Tell One Friend: Recycling Natural Holiday Trees

 8,570 trees, weighing more than 95 tonnes, were collected in 2020 for composting. Residents are asked to place their un-bagged, natural tree on its side and next to their garbage bags or carts by 7 a.m. on Monday January 11, 2021. Trees will be picked up until January 31, but not necessarily on your regular waste collection day. Please ensure the tree remains clear of snow and ice for ease of pick up.

For trees to be acceptable for composting, all ornaments, tinsel, garlands, nails, screws and
tree stands must be removed. Large trees should be cut into two-metre (6.5 foot) lengths.

Apartment and condo residents are asked to take their natural Christmas trees to a community Recycling Depot or an Eco Station for free until Saturday January 30, 2021. Trees should not be placed in or beside apartment recycling or waste bins. More information and guidance for artificial trees can be found here. 

Share Your Message Effectively

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

Model the Behaviour
Set out your natural Christmas tree by 7 a.m. on Monday, January 11, 2021, free of decorations and lights.  

Make it Normal
Would you set out your natural Christmas tree by 7 a.m. on Monday, January 11, 2020, ensuring that the tree free of decorations and lights for composting?

Give Positive Feedback
"Thanks for setting out your natural Christmas tree on time; free of decorations and ready for collection and compost by the City of Edmonton.”

Visit edmonton.ca/christmastrees

Previous Tell One Friend: Reduce Holiday Food Waste

Create Memories, Not Waste

The holidays are a time to reflect, celebrate and spread joy! This year will look a little bit different in that we are asked to keep social events small in light of COVID-19. Celebrating within your household can still be meaningful and waste conscious. Whatever holiday you choose to celebrate, consider:

• Food waste; plan meals, be thoughtful with leftovers, use what you have. 
  
• Environmentally friendly and reused wrapping paper.
• Choosing gift limits to decrease consumerism and package waste.
• Making gifts from household or nature. Some ideas for the whole family.
• Gifting safe experiences. Check out this local light display event from your vehicle! 
  
• Picking quality decorations that will last several seasons.
• Donating unwanted holiday items to a local charity.
• Gifting an annual subscription or membership to a streaming service.
• Recycling right-make sure you know what goes where.

Making memories like building gingerbread houses, going sledding, decorating cookies and making an event within your household about decorating are important joy spreading, low-waste activities to help celebrate the holidays.

Choosing to buy local is also an important measure in reducing waste. Many local businesses offer local curbside pick up or e-gift certificate options. While buying online from giant retailers is enticing, there are many waste costs from transportation to packaging.

Whatever holidays you celebrate this year, be safe, have fun and find joy in unexpected places while remembering to reduce waste.

Tell One Friend: Reduce Holiday Food Waste

On average, about a quarter of Edmonton’s garbage is food waste. This amount increases significantly around the holidays, according to City waste audits. With the expectation of smaller gatherings this year, planning holiday meals is important in order to reduce food waste and not to prepare and purchase in excess. Reducing food waste starts at home. By making small changes you can divert food waste from landfill.

• Don’t buy more food than you need; have a plan.
  
• Choose a local butcher or produce supplier to buy from, when possible.
• Finish leftovers.
• Donate unused products to the local food bank.
• Get creative with leftovers, store or freeze food correctly and planning out meals all help to prevent holiday food waste.

Tell One Friend: Use a Blue Bag (not a blue box)

The City of Edmonton has encouraged blue bags for picking up recycling at the curb for many years. This year, 2020, Bylaw 18590 requires Edmontonians to put recyclables in blue bags if they want these collected at their house. Do not put items in blue boxes because it won’t be picked up.

Did you know…

Edmonton has THREE systems for recyclable items:

1. Blue bags for curbside pick-up For single-unit residences, like houses, duplexes, and some townhomes.
2. Blue bins for multi-unit buildings. Like apartments and condos.
3. Community Recycling Depots for drop-off For all local residents and small businesses.

Why blue bags?

