The holiday season is almost upon us! Black Friday has recently been extended over the entire weekend, with some companies hosting sales throughout the month of November. To help you combat the temptations to your willpower, here are Five Waste Free Gift Ideas for the holidays.
Experience Gifts. These are becoming extremely popular these days, especially for kids who seem to already “have it all”. The sky’s the limit with an experience gift, and there are a lot of opportunities to get creative and meaningful. Think tickets to a show, passes to a seasonal festival, or gift cards to a museum or gallery.
Make something useful or consumable. If you know the person fairly well, food is a great idea! Some fun options include: your favourite spice mix, cookies or squares to have on hand for holiday parties, or freezer meals for the busy parent. And if food is too complicated, try sewing a reusable bag or set of napkins, crafting a candle out of a reused container, or building something in your workshop.
Buy something second-hand or thrifted. Perhaps you know that your friend has had their eye on a pressure cooker, and you see one at the local thrift store for a steal of a deal. Or your Mom’s collection of ugly Christmas sweaters can grow by one more thanks to a stop at a local consignment store. For this one, it’s definitely the thought that counts most.
Donate to a charity that aligns with your friend’s values. Or better yet, make an experience gift out of it and volunteer your time with your friend at a local charity or non-profit. The charity might even have a promotional image you can email to share the gift.
The best rule of thumb when making your shopping list is to check it twice, and don’t buy things for people that they don’t want (or need). It can be easy to fall into the trap of consumerism this time of year, buying things because it’s what everyone else is doing. But most people would agree that they would rather have the gift of your presence and attention, over another shiny bauble.
“Climate change is not the problem. Climate change is the most horrible symptom of an economic system that has been built for a few to extract every precious ounce of value out of this planet and its people, from our natural resources to the fruits of our human labour. This system has created this crisis.”
Colette Pichon Battle. “An Offering the From the Bayou.” All We Can Save: Truth Courage And Solutions For The Climate Crisis. Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine K. Wilkinson.
Waste Reduction Week Canada has extended from one week in October to the entire month, with a dedicated focus on the circular economy. The concept of a circular economy has been around for over 10 years, but the vocabulary is just starting to make its way into the general public. There are many governments and businesses advocating for a turn to the circular economy. But there are also many climate justice workers and academics that are sounding the alarm about the pitfalls and problems associated with it. In this article we will define the circular economy and then explore some of its benefits, barriers to implementation, and problems identified with it. Then list some actions you can take in your communities to help work toward a just transition.
Even if you have never heard the term “circular economy”, you can probably start to imagine a basic definition, especially when applied to the climate crisis. As defined by Waste Reduction Week Canada, circularity “incorporates better design that consumes less raw material during production, maximizes value during use, and improves products and services that are intended to eliminate wastes.” (Source) At its core, the circular economy is an economic framework that is meant to be overlaid with our current economic system. It replaces the linear model of product generation which creates products that have a limited lifespan before becoming waste. Recognizing that there are limited resources on our planet, a circular economy attempts to make the best use of those resources, while positively impacting business growth. It aims to do so with a focus placed on sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products. (Source)
In a circular economy more attention is paid to everything that goes into the cycle (like materials and energy), to ensure that as little as possible comes out as waste. As advertised, some of its benefits would include:
Manufactured items will last longer
Eliminating planned obsolescence
Prioritizing access over ownership
Creating items that are easier to repair
Less greenhouse gas production and less waste in general
Of course this is only a short list, and there are as many advertised benefits as there are cities and companies working toward full implementation of a circular economy! As with any economic based solution to humanity’s current crisis, there are also strong voices addressing the barriers and speaking out against the implementation of a circular economy as it is currently defined.
Libraries and book exchanges are familiar examples of circular economies.
CRITICISMS OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
As politicians, business, and researchers advocate for moving to a circular economy, there are other voices engaging in critical discourse around these purported benefits. Concerns raised include barriers to a full implementation of a circular economy, missed opportunities, and holes that could prevent us from reaching our full potential as humans and not just as consumers.
A core building block of the CE is the recyclability and reuse of products and materials. Unfortunately, some recycled materials degrade faster the more times they are recycled and many hazardous materials cannot be safely recycled or reused at all. (Source) How can we balance our goals of sustainability with the reality of the products we rely on to achieve those goals?
Reuse and recycle is a subject that is easy to simplify for regular folks to understand, while remaining complex at its root. The same can be said for jobs. We hear news everyday about job losses and gains, and we have seen first hand during the pandemic how unstable many of our traditional jobs are. The reason for job losses is always blamed on “the economy”. But how can we use a new economic framework to ensure that we have quality, local jobs. The circular economy does mention job creation, but unfortunately fails to demand good jobs, or mandate that they be created locally using culturally appropriate technologies (Source). In fact, there are many opportunities for job creation while transitioning to a circular economy. Much of the technology and infrastructure we will require to recycle and repurpose materials has not reached the scale demanded of the speed we must be moving to reach our climate goals. The current lack of infrastructure in many communities poses a problem to full implementation of a circular economy (source), but offers great opportunities to create long-term, good, local jobs. This must be addressed head on when building out the circular economy standards. In fact, there is not yet any international recognized standardisation with regards to circularity performance (source), another point made by critics.
