Opt Out of CanPages

I noticed the CanPages in my mailbox today.

If you would rather not recieve them, opt out at http://corporate.canpages.ca/optout/

I'll be returning mine to their office next time I'm on the South Side.

Happy Waste Free Holidays!

Recycling

On Monday I had the opportunity to tour two industries in Edmonton that purchase and process some recyclables from our blue bags/blue bins. Thanks to Garry for organizing the trip!

The tour visited Allied Paper Savers and the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation Materials Recovery Facility(ABCRC MRF).

Allied Paper Savers purchases newspaper which is collected at Recycle Depots around the City. This newspaper is sorted and sold to CAN-CELL Industries Inc. to be turned into one of three products; Weathershield, Wallbar, and Fibremulch.

The ABCRC MRF receives refundable bottles collected from Bottle Depots in Edmonton and beyond. One interesting fact is that caps do not need to be removed from refundable containers taken to the bottle depots, however residents are still encouraged to remove caps for collection with Caps Off Program. Proceeds of the program go to the Rainbow Society of Alberta. This facility was beautiful to explore with large cubes of compacted milk cartons, plastic bottles, and aluminum drink cans stacked around the warehouse.

Sharing the Good News

On Thursday, November 17, 2011, the Master Composter/Recycler Volunteer Program team (Karen LC, Mark SA, Laura H, and Patty S) were one of the five winners of the City Manager's Awards of Excellence.There was a video clip featuring each of the top three nominees in each of the 5 categories: advancing corporate culture, leadership, innovation, customer service, and stewardship before the winner was announced.

We were the last group featured --and we were the "lucky" ones selected to win the stewardship award.

The award itself is quite beautiful --handblown glass by a local artist and looks like a water droplet. This will help remind us that this recognition belongs to all of you volunteers whose environmental actions are like drops of water making ripples in a pond. Thanks for all your support, and congratulations to all of us!

How About Spending the Night at L'uni Theatre?

L'Uni Théâtre has kindly donated two ticket to the opening night performance of Grace and Gloria.

DO YOU WANT THEM?

Email MCRP(at)Edmonton(dot)ca with L'Uni s'il vous plaîs! in the subject line, and they may be yours. We will put all the replies into a hat and draw the lucky winner on Monday.

You can send us one email per day!

Check their website for more!

Two women clash and find comfort at pivotal points in their lives in the heartwarming drama Grace et Gloria (Grace and Gloria) by Tom Ziegler, translated by Michel Tremblay. This collision of down-home values and contemporary norms between two women seeking balance in their lives launches L'UniThéâtre’s 19th season and runs Nov 17-20 and Nov. 24-27 at La Cité francophone (8627-91st St.).

With glowing accolades, such as the New York Times review declaring the show a “sentimental odd-couple crowd pleaser,” and the Toronto Star’s assessment as “a wry take on that well-worn battle between common sense and education,” Grace et Gloria is a bittersweet drama that aims to take comfort in unusual circumstances. Grace has just been released from hospital, sent home to die of cancer while real estate developers bulldoze her property. Gloria is a Harvard-educated business- woman whose participation in the New York rat race was sidelined due to her son’s death and finds herself as Grace’s caregiver. Given their different backgrounds, the two find solace in sorting through their emotional baggage, tackling such issues as religion, child-rearing, death and ultimately, love.

Grace et Gloria (Grace and Gloria) by Tom Ziegler, translated by Michel Tremblay is directed by Daniel Cournoyer and stars Thérèse Dallaire and Kristi Hansen. Technical direction by Erik Martin, assisted by Julie Becquart, costumes, set and lighting by Guido Tondino and Victoria Zimski, stage production by Pat Eyford, soundscapes by Jason Kodie.

Waste Management Services 2012 Budget Update

Last week, Waste Management Services’ 2012 budget was presented to the Utilities Committee requesting a fee increase of $1.86/month for single family and $1.21/month for multi-family households. City Council will make a final decision in December.

Here’s an explanation of the increase that volunteers can use to answer questions:

Why the Increase in Budget?
Why are you requesting a fee increase of 5.9%? (from $31.34 to $33.20 for single family and from $20.37 to $21.58 for multi-family)
Of the $1.86 per month increase (for single family homes), 38 cents is for the services provided directly to residents (collection services and operations at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre). The remainder is for non-operational increases, such as financing costs and corporate administration costs.
The waste fee supports garbage and recycling collection, Eco Stations, Big Bin events, recycling depots, all the environmentally responsible processing operations at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre, and landfill disposal.

Edmonton is going through a major transition in its waste system, from landfilling waste to processing waste and keeping waste out of landfill. This new system positions us as world leaders for its environmental sustainability. By 2015, we expect to be diverting 90% of residential waste from landfill.