Curbside pick-up is the easiest disposal for Edmonton residents. Blue bags are VERY helpful and that’s why most Edmontonians already use them. Blue bags:

• Protect from rain and snow, keeping items dry.
• Protect from wind, preventing litter.
• Are easy to grab for customers and waste collectors.
• Hold a lot of recycling and keep it tidy.
• Keep waste collectors moving efficiently on their route.

What about little blue boxes? Are there other options?

Waste collectors will give notices to residents who are still using blue boxes. Later in fall, waste collectors will only pick up blue bags.

Edmontonians can still use one of the 19 Community Recycling Depots across the city. They are efficient, accessible and blue bags are optional.

Blue boxes were introduced thirty years ago and they’ve outlived their usefulness for holding recyclables. They make curbside pick-up slow and inefficient. Boxes also expose paper and cardboard to rain, snow and wind. This makes the material less recyclable and causes litter.

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Spread the Message

Try these tactics to encourage friends, family, neighbours and co-workers.

Model the Behaviour

Set out your recycling in a blue bag AND make your blue bag visible. OR Tell a friend or post on social media when you take items to a Recycling Depot.

One Small Ask

Would you try setting out your recycling in a blue bag for one month?

Give Timely Prompts

“You said that you’re ordering pizza. Don’t forget to recycle the boxes; just remove the chunks.”

 

Give Positive Feedback

"Thanks for using a blue bag to set out your recycling. Did you know that almost everyone already uses blue bags for recycling?”

 

More Info

Visit www.edmonton.ca/recycling

Previous Tell One Friend: Put Pizza Boxes in the Recycling

Tell One Friend: Put Pizza Boxes in the Recycling

 The City asks Edmontonians to put pizza boxes in recycling, as long as there is only a reasonable amount of grease or residue.

• Please remove the little plastic table.

• Please remove the wax or paper liner.

• Please remove bits of food and cheese.

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Spread the Message

Try these tactics to encourage friends, family, neighbours and co-workers.

One Small Ask

“Will you remove the paper and the chunks after our pizza? Then I will put it in the recycling.”

Give Timely Prompts

“You said that you’re ordering pizza. Don’t forget to recycle the boxes; just remove the chunks.”

 

Give Positive Feedback

"I heard you ordered pizza the other day. Thanks for recycling the boxes. How was the pizza?”

 

More Info

Visit www.edmonton.ca/recycling

Previous Tell One Friend: Eat Your Leftovers

Tell One Friend: Eat Your Leftovers

Leftover food is just as nutritious and delicious as when it was freshly made. Leftovers can even be prepared purposefully as part of your weekly meal plan.

• Consider how to make leftovers easy to find and to use. 
• Use transparent containers and label them. Keep a marker near the fridge.
• Putting leftovers in single meal-size containers makes them easy to pack for a meal on the go. 
• Dedicate meals throughout the week to leftovers. 
• Make other meals using leftover ingredients (e.g. roasted veggies or grilled chicken), such as soups, salads, casseroles, sandwiches and more!

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Spread the Message

Try these tactics to encourage friends, family, neighbours and co-workers.

Model the Behaviour

Share your eating leftovers plan with people you live with, friends, family and neighbours. Comment on the benefits of saving time, money and reducing food waste. 

One Small Ask

Would you commit to eating leftovers as part of your weekly meal plan?

Offer Timely Prompts

When talking to family, friends and neighbours about lawns or outdoor chores, mention how cutting grass can be more efficient. 

Give Positive Feedback

"I liked your social media post about eating your leftovers.”

Visit www.edmonton.ca/foodwaste

Previous Tell One Friend: Make it Safe to Reach Your Trash

Tell One Friend: Make it Safe to Reach your Trash

Waste collectors lift and toss thousands of tonnes of garbage, every day. Edmontonians can keep collectors safe and moving by making it easy to reach your trash.

 

• Place cans and bags as close to the street or alley as possible.
• Do NOT put cans or bags on top of or behind piles of dirt.
• Keep garbage stands open and accessible from the front.

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Spread the Message

Try these tactics to encourage friends, family, neighbours and co-workers.

Model the Behaviour

Put your own garbage cans and bags out early and properly. Your neighbours will follow your example.  