These standards must include social justice and social equity, and the writing on circular economy implementation does not reflect that. In fact, many examples of the ways governments can enact a circular economy do not mention social equity or social justice at all. They are primarily focused on environmental and business outcomes. If we want there to be social equity in our new economic system we must name it, and demand it. We cannot assume that it will just materialize while we work on our waste reduction goals. Failing this, we will continue to see “abuses of power, unhealthy or unfair labour and living conditions or a disrespect of human rights” (Source)
Doughnut Economics offers an alternative to a circular economy that has those social factors built directly into the framework. Where the circular economy focused on the lifecycle of products, Kate Rawroth’s playful Doughnut directly names social and planetary boundaries, and “acts as a compass for human progress this century”. (Source) This framework is already in play in many municipalities around the world to the great benefit of those citizens and residents.
While there are many concerns to implementing a circular economy worldwide – or even in our communities – there are many benefits offered as well. Currently, the circular economy offers an interesting framework for improving environmental and business sustainability, but lacks strength in the social field. If governments around the world continue to push for a circular economy, we will need to overcome the barriers to implementation, balance the environmental and business objectives, and more clearly define the social demands. And prioritize those. There are sustainable solutions offered within other frameworks – like the Doughnut Economy – and many researchers working on balancing the circular economy. While we work toward reducing humanity’s negative impact toward our continued survival, we will need to take advantage of all the tools available. Perhaps the final solution will involve the great parts of the circular economy working alongside other ideas. And will facilitate all of humanity working together to ensure we achieve sustainable – and equitable – futures for everyone.
Thrifting is a great example or circularity – does the world need more spoons?
TAKE ACTION
Here at Waste Free Edmonton, we have focused our attention on local waste reduction efforts. And lately, the City of Edmonton has taken some steps toward implementing a circular economy (Single Use Item Bylaw). Here are some actions you can take at home and as a citizen, keeping in mind that choices aren’t easy to make for some families. The symptoms of climate change cannot be fixed on the individual level, which is why we need systems change to make sure everyone has equal access to those choices.
SHARE this pdf explaining Edmonton’s Single Use Item Bylaw with friends, family and coworkers in Edmonton. Discuss why you are excited about the bylaw, and which aspects might be difficult for others in our community.
SEND an email to your Member of Parliament sharing why you are in favour of going beyond a “plastics ban” and implementing a nation wide single use item ban.
ASK your manager what your company is doing to eliminate waste throughout all internal processes. (Or maybe you are the decision maker and can address this directly!)
BORROW a tool the next time you need one from the Edmonton Tool Library, buy a refurbished phone, or check out the Reuse Centre for craft or party supplies.
SIGN this petition hosted by Open Media to demand the federal government stop stalling on broad Right to Repair legislation.
If you have any ideas for our readers on other actions they can take at home or in their communities, please leave them in the Comments!
FURTHER READING AND RESOURCES
This article is only the tip of the (melting) iceberg. We encourage you to do more reading and discovery about the circular economy. And then share and discuss that information within your community. Here are some links we found useful while preparing this article.
“Every single-use item, regardless of what it is made of, carries an environmental cost.” (Source). According to the City itself, this is one of the main reasons they are not specifically singling out plastics in the SUI bylaw. Simply replacing plastic with other items – such as paper, bamboo, or metal – ignores the very serious amount of waste generated in our city every year. According to the City’s estimates, Edmontonians throw out 450 million single use items every year (Source). By expanding the scope of the bylaw beyond plastics, we also have the opportunity to expand the creative long-term solutions.
It is understandable why folks have questions about including non-plastic items, or are skeptical about the ability of a bylaw such as this to table our waste problem. Business owners are concerned about their bottom line, their employees safety, and their customers’ satisfaction. City dwellers wonder how this will impact their trips to the grocery store, meeting friends for lunch, and their already tight monthly budget. Single-use plastic is something many of us recognize and understand already, but adding in all single-use items can feel overwhelming. Looking at the big picture – why the City is pursuing this – can help place ourselves within that big picture. And help us work on pursuing those goals as a community.
The City of Edmonton offers three reasons it is moving beyond plastics: (Source)
Greenhouse gas emissions throughout the items’ lifecycles
Landfill space
Degrading natural habitat if these items become litter
By looking at the larger impacts of single-use items on the climate crisis, and how the City fits into the global system as a whole, they could easily add the following:
Garbage is garbage, no matter the material
Waste of resources
Help to create a circular economy
Let’s examine each in turn, and explore not only the importance of a more holistic approach, but the positive opportunities offered thanks to these efforts.
