We are proud to announce our Employee of the Month for November! Sue has done a great job running the office this fall, and especially in November. There has been a huge number of things to coordinate and set-up, and Sue has handled it all very well.

We have been able to sit down with Sue to get to know her a little bit better. Read on for our conversation!

Q: Tell us something about yourself!

Sue: I love my work as an office manager, and the work environment is amazing, from my GM (who I get along so well) all the way to the last employee we hired, who was a kind and hardworking labourer. I am so proud of the fact I am helping our part of the world one mattress or one piece of furniture at a time… that we recycle over a half-million pounds of materials every month, and none of that goes to the landfill.

Q: How long have you been at CMR?

Sue: I have worked at CMR for 4 ½ wonderful years. We had our challenges with growth and expansion, but we’ve survived – and thrived – through it all.

Q: What do you do at CMR? 

Sue: I am the Office Manager, [and my responsibilities] include many different things from logistics to customer service, to ordering supplies, and much, much more.

Q: What’s the highlight of your day?

Sue: The highlight of my day is working with people and helping them – we give out materials that we collect in the recycling process to a lot of organizations. Some [of the materials we donate] are cushions, which have been given to schools for reading corners in their classrooms.

And when we help people move their [mattresses and furniture] out of their residence, or assist their family members, it is always a highlight of my day knowing we’re helping make the process just a little easier for them, even just by arranging their furniture and beds so they can be removed and recycled.

Q: What charity did you choose to donate to, and why?

Sue: I chose the Variety the Children’s Charity. I did my practicum with them for my Office Administration course at BCIT, and I volunteer with them when I have the time. They are an amazing charity and I’ve seen first hand the difference they make in a child’s and their family’s lives.

Q: What’s your favourite thing about the holidays?

Sue:  Spending time with family – and the food!

Q: What is your favourite Christmas song?

Sue: Winter Wonderland, by Annie Lennox

Q: In your opinion, what would be the best name for a dog or cat? 

Sue: Chester the cat!

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Canadian Mattress Recycling is the leading mattress recycler in Metro Vancouver. Since 2011, we have recycled over 21 million lbs of mattresses and furniture that comes through our doors, and supported over 90+ local and global community organizations.

As a locally owned and operated company, we believe in giving back to our community, acknowledging the work of our employees, and supporting the circular economy. 

To learn more about our company or to book a residential pickup, visit this link here.

 

As the year wraps up, we want to highlight our employees and the stellar work they have done this year at Canadian Mattress Recycling. One tradition of ours is to name an Employee of the Month and donating to a charity of their choice on their behalf. We truly believe in helping local and global initiatives, particularly supporting those working to preserve the environment, improving health and education, and nurturing community spirit. Without further ado, here are our employee of the months for 2018!

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January – Jeremy B.

As our Weekend Supervisor, Jeremy has been overseeing a very successful crew with us since he started two summers ago. As January’s employee of the month, he asked the donation to be made to Variety Children’s Charity.

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February – Kurt N.                               

Kurt wears many hats at Canadian Mattress Recycling for the year he has been with us. He asked the donation to be made towards the Vancouver Canucks Autism Network. Learn more about the wonderful organization here.

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March – Wilson A.

For the last two years, Wilson has worked as part of our warehouse staff. He really excels at being a part of the team that operates our heavy machinery. On his behalf, we made a donation to OWL, which rehabilitates orphaned owls in the Metro Vancouver region.

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April, May, and June

Ernesto P., Elyas S., and Sue Z.

From April to June, our employees of the months have collaborated to raise money for the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. Ernesto, Elyas, and Sue were feeling for the plight of these tall gentle creatures, so they made a joint contribution to the organization. Ernesto has been working at Canadian Mattress Recycling for six years, one of the longest warehouse employees we have. Every day we see him smiling and happy with his work. His friendly demeanour has helped everyone get through long work days. Elyas has been working at CMR for over the last two years. He is a great team player, and is the youngest of the warehouse staff. Sue is another long-term employee of over four years. As our Office Manager, she has incredible multitasking and customer service skills!

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July – Jimmy D.

It’s been nearly a year since Jimmy started as a Supervisor with us and he did a great job training a new shift of staff.

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August – Eduardo B.        

Eduardo isn’t one to complain much and just focuses on getting the job done.  He’s been back with us for over a year and asked that we make our donation in his honour towards his faith so a church in Vancouver was the recipient.