One Small Ask

“I’ll share this link with you about waste collection. Will you take just three minutes to check it out? I’ll send it now. It’s edmonton.ca/wastecollection”.

Offer Timely Prompts

When talking to family, friends and neighbours about lawns or outdoor chores, mention how cutting grass can be more efficient. 

Give Positive Feedback

"I like how your garbage stand is open from the front. That makes it easy, fast, and safe for our waste collector to pick up cans and bags." or "I saw that you put your garbage can next to the curb for our waste collector. That’s helpful."

Visit edmonton.ca/wastecollection

Previous Tell One Friend: Go Bagless to Reduce Yard Waste

Show your Appreciation to Waste Collectors

Residents are encouraged to continue to show their appreciation to front line workers, including tomorrow, June 16, on Waste Collector Appreciation Day. Throughout the pandemic, waste collectors have been lifting record breaking volumes of waste. On any given day, a waste collector lifts a few thousand bags of waste. In the midst of the pandemic, collectors were lifting even more waste set at the curb by residents due to regular spring clean up and additional clean up made by residents who were at home during the last few months.

For Waste Collector Appreciation day, and year round, the City is asking Edmontonians to further celebrate by encouraging residents to give the gift of safety to waste collectors:

• Go Bagless! Grass clippings are heavy. Take the bag off your lawn mower, raise the height of the blade, and leave your clippings on your lawn as you mow, plus compost or mulch yard waste. Your yard will thank you.
• Make sure all recycling and garbage is securely bagged, sharps are packaged properly in boxes and labelled, and branches are cut down to 4 feet long and are bundled. 
• Make sure your recycling and garbage is easily accessible. Move your vehicle off the street on collection day. If that’s not possible, keep your garbage, blue bags, and yard waste away from parked cars (two car lengths away) so collectors can easily see and access them.
• Maintain Alberta Health Services physical distancing protocols (two metres/6 feet). Wave hello from a distance.

 In the past few months, Collectors found thank you notes and pictures tied to garbage bags, chalk drawn signs on fences, and even little treats left by residents showing their appreciation. Every one of those notes and pictures are posted at the Kennedale collections facility where collectors are reminded daily of how much residents truly appreciate their work. 

Waste collectors are among the most visible employees from the Collections Services section in the Waste Services Branch, however the section also has many employees who all play a huge role in keeping our City clean. Multi-family collectors, bin maintenance staff, recycling depot attendants, litter collectors, Eco Station attendants and the office staff all play an essential role helping Waste Services get the job done, especially during these unprecedented times.

While June 16 is the day to show appreciation for waste collector front line employees, we would like to acknowledge all front line workers within the city who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic to deliver services for all Edmontonians. 

For more information:

Waste Collection

Tell One Friend: Go Bagless to Reduce Yard Waste

In the summer months, up to half of all the waste collected from households is grass. Going Bagless is the number one way Edmontonians can reduce their waste. 

Benefits of Going Bagless:

• Reduces the need to water your lawn.
• Reduces need to fertilize your lawn. 
• Saves time-no bagging and dragging grass.
• Can cut water use in half.
• Reduces CO2 emissions.
• Yields a lush, healthy lawn.
• Helps prevent thatch build up and disease. 

It's Easy:

• Mow high so that no more than 1/3 of the grass blade is removed.
• Mow often; every 4-5 days during heavy growth and once a week when growth is slower.
• Mow when the grass is dry to prevent clumping.
• Make sure your mower blade is sharp. 
• Sweep grass clippings that end up on the sidewalk back onto your lawn. 

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Share your Message Effectively

Try these strategies to help encourage your family, friends and co-workers to have healthy, environmentally conscious lawns.

Model the Behaviour

Go Bagless when cutting your own lawn. 

Make it Normal

Display a Go Bagless sign on your lawn if you have one and talk about it with friends, family and neighbours. 

Offer Timely Prompts

When talking to family, friends and neighbours about lawns or outdoor chores, mention how cutting grass can be more efficient. 

Give Positive Feedback

"Your lawn looks so healthy" or "Your go bagless efforts have reduced CO2 emissions".

Highlight the Benefits

When engaged in a conversation about going bagless, share the aforementioned benefits and be excited about your success when going bagless. 