Most folks understand that we live on a finite planet, with finite resources. But it is perhaps less common knowledge that we can put a number on that. Humans use 73% more resources per year than the Earth produces. (source) The way our modern lives have been structured often favour ease over consideration. All single-use items carry an energy price tag. This includes greenhouse gas emissions, which often show up throughout their life cycles. In order to cut out those greenhouse gases, or at least dramatically reduce them, we must make (and be offered) better choices.
Take reusables for example. These single-use item stand-ins still take resources to produce and distribute, but they are designed to have a longer life span. And many are also designed to be easier to recycle or repurpose as well, a metal or glass food container for example. Single-use item bylaws can encourage swaps to those items, and if the restrictions are limited to plastic only, a lot of innovative products – and waste reduction – would be missed.
If we look at all single-use items as a waste of resources, a holistic bylaw encourages use of our finite resources in a way that best serves everyone in the long-run.
While looking at these items as a waste of resources, we must also zoom out and consider our land a resource as well. Landfill space is at a premium. (read more on that here) An item that is designed to be, or at least perceived to be used only once (regardless of the material), automatically takes up this valuable space as soon as it is produced. Replacing plastic waste with bamboo, paper, or bio-plastics without addressing the single-use aspect of those items ignores this reality.
When it comes to taking up space in a landfill or degrading natural habits as litter, all single-use items are created equal. We often hear that plastic is “bad” and are encouraged to focus our attention on reducing plastic waste to the exclusion of other waste. It gets the most press! While this is absolutely true, plastic is also a really useful material. It’s when we treat it as “cheap” and disposable that we run into trouble.
Many companies have been replacing their unrecyclable, non-reusable to-go containers with other materials, and there is merit to this. This represents only some of the amazing creativity being used to build smarter SUI in terms of materials, energy usage, means of production, local sourcing, etc. We need that creativity, especially as it offers opportunities for wider solutions, and used in concert with a SUI Bylaw, it can have a huge impact. A bylaw targeting all SUI encourages consumers and producers of these items to refocus on mindset toward what we need, and what we will actually use. It can empower us to say “no” and gives consumers and businesses a chance to examine their “garbage shadow”. (Click here for info on a climate shadow).
So we have finite resources, plus we’re using up those precious resources to make and store more garbage. An obvious solution is at hand: the circular economy! A Circular Economy is a systems solution framework that looks to eliminate waste, circulate materials, and regenerate nature. A Circular Economy must look at all areas of output and input, not only plastic. Will Edmonton be creating a Circular Economy with this bylaw? No. But it is taking an important step in this direction and helping to ensure we are more climate resilient in the process.
TAKE ACTION
It can be difficult to know the challenges folks might face once this bylaw comes into effect. But we can try to anticipate some common ones, and make plans today to ensure success in our communities.
Talk about the bylaw with friends, family, and neighbours. The City of Edmonton has created a single page PDF that has a lot of easy to digest information packed into it. Share this, but also share your personal hopes about the bylaw and also what has you worried. “Talking about climate change is the best way to combat it.” (Katherine Hayhoe)
Evaluate where your family unit might struggle with the new bylaw, and start preparing now. For example, by purchasing reusables now as you can afford them and leaving them in the spaces where they will get used most (the trunk of your car, your bicycle basket, etc.).
Maybe you are an entrepreneur who sees the vast opportunities with this type of holistic bylaw targeting our single use waste. There are many places in the world that offer reusable programs at restaurants (in Victoria, B.C. for example) or coffee shops. Imagine the possibilities in Edmonton and start planning!
Put simply, food waste is any part of food that is not eaten. Food waste occurs throughout our food system, all the way from production, to transportation, to retail, and through to individual consumer’s fridges and pantries. As consumers we would recognize it most as food we throw away after we purchase it. Common food waste in the home includes:
Food that spoils before we eat it
Food scraps that we cannot use or choose not to use
Overportioned cooked food (aka “leftovers”) that isn’t eaten
As food waste happens at every stage of our food system, it should be addressed from a systemic lens, especially due to the problems it causes in relation to the climate crisis.
Why is food waste a problem?
When we consider the climate crisis, food waste is a substantial barrier to our goals to reduce our global carbon footprint. According to Project Drawdown, “one third of the food raised or prepared does not make it from farm or factory to fork” (Project Drawdown). Canada also bears responsibility for our current food waste problem – food waste costs the Canadian economy up to $100 billion dollars annually (NZWC) and the average Edmontonian’s garbage contains 22-26% food waste as of 2016 (City of Edmonton) (this stat is pre-wastecart system).
Let’s examine five problems associated with food waste:
Greenhouse Gases
Organic matter that ends up in a landfill produces methane gas. This is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, but is 21 to 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide (Change for Climate).
Monetary Cost
Consider food waste as throwing away money, and costs the average family of four approximately $1,760 annually (Change for Climate). All of the food waste that ends up in a municipality’s waste stream requires resources in staffing, facilities, transportation, etc. to dispose or divert it. This cost is passed on to utilities and then down to the citizens via taxes.