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September – Nemilito D.

Our Employee of the Month for September is Nemilito. He was a huge help in the warehouse throughout September. Lito was flexible with his hours for forklift duty, especially when Mandi was only able to work part-time. September was a particularly busy month for our company, so we really needed Lito’s help.

Lito has been working for Canadian Mattress Recycling for five years – six after June 13th. His normal day at work consists of operating a forklift and baling machine and assisting as a general labourer with tasks around the warehouse. A hardworking family man with a wife and two kids, Lito looks forward to the weekend – when he could go to a local park and spend time with his family and children. He enjoys all aspects of his life, and is a very happy and humble man. We made a donation on his behalf to St. Mary’s Church, a close community where his children were baptized.

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October – Michelle C.

As our digital marketing copywriter, Michelle has done an amazing job this fall improving our websites, online forms, and our social media presence. She has helped elevate our online presence and company profile, and was very enthusiastic doing so.

Read our small chat with Michelle here!

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November – Sue Z.

Sue has done a fantastic job running the office this fall, with a huge number of tasks to coordinate and set up. She handled it all very well! Read our chat with Sue here.

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December – Ricardo

Ricardo is our employee of the month for December, for his work at CMR as a forklift operator and warehouse labourer. He has been working at CMR for two years, and is a fantastic team player! We asked what his favourite holiday is – and it’s Valentine’s Day, which is also coincidentally his birthday. 🙂

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Canadian Mattress Recycling Inc. wishes everyone a very delightful Christmas holiday. We will be back next year with another blog about our Employees of the Months. Stay tuned.  

As we near the holidays, it may seem too late to get rid of your old furniture or mattress until the new year. However, decluttering your home for the holidays can set the stage for welcoming in the new year. I mean, what’s better than ushering in the new year in a clean, tidy living space?

By decluttering, we don’t mean just removing your old junk, we also mean spending time considering how you can start the new year off on the right foot. Cleaning and decluttering throughout the year, even during the holidays, can help lessen your workload when the new year rolls around.

Here’s why we think doing some decluttering at the holidays may be a good idea:

 

1. You may find old items that you can dust off and give as a new gift or donate to an organization that may have a use for them. If these items are in good or decent condition, for example like throw blankets, socks, pyjamas, and mittens, you may be able to find a new home for them.

Consider looking at making a donation to your local Big Brothers chapters, Salvation Army, or even charities that are looking for these items. The holidays are when most people donate goods and nonperishables, but there will always be a need for specific items in the new year.

No donation is too small, and every contribution helps.

In Canada, when temperatures drop during the winter, be on the look out for charities and local groups seeking donations for items like mittens, socks, and blankets. There may be companies or local businesses running drives, and you could find a new home for your old items easily.

Large items like furniture and mattresses may be more difficult to donate, but the parts can be easily recycled by a local facility to be used in new products that can help these organizations.

Cushions, fabric, and foam, can all be deconstructed from couches and beds, and be repurposed for use by those in need.

 

2. Making a big decision for your home next year? If you’re considering to downsize, or even to replace an old piece of furniture, consider having the discussion when family members are less preoccupied with work. 

As the work year winds down, people are taking vacations or staying home to spend time with their families. This may be the perfect time to strike a conversation with your parents, or family living with you, asking will happen to that squeaky old couch!

Perhaps replacing that old couch has been on your family’s mind, but due to the stress from work, school, or life, they may have forgotten about it.

Asking them at a time when they’re relaxing can lead to productive discussions about home improvements. When the new year starts, people begin to budget and plan for summer renovations. Starting the conversation early can mean setting a game plan, and finding out what needs to be replaced.

 

3. Holidays may mean the best deals on new furniture and mattresses

Another reason why you should discuss what needs replacing during the holidays is that you’ll have family keeping their eyes out for blockbuster deals this holiday season. Even though Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed, Christmas and Boxing Day sales are still yet to come.

Discussing what will happen to your old furniture or mattresses can help plan your holiday purchases.

It can also minimize your post-shopping regret. If there are sales on a couch and a table, but you have a squeaky couch, then all you need to do is remember to shop for a new couch first since you need it more!

 

4. Another thing to think about is: what are you going to do with the items you replace? 

More specifically, what are you going to do with the items you replace?

The holidays are nefarious times for strange company schedules and facility closures. Businesses tend to have special holiday hours for servicing customers. The same goes for landfill facilities, transfer stations, and your local recyclers. Even junk removal companies may have special hours that customers have to abide by this holiday season.