Visit edmonton.ca/waste

Next Tell One Friend: Leave those Browns on the Ground

Tell One Friend: Leave those Browns on the Ground

Spring has sprung. The snow melts away to reveal leaves and dead grass on lawns and yards. Yes, some folks will gather up these dead and dry plants. These are good "browns" for home composting. But it's also okay to leave browns on the ground.

Leave it on the Lawn

Lawns and landscapes like a layer of mulch. Autumn leaves and dead grass are also a good source of carbon for the soil. These browns break down slowly over the entire growing season. They provide free food for your lawn while protecting soil from sun and wind.

Invite friends and neighbours to keep some leaves and dry grass on the lawn. Be thoughtful about it. Choose parts of the landscape to look trim and tidy, while leaving other parts more natural. Remember, Mother Nature isn't a clean freak.

Residents can also mow over dry leaves. This breaks up leaves into smaller bits for the mulch layer. A mulching mower is nice, but it's not needed.

Help keep grass and leaves out of landfills by leaving clippings and leaves on the lawn this spring and summer. Alternatively, you can compost these items at home. If you need to bag and remove grass, leaves and yard waste from your property, please drop them off at an Eco Station for free or set out in clear or coloured bags (not black, blue or paper). This will help staff at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre easily distinguish yard waste from garbage and send it for composting. 

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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 use leaves and dry grass on your landscape. Talk up the benefits to your soil and plant health.

Make it Normal
Post a photo of mulch on social media.

Offer Timely Prompts
While friends and neighbours are doing spring clean up, mention how Browns are a valuable for both lawn and landscape.

Give Positive Feedback
"Your natural lawn with your mulched browns looks great!"

Highlight the Benefits
Change the narrative. Aesthetically-pleasing lawns and plants are healthy and not necessarily perfect. Healthy, natural lawns and plants, nourished with compost, contribute to a healthy urban eco-system. Insects, birds and animals will thank you.

Visit edmonton.ca/compost

Previous Tell One Friend: Set Up an Eco Station Box

Tell One Friend: Set up an Eco Station Box

Spring is coming! Which means that spring cleaning is bound to take place in many households. Setting up a specific spot to collect Eco Station items is important. This will help keep batteries, light bulbs, paint, and e-waste out of the garbage and recycling.

Here's the secret: Make a space for that waste.

Collecting those common, everyday items is the first step. Set up a handy box for Eco Station items, in the house. Get everyone in the house to agree on an accessible spot. 

This also helps friends and neighbours make fewer trips to the Eco Station, with more items.

View a full list of acceptable items, locations and hours here. 
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Share Your Message Effectively
Try these tips to connect with friends, family, neighbours, and co-workers.

Model the Behaviour
Have your Eco Station box in a visible and accessible location for members of the household and for visitors to see.

Make it Normal
Make a social media post talking about how your household manages their waste. 

Offer Timely Prompts

"Will you set up an Eco Station box in your house?”

Give Positive Feedback
"Hey, I noticed that you have an Eco Station box in your garage. That's great.”

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Did You Know? Eco Stations take items for the Reuse Centre, too. Separate your Reuse Centre items and bring them to the attendants on site.

Visit edmonton.ca/ecostations
Previous Changing Waste Behaviour: How to Shift Social Norms

     

Changing Waste Behaviour: How to Shift Social Norms

Care.org perfectly outlines how to shift social norms. Changing waste behaviour is exactly that; changing the norms that society operates in. The best way to influence individuals and social norms is my by using multiple tactics.

You can read the original article here. Based on change.org's article, shifting social norms in terms of changing waste behaviour is outlined below.