Land space
Growing food takes up a lot of land space, livestock even more so than plant-based food – up to eight times more! Landfills and other waste diversion facilities also occupy a lot of land, and are often located in marginalized or racialized communities.
It’s in the name! Food waste is ultimately a waste of resources. Many of those resources are scarce already, or could be used in a more positive and effective way. This includes water for irrigation (New Food Magazine), and fossil fuels for production and distribution. As we transition away from fossil fuels and work to conserve our water, we need think hard about using our resources more efficiently.
Hunger and food insecurity
4.4 million people in Canada are food insecure (Zero Food Waste). There is no logical reason for anyone to go hungry while so much food waste exists. Many food banks or mutual aid groups already exist to divert that food which would otherwise be wasted. Setting these up on a larger scale could make a huge difference to our carbon footprint, and more importantly, to people’s lives.
Food waste is a problem because the monetary cost, carbon cost, and human cost of those resources is so high. Eliminating food waste throughout the food system is a large undertaking and will take concerted efforts by all levels of government, businesses, and community groups. But the positives would be well worth the effort. Thankfully, Edmonton and many of the surrounding municipalities have already taken a big step toward diverting food waste by introducing a cart-based waste collection system.
Even more relevant to you, reader, is that food waste can easily be prevented by individuals and households by taking a few simple steps.
How can I prevent food waste in my home and community?
In high income countries, the majority of food waste happens at the retail and household level (Drawdown). Therefore, eliminating or slowing food waste in our homes is one of the easiest actions we can take to reduce our individual emissions and act against climate change. They may seem small, but small actions add up to big changes!
Here are EIGHT ways you can take to tackle food waste in your home and community:
Low effort:
Learn how to store your food properly to keep it fresh longer (Love Food Hate Waste)
Use the Flashfood app to help prevent food waste in your local grocery store
Donate to local food banks or organizations working toward food security (ex: Leftovers Foundation)
Mid effort:
Meal plan and make grocery lists to ensure you only buy what you know you will eat
Move towards a more plant-based diet
Save your food scraps and make DIY veggie broth
Most effort:
Set up a Little Free Pantry in your yard or community space
Volunteer at your local food bank or shelter; they divert a lot of food from grocery stores and retail stores and instead use it to help our city’s vulnerable folks (note: many food bank and community organizations have paused their volunteer opportunities due to covid-19 restrictions)
Build a backyard composter (note, composting should be used as a last resort. We know wasted food happens, and this is the next best thing to using your food.)
Our team at Wine & Waste recently watched – and discussed – The Minimalists movie with our Waste Free YEG community. Minimalism can be a controversial and complicated subject, but it also has a strong connection with the “zero waste” movement. It is important to understand the origins of minimalism, how it links to the zero waste movement, and how it is practiced – and celebrated – differently depending on your race and economic status. Minimalism and zero waste lifestyles can’t exist without community, and sharing the knowledge each of us has will help everyone deepen our understanding.
To note: In this article we use the terms zero waste, waste free, low waste, and climate movement somewhat interchangeably. Currently it is impossible for folks living in our society to be fully zero waste, so these terms are meant to stand in for multiple points on the spectrum of waste reduction (personal) and climate action (systemic).
Minimalism started as a trend in art and music in the post-war period (OED). It was later adopted by interior designers to affect a certain monochromatic aesthetic. It has more recently evolved into the association with low waste lifestyles that we might be more familiar with, while often still maintaining an association with aesthetics.
MINIMALISM AND WASTE FREE
Here are a few basic similarities between minimalism and a zero waste lifestyle:
Buy less
Buy better quality items so they last longer
Use what you already have
Can become “buzz words” used by people looking to sell things
Some people might consider minimalism a gateway to a low waste lifestyle, especially for folks who don’t know much about the climate movement – or don’t know where to start – but follow mainstream minimalists. Minimalism advocates for buying less, which directly ties into zero waste, as often buying fewer items means we are throwing away fewer items as well. And if you’re buying fewer things, you tend to be more mindful of those purchases, often doing more research about longevity, origin, and cost (both monetary and environmental).
At the most basic level, minimalism (the lifestyle) is focused on having and consuming less. Which aligns with the zero waste movement, where the ultimate goal is to discard less things. At its simplest, if you purchase less you will discard less. Many zero waste folks find success with minimalism as well, because it can help direct and inform low waste habits. But our actions often have broader implications that are unfortunately not that simple.
Zero Waste Home has been a valuable primer for many people discovering waste free living.
THE PROBLEMS WITH MINIMALISM
Some of the main problems with minimalism are shared with the zero waste lifestyle promoted by social media influencers and lifestyle bloggers, and backed up by business interests. Is it still minimalism if a new product is heavily advertised and rushed to market every season? There is a lot of upfront investment advised to get the “right” things to do it properly. And there is a certain display of privilege inherent in the free choice to reduce or restrict your consumption of items. Or make what is often a more expensive “low waste”, or more environmentally friendly choice. And the conversations accompanying many of these public-facing minimalism journeys do not often focus on the low waste angle, or address consuming only what you need. They often focus on self-help, superficial aesthetics, or a combination of both.
