass) is loose or in a paper yard waste bag;
• Branches are no more than 4 feet long and 2 inches in diameter.

Items that can't be recycled or composted, such as some types of household hazardous waste, are disposed of properly to minimize the risk to people and the environment. For a full list of accepted items, please see here.

On November 10, Eco Stations will transition to regular winter hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Visit edmonton.ca/ecostations

Tell One Friend: Prepare Your Autumn Leaves

It's autumn. Tree leaves fall in brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red.  Before long, those leaves turn brown and get crunchy. Preparing leaves is an important step in home composting and reducing waste.

How to Prepare Autumn Leaves

• Mulch dried leaves on your lawn. Mow over the leaves once or twice to break them down. They are a great source of carbon for your lawn.
• Store leaves as 'browns' for your home compost. This is a smart way to have a stash of browns for next spring and summer
• Mulch dried leaves on your plant beds. Just pile them around plants. It's like free fertilizer for your soil.

Using leaves on your landscape means less waste picked up at the curb.

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Share Your Message Effectively

Try these tips to connect with friends, family, neighbours and co-workers. 

Model the Behaviour

Show friends and family how you prepare and use leaves.

Make it Normal

Post photos of your autumn leaves on social media.

Offer Timely Prompts

While a neighbour is cleaning their yard, ask them for their leaves and mention that they are valuable. Your enthusiasm shows how they might be losing a valuable resource of their own.

Give Positive Feedback

"Those mulched leaves on your lawn look natural. I'm excited to see your lawn next spring."

Visit edmonton.ca/composting

Previous Tell One Friend: Take Batteries out to the Eco Station

More Trees Please

On August 21, MCRs planted trees in Mill Creek Ravine along Hazeldean neighbourhood.
They planted 214 trees in total. Way to go MCRs!

 

For more information: visit edmonton.ca/mcrp

 

Cover Crops: Part I

If your goal is healthy food, then your veggie patch needs cover crops.
They are part of a more natural approach to growing food.

Microbes in the soil provide nutrients to your plants. If soil runs out of microbes then plants don't get as many nutrients as they could with the help of a healthy food web. Ensure the life in your soil has what it needs to thrive.

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Some easy ways to get started:

Peas

Early planting of peas will be the first crop to brown off. Right after the first picking, plant oats. They will fill in fast and won't interfere when pulling the vines off their supports and lay them on the soil as residue. You can start a flat of spinach in late July and transplant them into the open spaces, just drop them right into the pea residues. Careful not to pull out the roots.

Salad Greens

Greens don't take much from soil, so you can constantly plant more seeds throughout the summer. As we move into August, planting wheat will support soil fungi. Later in the month, planting daikon or tillage radish will further support the soil.

Garlic

Harvest begins in July when scapes (slender white pods of bulbils) are ready and leaf tips start to brown off. If browning off occurs in July, it's a sign that your soil is poorly drained. Lift bulbs in poor health and plant oats. As you lift single bulbs, stick in a fava bean. When the rest of the crop is lifted, plant radish, Johnny Jump-up, or Stinkweed.

Beans

Spacing around bush beans is wide enough to try a variety of cover crops. You can stick in a few species of soil builders or food crops as soon as harvest begins in July. It's an opportunity to use up left-over seeds here and there and see if you get a later harvest (avoid big plants like squash). It's also an opportunity to build resources into your soil for next year. If you plan to grown corn in that spot next year, then plant Alfalfa and Buckwheat, or if you plant a root crop, then go with annual grasses like wheat and barley. The beauty of the combinations will surprise and delight you.

Don't forget to cover the bed with leaves in October.

Visit edmonton.ca/compost

 

New Release: City Reports Forecast the Future of Waste in Edmonton

On Thursday, August 29, the City's Utility Committee will discuss five reports about the future of waste management in Edmonton.

Of the five reports, Utility Committee will be asked to do the following:

• Approve proposed changes to single-unit waste set-out
• Endorse the 25-year Waste Strategy

"Through two rounds of public engagement in the past year, Edmontonians expressed passion for waste management in their city and a strong desire to get it right," said Michael Labrecque, Branch Manager, Waste Services. "The 25-year Waste Strategy and accompanying reports chart a clear path forward within a generation."

Below is a summary of what Edmontonians can expect to see debated at Utility Committee:

• 25-year Waste Strategy: Charts a broad course for managing waste and increasing diversion through a variety of actions aligned with a Zero Waste Framework, and ceasing commercial waste collection services.
• Single Unit Waste Set-Out Business Case: Recommends expanding a four-stream collection system (organics, seasonal yard waste, recycling and residual garbage) to all single-unit residences by the end of 2022. It also recommends a rate variability structure (in the range of $5-6 per month) based on the size of black cart selected (120L or 240L), and an Extra Waste Program, which will allow residents to occasionally set out excess waste for a fee.
• Waste Transition Plan: Provides a strategic overview for 2020-2022. The report outlines the priorities for short-term implementation plan of the 25-year Waste Strategy with a focus on waste diversion and reduction programs, citizen and community support, interim organics management, fiscal accountability and more.
• Waste Services Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment: Recommends that $51.5 million (which already exists in the Capital Budget) be added to the 2019-2022 Waste Services Capital Budget to fund the capital costs of implementing a Source Separated Organics Program, as detailed in the Waste Set-out Business Case.
• Bylaw 18590: Facilitates proposed program changes including the introduction of automated collection and required source separation of waste for residential households. A number of residents who live in multi-unit residences but receive curbside collection (about 27,000 households) will see their rate adjusted to reflect their service type.

To visit the reports, visit edmonton.ca/meetings (under August 29, 2019 - Special Utility Committee).

For more information: visit edmonton.ca/futureofwaste