Reducing Holiday Food Waste by MCR Leah A.

With a few tweaks to your holiday habits, you can reduce the waste your house will produce; which will add up to savings in your wallet and less pressure on our waste system!It isn’t
just gift giving that puts financial pressure on us and environmental pressure on our world.
From Thanksgiving through to New Year's Eve, many parties and holidays increase the amount of food we buy, prepare, consume and, yes, waste.

https://wrwcanada.com/en/get-involved/resources/food-waste-themed-resources/food-waste-canada-facts

With health in mind, consider making fewer snacks for casual parties. Most of us don’t want
to eat dozens of high-fat, high-sugar tidbits but with so many tempting offerings, what are
we to do? Fruit and veggies fill us up better than other offerings, plus take less time and
money to offer! With one or two festive options mixed in, we can truly enjoy a small
indulgence. Leftover veggies can be tossed into the next meal’s salad or soup, and fruit is
easy to add to lunches!

For large festive meals, ask guests to bring containers for leftovers. At the end of the meal,
guests can pack up a lunch to go and you’ll have less food to try and fit into your fridge, and
fewer days of repeating meals.

For food scraps, consider composting on-site; edmonton.ca/composting has lots of information
about how you can compost in your home in any circumstance. You’ll make fantastic fertilizer
for your indoor plants or garden, and be helping to reduce your personal footprint.

Leah joined the MCR ranks in May of 2014. She believes that urban environments offer a real opportunity to make the world increasingly sustainable. Favoured topics include composting, urban design, and (now) minimalism.

Holiday Waste Collection Changes

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

There is no waste collection on Tuesday, December 25, 2018, and Tuesday, January 1, 2019. If your waste collection falls on these dates, your waste will be collected on Monday, December 24, 2018, and Monday, December 31, 2018, respectively.

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

The City encourages residents to make collection easier by cleaning 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 larger items at the Reuse Centre if they're still in good condition.

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

Visit edmonton.ca/WasteCollection
Visit edmonton.ca/WastelessHolidays for more tips to make yours a #WastelessHolidays!

Tell One Friend: Reduce Holiday Gift Wrap

'Tis the season to celebrate the holidays by enjoying delicious meals with friends and family and exchanging gifts.  Did you know that waste increases in Edmonton around this time of year?

One way to cut down on the amount of waste this holiday season is to choose to wrap gifts with reused or recyclable materials.  Did you know that most traditional gift wrap, bags and bows are not recyclable and end up in the landfill?

Why not choose to go with a greener gift wrap option, this year?

5 Creative Ways to Wrap Your Gifts

• Wrap gifts in fabric. A great option is to make the wrapping part of the gift by using tie headbands, bandanas, scarves, or for the fabric enthusiast in your life, a piece of their favourite designer fabric. Did you know that fabric wrapping is also known as the the Japanese art of Furoshiki?

• Reuse fabric bags. Some bedding sheets come in a fabric bag at the time of purchase. These bags are easy to re-use to wrap a gift, or two! They are especially handy to re-use by the recipient as well.  Kids can store their art supplies and toys in while on-the-go, or you can organize a suitcase while travelling. Tie the fabric bag’s drawstring in a bow, add a re-used card gift tag and voila!

• Reuse maps, newspaper and calendars. Since most people depend on electronic maps, such as GPS, for directions, paper maps are a great item to use as gift wrap! Ask your friends, family or your local buy sell group if anyone has any to spare. Calendars are also a great option. You can finish your wrapping with a decoration by cutting the paper into thin strips and curl with scissors.

• Use brown kraft/packing paper. Whenever a package arrives in the mail, keep the brown paper wrapping. Smooth it out and fold it for future use! This paper can be stamped, coloured or finished with natural twine or a small piece of a spruce tree for a classy looking wrapped gift.

• Reuse gift boxes, bags and bows. Have any leftover wrapping from gifts of years passed? Re-use the items for this year’s holiday season!

Challenge those who you exchange gifts with to use a more sustainable option this holiday season. Visit the Reuse Centre to find reuse items to wrap gifts in this holiday season. 

Share pictures and ideas of your gift wrapping. Email mcrp@edmonton.ca.  

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Visit edmonton.ca/WastelessHolidays for more tips. Happy #WastelessHolidays!

MCR Appreciation Party 2018

Thanks to all the MCRs and friends who came out on Sunday, November 25th. It was great to see old friends and connect with other MCRs. Everyone had a fun time.

Waste Services is looking for excellent new volunteers. Invite a friend to volunteer as a Master Composter Recycler. Visit edmonton.ca/mcrp

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