Minimalism “encourages us to get rid of things for the sake of getting rid of them under the guise of ‘making space’ in our lives”. This often looks like trips to the local second hand store with boxes filled with donations, or extra garbage bags out at the curb. And then (often) back to the store to purchase matching glass jars, matching white baskets, with the aesthetic potentially becoming more important than the reducing and reusing. In the end, this is at odds with our understanding – and best practices – of zero waste.
If we drill down to the root of the concept, minimalism and zero waste are both advocating for less stuff. We should be able to stop worrying so much about what our belongings look like and think more about the purpose they serve.
There is a more insidious concern around both the minimalism and zero waste movements, which can be easy to spot when scrolling through the relevant hashtags on social media. The people in these photos are often very white and very economically privileged. And many of the “new” eco-friendly habits espoused by minimalists have been co-opted from the same or similar habits that Black, brown, latinx, and economically disadvantaged folks from all ethnic backgrounds have been doing for centuries, but were treated with condescension because of their association with these groups. When associated with white privilege, these habits are given a trendy “respectability” that was never afforded to the people who followed them out both of necessity and a deep connection to the environment.
That’s not to say that many white folks aren’t doing great things for the environment using the principles of minimalism and zero waste. But it is important to support and share the work of people of colour (POC) living and teaching these principles.
TAKE ACTION
No matter where you are at in your waste reduction or minimalism journey, there is always more to learn!
Here are some other ways you can take action depending on your ability and access.
LOW EFFORT
“Diversify your feed”. Find and support POC zero waste or minimalist advocates (share their work, pay for their work). Here’s a great list to get you started.
MID EFFORT
Before you purchase a new gadget for your life, see if you can borrow the item from a friend, family, or local Tool Library. Set yourself a time frame – 24 hours, one week – where you will wait to purchase that new item. And once that time frame has passed, re-evaluate if you truly need to purchase it.
MAX EFFORT
Set up a “no buy week/month” for yourself or your household. This one takes the most privilege and planning, so set yourselves boundaries and “rules” that fit within your budget, and make sense for your needs.
What are some ways you have combined ZERO WASTE and MINIMALISM in your life? Share in the comments!
Holidays often mean an influx of new gadgets and technology into our homes. But what does that mean for the old, broken and unwanted items?
Unfortunately, many of those items will end up either in a junk drawer, or the landfill, which is problematic for a few reasons that we will explore below. This action – or inaction – often stems from a lack of knowledge and awareness about “e-waste”. Like many environmental issues, the concerns around e-waste – what it is, why it is a problem, and what to do about it – can get complicated. Let’s dive into these three areas today to help you make sense of it, and take action to reduce its impact in our communities.
WHAT IS E-WASTE AND WHY DOES IT EXIST?
E-waste is a broad category. Simply put, it is any item that can be plugged in or has a battery that has reached the end of its life by losing its value to the user or because it no longer functions to its original specification. Even more simply put, it’s broken or unwanted tech that we want to dispose of. Considering the speed at which tech companies release new products and the societal pressure to own the newest and best, it is the fastest growing waste stream (EWaste Monitor).
Much of the current e-waste exists because producers have made it impossible to repair these items. Many consumer advocacy groups have written about the concept of “planned obsolescence”. While we cannot be 100% sure this is taking place, the evidence continues to show that the lifespan of electronic goods is becoming shorter. (Consumers International). Adding to our inability to repair broken tech, traditionally, there is a very low percentage of e-waste that is recycled – about 17.4% globally (CBC News).
The Edmonton Waste Management Centre has a separate facility for electronic waste. (Source: City of Edmonton)
WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
Similar to paper and plastic, much of our e-waste is recyclable. Reusing components can reduce manufacturing costs and prevent the need to obtain new resources. We also save landfill space when those items are diverted to recyclers, or for reuse. Canada alone generated 638,300 tonnes of electronic waste in 2017 (CBC News), and even if only a portion of this is diverted, it can clearly have a substantial impact.
Like with any system that impacts our environment, there are some mild to extreme negative consequences when we fail to take action.
E-waste is a health hazard, as many of those electronics contain toxic substances such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and more (City of Edmonton). When dumped into a landfill, these toxins can leach into the ground and contaminate our water supply, among other things. Unfortunately, even when we send our broken or unwanted electronics in for recycling, these toxic chemicals can have a devastating impact on other communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
In most industrialized countries (including Canada), it is illegal to send e-waste to “developing nations”, but some private recycling companies continue this practice (CBC News). And in the United States, there are no such regulations for export, which is why we continue to see electronic dumps across West Africa, India, and China. While many of these places have vibrant communities (Welcome to Sodom), they are also dealing with high rates of cancer and no occupational regulations to protect them or their families (PBS.com). And any items that are not profitable to recycle are still dumped, with no environmental recourse. On the production side of the equation, there are equal human rights abuses, including outright slavery or “forced labour” (Kevin Bales).