Knowing how to get rid of your old large items can help minimize stress after you’ve purchased a replacement product. Perhaps you need to store the old item for a few days.

 

5. During the holidays, we may be short on disposable income. Conversations about what you really need to replace, in terms of furniture and mattresses, is a good budgeting discussion to have.

From buying holiday gifts to treating family and friends out to dinners, hosting parties and celebrating the holidays, it’s important to budget to make sure that what needs to be replaced are replaced, and those that can wait can be dealt with in the new year.

The last thing you want is feeling regretful that you purchased a new TV when you needed a comfortable bed instead! Or that if you just spent a few dollars less on a gift to a co-worker or family member, you could have afforded that new bed that would’ve helped improved your sleeping.

As we are in the throes of the holidays, replacing old furniture and mattresses may be the last thing on our minds. However, the conversation is important to have, especially if you have an exceptionally squeaky couch or a really old mattress that needs replacing soon.

It may be a force of habit to postpone the discussion to the new year, but taking advantage of holiday deals may be a plausible alternative.

Discussing what will happen in the new year now with your family members can help plan for big purchases. Overall, having these discussions can help reduce stress, help your holiday budget, and minimize any purchases you may regret making!

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Canadian Mattress Recycling is Metro Vancouver’s only facility that recycles and salvages materials from mattresses and furniture. Since 2011, we have recycled over 21 million lbs of large items and provided employment opportunities for local residents. We believe that recycling goes hand in hand with conserving and protecting the environment, and strive to do just that! Book a pickup today or visit our facility on Annacis Island to drop off your large items for recycling for a fee.

Michelle is our October employee of the month! Michelle has done so much amazing work for us this fall improving our website, online forms, and everything in social media. Get to know a bit more about Michelle below:

Q: Tell us something about yourself!
Michelle: Hi! I’m the Web and Social Media Assistant for Canadian Mattress Recycling. I am passionate about everything related to the environments, the circular economy, and waste management. I enjoy my work here at CMR since I get to tie in my environmental background with design and marketing. I enjoy helping Sue and Terryl share the fantastic work the company is doing to divert mattresses and furniture from local landfills!

Q: How long have you been at CMR?
Michelle: I started back in February 2018 so I’ve been here for just over 10 months, and love every moment of it.

Q: What do you do at CMR? 
Michelle: I help Terryl and Sue update and manage our social media profiles. I also maintain, edit, and update our websites, create graphics, respond to customers and reviews online, and blog about topics related to the environment. Chances are if you contacted the company online in the last year, you’ve spoken to me 🙂

Q: What’s the highlight of your day?
Michelle: Whenever people leave 5* reviews on our Google My Business page! It brings a smile to my face knowing that our service is really making an impact in our customers’ lives, by helping them pickup and recycle furniture and mattresses, which are difficult to transport, let alone recycle. Another highlight of my day is when people like, retweet, and comment on our social media posts. I like taking the time to read and respond to them!

Q: What charity did you choose to donate to, and why?
Michelle: My donation went to Ocean Wise, because they are doing a fantastic job raising awareness, funding research, and engaging youths in marine conservation across Canada. They rehabilitate injured marine mammals, coordinate shoreline cleanups, and also provide field school experiences up in the Arctic for Canadian youths.

Q: What’s your favourite thing about the holidays?
Michelle: Spending time with family and friends.

Q: What is your favourite Christmas song?
Michelle: It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas – Michael Bublé.

Q: In your opinion, what would be the best name for a dog or cat? 
Michelle: Waffles the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

 

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Canadian Mattress Recycling is the leading mattress recycler in Metro Vancouver. Since 2011, we have recycled over 21 million lbs of mattresses and furniture that comes through our doors, and supported over 90+ local and global community organizations. As a locally owned and operated company, we believe in giving back to our community, acknowledging the work of our employees, and supporting the circular economy.  To learn more about our company or to book a residential pickup, visit this link here.

The problem of ocean plastics isn’t something new: it’s been known to have a serious effect on marine mammals for the past few decades.

Yet it is only recently that we learned, society as a whole, that we humans cause more marine pollution than previously documented.

Plastic bottle rings are not the only major plastics polluting the ocean, contrary to popular belief. Plastic water bottles, straws, chip bags, and cigarette butts are also swept into the ocean.

