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Talking To Edmonton About Single-Use Items

Single-use items. This is an issue that Waste Free Edmonton has been working on since our inception. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons our founders started the non-profit organization. We have come so far in the past 4 years. It makes sense to celebrate the wins as we get them.

Celebrating wins also entails explaining them to folks in our lives who don’t have the same level of knowledge about climate change and climate actions. The vast majority of Canadians are worried about the effects of climate change, but only half of us self-report understanding of climate change, and what needs to be done to combat it (Source).

If you are reading this, we can assume that you are interested in waste and climate change. And we assume that you talk to your friends and family about those topics. We know that it can be difficult having those conversations, especially with folks who don’t have the same level of knowledge as you. We hope this short guide helps you discuss our latest local climate win: the Plan to Reduce Single-use Items and its bylaw.

Leave Space

Nobody wants to hear a lecture, unless they are paying to go to school! Come informed and ready to listen. This looks like leaving space for the other person to talk and ask questions. And make sure that you are asking questions to understand and clarify, not to respond. And especially not to denigrate their knowledge.

That being said, it’s critically important to discourage climate change denial, fossil fuel company talking points, and racism, which can often come up when discussing current (and historic) climate actions. These are healthy boundaries to set and reinforce. You might not change anyone’s mind, but you can get them thinking about single-use items and the impact they have.

Speak from personal experience

Yes, it’s important to get your facts in about the single-use item plan, but it will be more meaningful – and memorable – if you speak about your personal experience. For example, tell your friend what you are excited about, or nervous about in the new plan. Explain to your Dad how you think this plan will impact your daily life and a trick you’ll use to remember to bring your reusables from home. Share with coworkers why you believe we need a single-use item plan and what this will mean for your weekly team lunch. Connecting the single-use item plan to your daily life will encourage your friends and family to do the same. Chatting in this way allows everyone to explore how the plan will impact them, their community, or their local business, and encourages people to get ready for the bylaw to take effect. And in a larger sense, this gets everyone to start evaluating the impact their actions have on waste in our community.

Since you’re keeping it personal, don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” in response to a question or comment. Remember that you can always refer back to the City’s resources and encourage your friend to email their Councillor directly with questions.

Keep a cool head

Encouraging your friends and family to get curious about how this bylaw might affect them might bring out some strong feelings. Remember, this isn’t your plan so try not to take feedback personally. Recommend they reach out to their Councillor and Mayor if they have tough questions or comments. And if you come up against denialism, politely explain that you are not debating the proven existence of climate change.

Follow Up!

Once it’s had a few days to sink in, follow up after your conversation. Ask if they had any further questions or comments, and list any that you thought of. Send them an email including the link to the plan and a list of emails for City Councillors. Think of your own waste free journey. It probably took awhile for you to learn about waste reduction, and how to translate your knowledge into action. Patience and many conversations within our community are the keys to the success of Edmonton’s single-use item bylaw.

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