1. Find early adopters; often, people are already living their lives in positive ways that support progressive change, such as waste reduction. Find them. 
2. Build support groups of early adopters. Use your MCR colleagues for support and encouragement. there's power in numbers. 
3. Use future-orientated positive messages: Help people imagine positive alternatives. Change is possible. 
4. 4. Open space for dialogue: get people talking to each other about new ideas. Challenge the implicit assumptions that everyone holds the same views, experiences and preferences.
5. Facilitate public debate: engage publicly with community members to debate in what is considered OK in the context.
6. Expect by-stander action: Move from envisioning possibilities of justice to action. this involves building community and accountability, so that people are willing to do more to reduce their waste, starting with one small ask or action.
7. Show examples of positive behaviour in public: Demonstrate that the positive shift we hope for already exists and that it's totally normal.
8. Map allies and ask for their support: Identify the resources and networks we need to support positive change for individuals, families and communities.

Source: Social Norms Change

 

Buy Nothing Project by MCR Tara P.

As an MCR, I am always interested in ways to reduce my footprint. This meant frequenting second hand shops, browsing and posting on buy/sell/swap sites, and often reluctantly venturing to Kijiji. While I felt good about not adding to the landfill, it often felt impersonal. When I donated an item to a second hand store, I didn’t know if someone would end up needing it. When I looked to Kijiji, the item was sometimes across the city and I never knew if the deal would fall through by the time I got there. There had to be a better way...

Then by happy accident, I discovered the Buy Nothing Project. Someone in a Facebook group was starting a Buy Nothing group for our area, and was looking for someone to help with administrating the group. I looked it up, and was excited to see that the Buy Nothing Project was exactly the forum I had in mind. It was something that would help people in our neighborhood not only share items and skills, but also help forge personal connections and friendships.

The Buy Nothing Project is an international organization focused on creating a “hyperlocal gift economy.” It provides resources and tools for local volunteers to start up their own Buy Nothing groups on Facebook. Here are the basics: 

• Membership is limited to those who live within the defined boundaries. This means that all members are your neighbours, not some random Internet strangers.
• Only posts with gifts, asks, or gratitude are allowed. The group is a positive space for sharing items and friendship, not a place for promoting a business or ranting.
•  Everything is given or received freely. No trading or selling.
• You can give your gifts to whomever you choose, for whatever reason. You might pick the person who you feel will get the most use out of it, or the person who posted the cutest pet photo, or the fourth person who requested it. You could pick a person who has given you something in the past, or a stranger so you can make a new connection.
• Community members' needs are met from within the community. There is no need to refer people to businesses or resources outside the community.

Our group is located in the Aspen Gardens, Greenfield and Duggan area. In one month we have accepted over 120 members! The group is active and growing, and we have already had some blossoming new friendships come out of shared items and experiences.

There are only six Buy Nothing groups in Edmonton. I think we need more, and MCRs are some of the best people to start them. 

What about it, fellow MCRs? Can we have a Buy Nothing Group in every Edmonton neighbourhood?

Check out www.buynothingproject.org for more information. This site has all the information you need about the organization, how to find a group, or how to start one for your own community.

Tara P. is an environmental microbiologist and a gardener, and am currently looking for ways to give back to my community. I like both learning and sharing my knowledge with others. Tara became an MCR in 2018. 

Tell One Friend: Unwanted Holiday Decorations and Trees

As part of reducing holiday waste, it is important to take responsible action for unwanted Christmas trees and decorations.

• Holiday lights that no longer work and anything with a cord or battery can be dropped off at an Eco Station.
• Artificial trees and decorations, in good condition can be donated to the Reuse Centre. If items are not in good condition, drop them off at an Eco Station free of charge.
• Set out your natural Christmas tree for collection (with ornaments, hardware and tree stands removed) beginning on January 9. Trees will be collected by the end of January. 
• Apartment and condo residents can take their natural trees to a community recycling depot or Eco Station, free of charge. 

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Share Your Message Effectively

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

Model the Behaviour

Show friends and family how you intend to reuse holiday decorations of dispose of unwanted ones; keeping usable items out of the landfill.

Make it Normal

Have conversations with friends,family, neighbours and co-workers about what can be done with unwanted holiday decorations. 

Offer Timely Prompts

Encourage friends and family by sharing your reuse and disposal tips for unwanted holiday decorations and trees.

Give Positive Feedback

"You're keeping usable holiday decorations out of the landfill and providing an item that someone else can reuse, nice work."

Visit edmonton.ca/wastelessholidays

Previous Holiday Waste Collection Changes