When 80% of marine plastics originate from land, this is no laughing matter. According to Our World in Data, the other 20% is no better: fishing nets, lines, and poles from fishing industries are dumped into the oceans.

From Land to Sea: How Does Plastic End Up In Our Oceans?

But how does plastic on land end up in our oceans?

One way plastics are swept into oceans is by leaving them, like chip bags and water bottles, behind on beaches. When the tide rises, or the wind or rain dislodges these plastics, they are swept into the ocean.

Another way is when someone litters on the side of the road.

Littering on the side of the road, even when you’re not anywhere near a beach or open water, can still move the waste into the ocean. Rainfall sends discarded litter – like plastic cup lids, newspaper, and cigarette butts – in the drains.

And when these plastics reach open oceans, marine mammals often mistake floating pieces of plastic for food. These plastics look similarly like the food they’d eat – but they just do not know the difference.

When these animals ingest them, the plastics obstruct their stomachs. They think they’re full – when in fact they received no nutritional value from the plastics. These animals often become severely malnourished, bloated, and worse – injured from the sharp plastic edges that cut their stomach lining. Internal bleeding leads to death.

How does marine plastic pollution affect us?

The unfortunate truth is that worrying about our marine mammal friends’ health may be one of the last things we think about on a day-to-day basis.

When we’re rushing to work, waiting for the bus, and worried if we’re going to make it work on time during rush-hour traffic, we often aren’t thinking about ocean plastics and the health of these animals.

But one easy way to remember what we do has an impact on the animals, is by thinking of the plastics we end up ingesting when we eat seafood.

Microplastics, although rarely cause harm to animals by themselves, are a danger to our own health.

Imagine eating seafood that has minute flecks of plastic – that we threw into the oceans ourselves!

Pretty gross, right?

If plastic isn’t good for us to consume – then it shouldn’t be good for animals, any animal –  marine or land – to consume.

So if we take better care of our littering and disposal habits, we may be able to curb plastic pollution from further reaching our oceans. The food we eat will be insurmountably healthier, without microplastics. And these animals will be able to flourish in their ecosystems without dying from plastic-related deaths.

What can we do to reduce marine plastic pollution?

There are many ways to help prevent and reduce marine plastic pollution.

Some of these ways can be as simple as throwing your garbage away properly. Instead of throwing your plastic bottle or coffee cup on the street, or just a few feet away from a garbage can, place it inside the can. This will prevent wind and rain from transporting your waste into waterways, like sewage systems.

If the bins are full – often during busy beach days – then find another place to dispose of them, or take your garbage home with you to throw out. Garbage left lying around, unsecured can be torn apart by seagulls and other animals, spreading the litter around. The litter then will end up blown into the ocean.

Another way is to use less plastic on a day-to-day basis, whether by reusing more or reducing your use of plastic products.

One popular way to help reduce marine plastic pollution is by organizing a cleanup! This could be a great team activity for your office or workplace, or even for schools. Spend some time picking up litter by your home, school or work, or the beach if you have one nearby.

Because of the different ways, waste can end up in our water streams, all efforts to reduce litter is equally important.

Together – we can reduce waste going into our water streams, and make our world a more sustainable, healthier place to be.

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This post is part of our community blog initiative. 

Canadian Mattress Recycling is regularly posting new blog posts about environmental issues that impact British Columbians, and the world. This month’s post is written in support of the Ocean Legacy Foundation, an international non-profit organization that uses geospatial mapping, research, and expeditions to help clean-up marine waste. We are pleased to have supported the OLF since 2016, donating $900 to the foundation to help clean up our BC shorelines and the Pacific Ocean.

 

Sources:

Our World In Data – Plastic Pollution

Plastic Adrift

Back to school is a busy time of the year. Families return from vacation only to have work and school on their minds. Dealing with traffic on the way to work, and on the way back from work to pick up your children from school can make you want to pull your hair out! Even commuting to and from college and work can be stressful, with the new school year in session.

Because of this, going zero-waste may be the last thing on your mind. You might find your zero-waste habits slacking off, so here are some tips to help you continue your #PlasticFree efforts in September!

Tip #1: Pack your lunch in a reusable lunch box, or bring an empty container with you.

This applies to kids, college students, and even those heading back to work after a blissful summer vacation. Even if you don’t plan on meal prepping for the next day, bringing a lunch box you can reuse can reduce the need of a single-use styrofoam container if you end up buying lunch. Instead of using plastic containers or wrapping leftovers in napkins at work, you could toss those office snacks into a reusable box instead. Single use plastics and styrofoam containers creep into our daily lives more often than we realize!