WE HAVE THE SOLUTIONS!
The good news is that we have many solutions available now. We just need to take them. Edmontonians have access to a network of Eco Stations that accept personal e-waste for recycling and disposal. There is a limit to what they will accept and aren’t accessible to all folks equally (individuals without personal vehicles, for example).
According to the waste hierarchy, e-waste collection and recycling should be our last resort (CBC Radio). We need to ensure that we are first and foremost reducing our waste, and then reusing individual or overall components. There are two systemic solutions that have been adopted in some countries to address the idea that we cannot rely on recycling alone.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is defined as a “policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of the product’s life cycle” (EPR Canada). EPR regulations are intended to push the producers of goods to consider – and potentially change – product design to make items easier to recycle or reuse once they have reached their end-of-life. Bottle depots are a simple and familiar example of an EPR. Ideally, this policy approach helps eliminate the accumulation of e-waste in landfills by redirecting those products back to the producer, and ultimately preventing e-waste once these producers take steps to ensure their products are better designed and longer lasting. Provinces in Canada have been working toward full implementation of provincial EPR legislation since 2009.
Right to Repair is a concept that is gaining traction in Europe, and made some headway in Ontario recently (Policy Alternatives). Environmental groups and politicians are focused on creating regulations and legislation to allow consumers to repair their own devices. This includes eliminating the use of proprietary parts, and demanding that companies redesign products so they can easily be taken apart. Consumers are often – if not always – forced to use a manufacturer-authorized repair service at greater expense, or ultimately replace with a new product because repair is unavailable or impossible. There are a number of benefits to these regulations in terms of employing them to prevent e-waste. By removing barriers and access to repair, more consumers will have control over the longevity of their electronic devices.
TAKE ACTION
Now that you have learned a bit about e-waste and its significance in our waste stream, here are some individual actions you can take right now.
Low effort
Evaluate your need to buy new gadgets, appliances, or technology. Consider instead: Can I borrow the item from a friend, family or local “Tool Library”? Can I buy this item secondhand?
If you are replacing an item that is still in working condition, consider donating it to a local organization who can refurbish it and get it into the hands of someone who couldn’t otherwise afford it. Look into the Electronics Recycling Association to start.
Mid effort
Before you replace an item, try repairing it instead. There are many local cell phone repair shops who will replace a screen or battery for a reasonable rate. Or if you prefer the DIY route, order parts or a repair kit online. Even without “Right to Repair” legislation in place, there are options available to consumers.
Write a letter to your local newspaper expressing your concern for e-waste, or make a complaint to the Office of Consumer Affairs (Canada) requesting Right to Repair or Extended Producer Responsibility legislation.
Create your own “Tool Library” or “Skills Library” by compiling a list of your big ticket appliances, technology, and tools that you are willing to lend out, or specialized skills you have. Then send the list out to friends and family.
Most effort
Work with your company, local community league, or homeowner’s association and organize an e-waste drive in your community or workplace. Offer a reward for the family/individual who brings in the oldest tech or the most items!
Start a dialogue with your neighbours — are you going to the Eco Station? Mention it well in advance and offer some space in your vehicle to help others get rid of their e-waste.
As consumers, we can take small steps in our homes and communities to combat these human rights abuses and help protect our environment at the same time. But as leading activists show (Guardian) the real change must come from governments to enact and enforce stronger laws and regulations, and corporations to design better and longer lasting products.
I’m sure many of you have noticed the symbols and numbers on the bottom of your plastic bottles and jars. But did you ever think about why those symbols exist, who they benefit, and what they mean?
WHAT ARE THE SYMBOLS FOR?
The numbers indicate what type of resin is used to make that particular plastic, which then corresponds to how the item should be sorted and recycled. This system was created by the Plastics Industry Association in 1988 in part to help plastic recycling companies sort the incoming plastic for resale.
At first glance, it appeared as though the plastic producers were just trying to be helpful, categorizing the type of plastic for future users and making it easier to recycle these items. This is the “great plastic lie”.
These symbols trick consumers into thinking that not only are these goods possible to recycle, that they are actually being recycled. The “chasing arrows” around the numbers traditionally signal “recycle”. These arrows have since been changed to a solid triangle, but the “plastics industry has a vested interest in maintaining this myth.”
And there is a distinct lack of accessible education for individual consumers to make good decisions when shopping. Or when sorting their numbered plastic items for recycling. And unfortunately that often leads to “wishcycling”. Wishcycling is defined as “aspirational recycling”, and happens when a consumer puts a non-recyclable item in their recycle bin not because they know it is recyclable, but because they wish it was. One errant item can contaminate an entire bag or bin.
