Tell One Friend: Try the WasteWise App

Try WasteWise on edmonton.ca/waste and then download the WasteWise App. The app answers easy questions about what waste goes where, when to set out waste, and more. WasteWise is available for FREE on Google Play, and Apple App Store. 

This one small ask can open the door to bigger behaviour changes down the road. The app is a great tool to help Edmontonains learn to sort their waste into the black cart and kitchen scrap carts effectively. Once residents begin sorting their kitchen scraps out of the garbage, the step towards home composting is much smaller. 

The WasteWise app can also help residents find out when their new carts arrive and the new collection schedule. Notifications can be set up online or through the app to remind residents when to set carts out for collection. 

As usual, it’s still an effective tool to use when it comes to sorting recycling and household hazardous waste if you don’t know where it goes! 

Share Your Message Effectively

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

Model the Behaviour

Tell a friend that you use the WasteWise App to remind you when collection day is.

Make it Normal
Talk about how whenever you don’t know where things go, use the app for help finding out what waste goes where.

Offer Timely Prompts

Have you checked when your new carts are coming and how your collection schedule changes?

Give Positive Feedback
Thanks for using the WasteWise App!

Visit www.edmonton.ca/wastewise

Previous How to Learn about the New Carts

Tell One Friend: Continue Spreading the Word About Carts

It's Almost March 2021 and The way Edmontonians sort and manage waste at home is changing come next month. Residents will use carts to sort and set out their waste. 

The Edmonton Cart Rollout is the first big step in the City of Edmonton's journey to accomplish overall waste reduction and 90 per cent waste diversion through a zero-waste framework.

Waste collection will change. The new service will consist of:

• A garbage cart that will be collected every two weeks.
• Food scraps (120L) cart that will be collected weekly in spring, summer and fall and every two weeks in the winter.
• Recycling collected weekly in blue bags (no volume limits).
• Two seasonal yard waste collections in spring and two in the fall (no volume limits).

Share Your Message Effectively

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

Model the Behaviour

Tell friends, family and neighbours how you visited www.edmonton.ca/waste.

Tell folks when you downloaded the WasteWise app.

Make it Normal
Talk about how you’re looking forward to the arrival of your cart.

Offer Timely Prompts

Did you know that starting in March of this year, carts will begin to arrive at homes in Edmonton  and garbage collection will start to change?

Give Positive Feedback
Thank you for checking out www.edmonton.ca/cartrollout to learn more about carts.

Visit edmonton.ca/cartrollout

Previous Tell One Friend: Recycle Natural Holiday Trees

Tell One Friend: Spread the Word About Carts

The way Edmontonians sort and manage waste at home is changing starting in March 2021. Residents will use carts to sort and set out their waste. 

The Edmonton Cart Rollout is the first big step in the City of Edmonton's journey to accomplish overall waste reduction and 90 per cent waste diversion through a zero-waste framework.

Waste collection will change. The new service will consist of:

• A garbage cart that will be collected every two weeks.
• Food scraps (120L) cart that will be collected weekly in spring, summer and fall and every two weeks in the winter.
• Recycling collected weekly in blue bags (no volume limits).
• Two seasonal yard waste collections in spring and two in the fall (no volume limits).

Share Your Message Effectively

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

Model the Behaviour

Tell friends, family and neighbours how you visited www.edmonton.ca/waste.

Tell folks when you downloaded the WasteWise app.

Make it Normal
Talk about how you’re looking forward to the arrival of your cart.

Offer Timely Prompts

Did you know that starting in March of this year, carts will begin to arrive at homes in Edmonton  and garbage collection will start to change?

Give Positive Feedback
Thank you for checking out www.edmonton.ca/cartrollout to learn more about carts.

Visit edmonton.ca/cartrollout

Previous Tell One Friend: Recycle Natural Holiday Trees

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: 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

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

     

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

 

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

  

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

  

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

  

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