Another habit you can form is meal prepping. Meal prepping helps reduce waste by making sure you buy food you know you’ll eat before they expire. Always try to use up all the food you buy for the week, to reduce food waste. Sometimes buying bulk produce is not the best way to go – especially if you’re only cooking for yourself. Learn to meal prep has an obvious benefit, too: it reduces your stress in the mornings scrambling to pack a lunch before rushing to work or school. Homemade meals can be healthier than fast food, so meal prepping is good for both you, your wallet, and the environment!

Tip #2: Pack a reusable spoon and fork or a set of chopsticks.

How many times do you have office lunches that use a lot of plastic cutlery? Why not bring a set of forks and spoons from home (or chopsticks if you feel adventurous) for the occasional office lunch? You don’t need the fanciest set of reusable cutlery, just something that can help you say ‘no’ to plastic forks and spoons easily.

Tip: toss a set of reusable forks and spoons in your work bag the night before, or keep a spare set in your bags so you’ll never forget them in the morning.

Another thing you can do in offices is to supply reusable cutlery, or have enough on hand so that when the occasional lunch happens, your entire office can be plastic-free and zero-waste!

Tip #3: Bring a reusable mug or a tumbler to work (or school).

Any reusable mug can help you eliminate single-use coffee cups and plastic bottles. Say no to single-use styrofoam cups in the office kitchen! Sorting waste can be a hassle in shared spaces, like offices and schools. To avoid the hassle entirely, why not bring a reusable mug and avoid generating waste in the first place?

Tip #4: Make it a group effort!

As it becomes easier to live a zero waste lifestyle, why not get your friends, classmates, and colleagues involved in it too? It can be as simple as taking the initiative to speak with your child’s teacher, or putting in a suggestion for your office space to become zero-waste.

There are costs associated with transitioning to a zero-waste office or classroom, but the environmental benefits will be priceless. Not to mention some actions you can take to transition are small steps.

It can be as simple as having mugs for drinking water and coffee, instead of using plastic cups. It can be as simple as switching from using paper napkins to hand towels. It can be as simple as saying ‘no’ to plastic bags or cutlery when ordering take out.

Every effort counts. Your coworkers might find your zero-waste efforts interesting too, strike a conversation, and join you in your zero-waste lifestyle. Or for parents, someone in your child’s class may find their zero waste and recycling diligence interesting and ask about it, learning good habits along the way.

Tip #5: Make it count!

Motivate yourself by counting how much money or time you save.

Instead of having to replenish your stock of zip lock bags for your child’s lunch at the shopping mall during weekend rushes, switch to using a reusable lunch box saves you time and money. You’ll find yourself dropping by a store for ‘essentials’ less often, saving you time and fuel.

Another way to make it count is to see how much you save by using a reusable mug or tumbler at local coffee shops. Some cafes in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland offer discounts on coffee if you BYOM. The nickles and dimes add up and soon you’ll be amazed at not only the extra change in your wallet — but also the change you’re making for the environment.

What an amazing deal!

SHARE YOUR TIPS

What are some of your back-to-school zero waste tips? Share it with us on social media, and tag us at @cdnmattrecycler on Twitter or @canadianmattressrecycling on Facebook!

ABOUT US

Canadian Mattress Recycling Inc., is the premier facility for mattress and furniture recycling in the Lower Mainland. Based out of Annacis Island, we pick up old mattresses and furniture across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Since 2011, we have recycled over 21,000,000 lbs of mattresses and furniture and supported over 90+ organizations and charities involved in environmental preservation and the community.

In Vancouver, British Columbia, the circular economy is thriving.

The total number of green jobs has increased by over 600 in Vancouver alone since 2010. And across the rest of British Columbia, circular economy businesses and social ventures provide over 13,000 jobs, says Vancouver Economic Commission in a 2018 report.

We’re not alone, either: the Canadian waste management industry generates over $7.3 billion a year (Statistics Canada, 2015).

These figures highlight yet another significant trend – Canadians are becoming more waste-conscious. Movements like #plasticfreejuly and annual awareness weeks like #WasteReductionWeek are helping educate residents about how we can all transition to a waste-free future.

But when it comes to the circular economy, you could be asking yourself: what is it and how does it apply to you?

