Tell One Friend: Pack a Reusable Mug

Grabbing a coffee? Pack your reusable mug!

Edmontonians love a cup of coffee or tea on the go. It's warm and tasty on a chilly day. But all too often, that hot cup of deliciousness comes in a single-use, disposable cup.

How many times have you remembered to bring a mug with you for your morning coffee, or for that afternoon pick me up? Imagine the amount of disposable cups in the garbage every day if every Edmontonian bought a hot beverage.  Think about it; if you bought a beverage every day and left your mug at home each time, you would use at least 30 disposable cups per month.   That's a lot of cups!

5 tips to keep your beverage hot and be waste wise

1. Pack a reusable mug.
2. Ask your barista to use your mug when preparing your drink.
3. Help your barista by knowing how much liquid your mug holds.
4. Find coffee shops that offer a discount for reusable mugs.
5. Keep the coffee line moving. Be clear, polite, and have your payment ready.

Remember: A reusable coffee mug makes a great gift and keeps beverages hot for those coffee, tea, or hot chocolate lovers in your life.

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Tips for Changing Waste Behaviours

Make It Normal: Be a Role Model
Use your reusable mug. Others will notice and will encourage others to use their mug too.

Prompt a Friend
Ask questions like, "How will you remind yourself to pack a mug?" or "would you set a reminder on your phone to pack your mug?"

One Small Ask
Get their commitment with a small request, such as "Can I count on you to pack a mug in your car or bag?"

Prompt a Friend
"If you already have a mug in the car, will you take it into the coffee shop? Shops are happy to fill your mug instead of a disposable one. You can even use it for cold beverages."

Give Feedback
Acknowledge their effort and give encouragement, like "Oh, I love your reusable mug. Your one step helps the environment and cuts down on single-use items."

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Visit edmonton.ca/waste to learn What Goes Where

Litter Audit Reveals a Cleaner City

Citizens, community groups and businesses worked together throughout the past year to help make Edmonton cleaner this year. The results of Capital City Clean Up's 2017 Litter Audit show a continued trend towards less litter on Edmonton's streets.

"The results of this year's Litter Audit show big improvements in the amount of littler on Edmont's streets," said Don Belanger, manager of Capital City Clean Up. "This downward trend in littler is thanks to thousands of volunteers, many community groups and local businesses that continue to step up and get involved."

The audit was conducted by AET Group in June which examined litter type and size at 123 preselected locations across Edmonton as well as along Yellowhead Trail between 107 Street NW and the Beverly Bridge.

Highlights

Since last year:

• 35 per cent reduction in large litter
• 26 per cent reduction in small litter

Since 2009 when the audits began:

• 74 per cent reduction in large litter
• 59 per cent reduction in small litter

Along Yellowhead Trail:

• 50 per cent reduction in large litter from the last audit in 2014
• 19 per cent reduction in large litter from the baseline audit in 2010

Miscellaneous plastic and cigarette butts continue to account for the majority of large and small litter found. Although cigarette litter counts decreased, more work is still needed to address areas such as traffic intersections and locations where smokers congregate to smoke. Estimates show that more than 900 million cigarettes are smoked each year in Edmonton. More than 67 million butts are collected annually in the City of Edmonton's 719 outdoor ashtrays located in 13 commercial districts city wide.

Capital City Clean Up's 2018 litter management program will continue in the spring. It promotes a unified approach to keeping Edmonton clean by engaging volunteers, schools, community groups and local businesses.

Results of the litter audits since 2009 are available to the City of Edmonton's Open Data Portal.

Visit edmonton.ca/CapitalCityCleanUp

     

MORE Solar-Powered Waste Bins in Edmonton

The City introduced four new solar-powered waste bins, in September 2015.

Credit: Shaughn Butts,
Edmonton Journal (October, 2012)

About the size of a mailbox, these Bigbelly waste bins are an exciting addition to Edmonton streets. They:

• automatically compact waste inside
• send a message to Collections staff when full
• are self-powered by solar panel on top
• eliminate wind-blown litter
• have side panels for promotion

Five of these bins were unveiled in October, 2012, and have performed well.

The bins compact the waste inside. They can hold up to five times the waste of a standard litter basket. Then the bin send a message to staff when it is full. This means fewer vehicle trips to empty the bins AND avoids overflowing bins.

That works out to excellent savings over the bin's lifespan. These are a good solution for locations with lots of pedestrian traffic.

Bigbelly waste bins on Whyte Avenue. (September, 2015)

Check out this demo.
Note: Versions in Edmonton do not have cigarette containers.

Recycling Depots: No place for illegal dumping

They are often forgotten... probably because they are just so efficient.

Recycling Depots are a simple service that helps divert waste from landfill. Sadly, there are some troubles at our depots.

Simple and easy to use

There are 20 Recycling Depots across Edmonton. They are convenient locales to drop off paper and cardboard, plastic containers, aluminum cans, and glass bottles for recycling.

As the General Supervisor for Waste Drop-Off Services, Chris Fowler mentions that "Recycling depots provide an important service to the communities because residents and small businesses can drop their recyclable items 24 hours a day."

But Recycling Depots are not for dumping garbage. That's just plain illegal.

"We want to be able to trust people to use them properly and respect the bylaws so that we can maintain this convenient access," says Chris. "Recycling Depots are not designed to accept large items or household hazardous waste which can pose a risk for the staff and citizens who come in contact with it."

A sad example of illegal dumping at a Recycling Depot

Quick Facts

• Materials collected (2012): 7,094 tonnes
• Illegal materials (2013 thru July): 266 tonnes
• Common types of illegal dumping:
• reno materials
• fridges & stoves
• TVs & monitors
• bikes
• sofas & mattresses

Chris' staff visit each Recycling Depot on a regular basis. They tidy the site, ensure the right materials are in each bin, and remove items that should not be there. But dumping is a simple problem with a simple solution: don't.

The fine for illegal dumping is $250.

Items that cannot be sorted at a Recycling Depot should be taken to an Eco Station, a Big Bin Event, or the Edmonton Waste Management Centre. Visit edmonton.ca/waste for locations.

We need your help

Waste Management Services is working to reduce illegal dumping at Recycling Depots. The City will monitor depots and enforce bylaws.
If you see someone dumping at a Recycling Depot, please call 311 with details. If possible, note the date, time, location, and license plate of the vehicle.

Key Points

• It is illegal to leave garbage, non-recyclable materials, and large items at Recycling Depots.
• Recycling Depots are monitored for illegal dumping and offenders could receive a fine of $250.
• The City has 20 Recycling Depots where residents and small businesses can take recyclable items such as: paper, shredded paper, boxes, cardboard, all recyclable containers and cans, plastic bags, and used cotton and denim.
• Recycling Depots DO NOT accept furniture, tires, home renovation materials, mattresses, appliances, fridges and household hazardous waste.
• Take these item to an Eco Station, the Edmonton Waste Management Centre or a Big Bin Event.
• Residents and small businesses can drop off recyclable items 24-hours-a-day at Recycling Depots.
• To report illegal dumping, call 311 with the details.