The misdirection of the symbols combined with the lack of comprehensive education around plastic recycling leads many people to believe they can keep buying plastic because it is being recycled, when in fact it isn’t. They put the burden on downstream individuals and organizations to properly sort and recycle all the plastic being produced. And there is little to no obligation placed on the producers to curb their plastic production or provide funds and infrastructure for recycling initiatives.
CONSEQUENCES
Recycling is labour and resource intensive. It costs money and it’s a lot of work. The Edmonton curbside pickup is a single stream system, where everything goes in the same bag and it’s left to the sorters at the facility to figure it out. And in Edmonton that means sorting it by hand.
Not only is the cost to deal with these products downloaded to residents (through taxes for example) to pay for increased sorting, we also have to deal with the waste in our communities. And environmental racism means this burden does not fall equally among individuals and neighbourhoods. We see these effects across Canada, with landfills often placed in or near Indigenous or predominantly Black communities.
This is the Edmonton Waste Management Centre, where workers try their best to make sense of these recyclables.
TAKE ACTION
But there are ways that individuals and communities can take back control from the plastic producers, and make a difference in the lives of their neighbours.
LOW EFFORT
If you have the resources to do so, buy alternatives to your favourite products that come in glass, metal, or cardboard packaging instead of plastic.
Watch Plastic Wars by the Passionate Eye to learn more about the great plastic lie.
MID EFFORT
Find a list of the types of plastic that your municipality actually accepts for recycling. Edmonton’s list is accessible here, or through the WasteWise app. Bring that with you to the grocery store, and try to avoid items made with plastics that aren’t on your list.
Sort your recyclables at home and take them to a recycling depot in Edmonton instead. The earlier recyclables can be sorted, the cleaner and less opportunity for contamination there will be. Find your nearest recycling depot here.
Reuse the plastic items that aren’t accepted by your municipality for recycling. While avoiding single-use plastics entirely is better, it’s not always feasible. Extend the life of these “single-use” items in creative ways or donate them to those that will.
MOST EFFORT
Learn about extended producer responsibility and write your elected officials to push for it in policy. In short, it holds the manufacturers of products to accountability throughout its entire lifecycle, not leaving customers responsible for the environmental cleanup.
Reach out to your local businesses to ask for more plastic-free options in their packaging.
Start a plastic-free initiative in your workplace or school. Waste Free Edmonton has resources to help you get started!
From a consumer standpoint, going plastic free often starts at the shopping cart. Earth’s General Store is a notable leader in waste free shopping. Photo: MacKenzie Photography
Recycling symbols on the bottom of plastic containers are misleading to consumers, and ultimately puts the burden on individuals to address the plastic waste entering our world, with no responsibility placed back on the plastic producers – the oil and gas industry – and no incentive for them to stop overproducing new plastic. Recycling is not going to save us, and unfortunately it was never designed to. There are ways that consumers and citizens can help, both in their everyday lives and to move toward more systemic change. “The future of a just and green planet relies on every single person, particularly those with access to resources, to take action that calls for larger societal changes.” (Chante Harris)
October 19 to 25, 2020 is our time to celebrate all things waste reduction, and spread the good word about initiatives folks are taking in their communities across Canada. While this week was officially started in 2001 by the Recycling Council of Ontario, many cities and provinces have been hosting their own waste reduction awareness initiatives since the 1980s. Closer to home, the Recycling Council of Alberta is presenting events across the province.
THEME DAYS
Waste Reduction Week is structured into 7 themes, with one to focus on each day. As with many waste free initiatives, you might have a lot of knowledge or interest in one area, and less in another. This structure gives everyone an opportunity to learn about something new or work towards a deeper commitment. All activism and organizing is more manageable when broken down into smaller steps, and waste reduction is no different.
With the seven themes, and various events and programming set for each day, there are a lot of different ways you can “celebrate” Waste Reduction Week and take action. If you are already doing some waste reduction in your household, pick a theme you are less familiar with. And if you’re very confident in your current actions, perhaps take this time to inspire others. We recommend chatting with your friends and family to find an activity you can do together. If you’re motivated, perhaps contact your community league, local politician, or your workplace to try to implement larger changes. Regardless of what you choose, choose something! We’ve compiled some activities for you, ranging from low effort to truly changemaking. It’s easy to stay at home and stay safe, too; you won’t have to compromise your cohort to take part!
With some online webinars on the list, you won’t have to compromise your cohort to take part!
Take part in The Alberta Leftovers Challenge on October 21. Post a photo on social and tag friends, family, local politicians and ask them how they prevent food waste.
MEDIUM EFFORT
Pack yourself – or your kid – a plastic-free lunch.
Sign up on the Share Waste app and make a compost delivery this week.
Take the City of Edmonton Waste Reduction Roadmap survey this week, and then share the link with your friends, family, and coworkers!
Do a trash and recycle bin audit, and then commit to making one item swap using the audit as your guide.
