It’s Waste Reduction Week!
The week about all things reducing, reusing and recycling is back! The City of Vaughan has proclaimed Waste Reduction Week, taking place this year from Monday, Oct. 17 to Sunday, Oct. 23. Each day of Waste Reduction Week, there is an associated theme presented through the lens of its contribution to advancing a circular economy:
- Monday, Oct. 17: circular economy
- Tuesday, Oct. 18: textiles
- Wednesday, Oct. 19: e-waste
- Thursday, Oct. 20: single-use plastics
- Friday, Oct. 21: food waste
- Saturday, Oct. 22: sharing economy
- Sunday, Oct. 23: swap and repair
Throughout the week, the City will share themed tips via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram on how to reduce your household waste, apply new and simple waste-less habits and learn about everyone’s collective responsibility to the planet to cut down on waste.
Circular economy
Today’s waste reduction theme is the circular economy. A circular economy is when resources and items are used and reused continuously, not just used once and discarded. Here are some circular waste reduction actions to consider incorporating into your routine:
- See if an item can be recycled for a new purpose before throwing it away. Choose fewer, higher-quality clothing and household items that will serve a purpose longer. Repurpose textiles as rags to replace paper towels for cleaning around the house.
- Donate gently used clothing and textiles to a textile donation bin in Vaughan, a second-hand store or at a York Region waste depot.
- Borrow books and other items to reduce waste, clear up space in your home and save money on buying new. In partnership with York Region, Vaughan Public Libraries has a Lendery at Pierre Berton Resource Library. A Lendery is a library of items you can borrow, like tools, kitchen equipment, sports gear and more. Visit the Lendery at Pierre Berton Resource Library or check out the online catalogue to see the list of available items.
- Recycle what you can. All properly recycled items in Vaughan are sold as commodities and transformed into new products. Cardboard, paper, aluminum and steel are highly valued and easily repurposed.
- Participate in the City’s last Curbside Giveaway Days of the year, taking place from Saturday, Oct. 22 to Sunday, Oct. 23, to give away gently used items to someone in your neighbourhood.
The City is a leader in waste management. York Region’s SM4RT Living Plan sets long-term waste reduction targets for garbage and organics. By 2031, the City’s goal is to reduce garbage waste by 30 per cent, which would mean each household in Vaughan reduces and recycles an additional bag of garbage per collection. Visit the City’s webpage for more information on Vaughan’s waste reduction efforts.
Waste Reduction Week is an example of the City’s commitment to protecting the environment and fostering a more sustainable future – a priority outlined in the Council-approved 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan. The City is dedicated to environmental stewardship through protection and proactive environmental management.
Need help sorting waste?
Download the Recycle Coach app through the Apple App Store or Google Play to help determine what goes where. The app also provides waste-less tips and a personalized collection schedule with optional alerts on what to put to the curb each week. The City also offers an online sorting tool to check where an item belongs using the search bar.
The City has blue boxes and green bins for sale!
Purchase them in person at select community centres or online through Service Vaughan and have them delivered right to your door. If your current City-issued blue box or green bin is damaged, sign up online to exchange it for a new one at vaughan.ca/ServiceVaughan.
For more information on waste services, visit vaughan.ca/waste.
Be a Green Guardian!
Green Guardians is the City of Vaughan’s environmental stewardship program – and the City is encouraging residents and businesses to get involved. As a Green Guardian of Vaughan, you can join City-led or community-driven events and activities that promote environmental stewardship and help keep Vaughan safe, clean and beautiful. Learn more about becoming a Green Guardian at vaughan.ca/GreenGuardians.
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