All this garbage — even if it was once recyclable, it is not anymore — could have been handled differently.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
As with any waste reduction lifestyle change, we are ultimately looking for systemic change as well. Waste Reduction Week’s mission is to empower all Canadians to adopt more environmentally conscious choices. But unfortunately we know that not everyone has equal access to those choices. Ultimately, it is the systemic change that is needed to permanently turn the tide on climate change. Talking to your workplace about making changes, helping folks in your community take their bulky and hazardous waste to the Eco Station, and packing plastic free lunches are very important. Communication and inspiration go a long way. We can take those actions a step further by joining or organizing an advocacy group to present a waste reduction recommendation to your City Council. More and more people are turning to their community leagues to help form a community-wide waste reduction strategy. Another important aspect of environmental justice is using your skills and platform – whatever that looks like – to amplify the voices of many Indigenous individuals, groups and Nations already doing this work.
Waste Reduction Week is a great place to start your journey, learn more about waste reduction in general, and then use as a springboard to achieve the systemic change needed to make a difference in our world.
Fall is here in Edmonton! Many people I talk to about composting think it’s not worth getting started right now. But fall is a great time to start a backyard compost system or pile! Composting is something that everyone should be able to do, but in reality not all folks have equal access to the resources required to do it. In fact, income is a direct predictor of which households are composting. Here are three cheap and accessible ways to get started composting this fall.
ONE – THE BEST COMPOST SYSTEM IS THE ONE YOU USE
The best compost system is the one you are going to use, feel comfortable using, and can afford. There are a lot of systems (bins, tumblers, etc.) available to purchase at home stores, but a good compost system can also be as simple as a pile in the corner of your yard. The only equipment I recommend folks pick up to help make their composting easier, is a good pitchfork or garden fork. If you don’t have one of these, ask a neighbour to borrow theirs.
TWO – BOUNTIFUL BROWNS
In the fall especially, a compost system does wonders to divert all of the leaves and other yard waste that comes with the season. Carbon-based materials – in compost lingo we call these “browns” – can be hard to get your hands out throughout the year. But in autumn, they are bountiful! This includes: dried leaves, sticks, dead annuals, prunings from shrubs. Larger materials should be cut down to a more manageable size. They will break down faster this way, while maintaining a good air-to-material balance. If you have the space in your yard, bag up all your autumn leaves and save them for your compost in those brown-lean months. A good way to make friends with neighbours is to ask them for their bags of leaves! Make sure there is no animal waste included.
THREE – TOO MANY LEAVES
If you find you have too many leaves and don’t want or don’t have the space to store them, you can easily start a leaf compost. Gather your leaves, a bucket of soil, and a tarp. For every foot of height of leaves in your pile, add a layer of soil. The pile should be wet but not soggy. Placing a tarp over helps keep the heat in, which is needed to break down the material, and prevents the pile from getting waterlogged. Leaf compost on its own isn’t super nutritious for your garden, but it can still be used as a soil amendment. And even better, you get the satisfaction of knowing you avoided the need for waste collectors to transport your yard waste.
Our now-shuttered EWMC composter in better times. MARCH 5, 2000: Aerial view of Edmonton’s new $100-million co-composter plant/ Darco Industries LTD.
IN LOCAL NEWS
Folks in Edmonton might also be wondering how their backyard compost fits into the City’s plan to “roll out” a green bin program in 2021. Smaller scale options like personal composters or community gardens offer huge benefits to our hyper-local economy and quality of life in our neighbourhoods. There are untold numbers of opportunities for community-building, for entrepreneurs and small business owners, and for folks to decide on a solution that best fits their neighbourhood’s needs. These made-in-the-community solutions are also more likely to support marginalized communities and BIPOC, who are often left out, forgotten, or ignored when top-down systems are imposed from often white-majority governments or stakeholders.
So, you’ve got your backyard compost systems set up, you’re excited, and you’re wondering what else you can do? Here are some next steps for folks who’ve got their toes wet in environmental justice and are looking to do more:
Set up a leaf drop off point in your community
Chat with the folks at your community garden, volunteer your time there, and drop off a bag or two of leaves if needed
Sign up on the ShareWaste app to accept compost materials from other people in your community
Talk to your friends and family about why you have a backyard compost system, and help them set up one for themselves
Volunteer your time with organizations in your community focused on food security and environmental justice
MILLIONS IMPERFECTLY
You might have heard the now-famous Anne-Marie Bonneau quote about zero waste applied to composting. “We don’t need a handful of people composting perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly”. This quote often is followed by a complicated list of all the requirements and expensive equipment to get a backyard compost system going. How can both of those things be true? Just like any activity, composting can be expensive and complicated if you want it to be. But there are also a lot of free and simple ways to get started. Composting should be available to everyone regardless of income, race, or background. By creating a compost in your yard or community you are directly participating in environmental justice, and helping to build beneficial systems far larger than your flower bed.