Limits to Growth

It might be surprising to learn that the concept of a circular economy isn’t exactly new.

It was mentioned as early as 1972 when an MIT research team released a report called ‘The Limits to Growth‘.

They modelled a scenario about what would happen if the human population kept growing in a world with limited resources.

The results were worrisome: it showed that if we didn’t change our consumption habits as a society, there’s only so much the Earth can provide for us.

The report warned that we’ll reach the limit of Earth’s resources by the end of the 21st century — if we don’t shift to a greener, sustainable economy (Meadows et. al, 1972).

The Circular Economy

Over the years, the concept of ‘limits to growth’ became the building blocks of the circular economy we know today.

In a circular economy, waste materials (known as material outputs) are repaired, reused, recycled, or remanufactured instead of being thrown away in landfills (RCBC, 2018). Instead of needlessly throwing goods away at the end of their life cycle, these materials are reused as the building blocks of new products.

The circular economy doesn’t just stop here, though: it also supports product manufacturing and R&D. In this case, products are made with the end in mind. Companies ask: what would happen to a product when it’s of no use anymore? Does it get thrown in landfills? Recycled? Does it biodegrade? If not, can we make it biodegradable? Or can we design products to last?

Major companies like H&M, Patagonia, and Adidas are all involved in the circular economy. And many local Vancouver & Canadian brands are part of the circular economy too: Novel Supply Co, Free Geek, Wood Source Co-op, ChopValue Manufacturing, Royal Printers, and West Coast Wood Works to name a few.

 

CELEBRATING PROGRESS, RAISING AWARENESS

There is much to celebrate these days – including the businesses, institutions, and residents involved in the circular economy. Yet there is still much more to be done. It just so happens to be Waste Reduction Week next week from Monday, Oct. 15th to Sunday, Oct. 21st across Canada – where we invite you to join us and hundreds of other businesses and residents to raise awareness about waste reduction in Canada! From topics such as the circular economy to food waste, every day next week presents a unique topic that hopefully will inform and inspire.

It might get confusing about what exactly we can recycle, and what goes in your garbage or organics bin. You might even be surprised that what you think can be recycled is in fact, garbage! Here’s a list of five things people think are recyclable when they aren’t.

Food-Soiled Pizza Boxes

Summer is the perfect time to host a family get-together or a housewarming party, celebrating your move into a new home. Many events like these are accompanied by food: barbecues, snacks, and yes, pizza. But do you know how to recycle properly at these events?

For starters, food soiled pizza boxes cannot be thrown away in the recycling bin. Food soiled pizza boxes include any with grease or oils stuck to the boxes. These must be thrown away in your organics bin. Some people may think food-soiled pizza boxes go in the garbage, but if your residential garbage pickup has a three-stream sorting option, then these must go in the organics bin.

Canadians are recycling wrong every year, costing them millions of dollars. If these pizza boxes are thrown in the recycling, then the other recyclables would be contaminated with the grease and made unfit for recycling. The receiving facility will then have to transfer all these contaminated recyclables to the landfill or composting facility, adding additional hours and costs to an otherwise efficient system.

What if your pizza box is un-soiled? Then, in Vancouver, these boxes are considered mixed paper and can be recycled in your blue bins.

Glitter Wrapping, Ribbons & Foil

It might be shocking to learn that glitter can’t be recycled — so that enticing glitter foil wrapping paper and birthday card isn’t looking too tempting anymore, right?

Allen Langdon from RecycleBC spoke with CBC last Christmas about the hidden dangers of glitter. Glitter heavy foil wrap, bows, and ribbons can’t be recycled and instead must go in the garbage. However people are still throwing them in the recycling bin thinking, or hoping, otherwise.

Regular wrapping paper is recyclable, and so are normal bows and ribbon and foil, but glitter is a big no-no.

“We can’t recycle [those],” Langdon says. “They become a contaminant and we ask people to put them in the garbage.” (CBC, 2017).

So when you’re shopping for a birthday card, or an anniversary gift, opt for a glitter-less card! Paper packaging is recyclable, and so is kraft paper. You can also check the back of the cards or wrapping paper to see whether they are made from recycled paper or not. Choosing recycled, post-consumer paper products is one way to reduce our waste. Or we can go without wrapping at all! Zero wasters have long since devised interesting ways to wrap a present, like wrapping a gift in a piece of cloth instead of paper.

Bubble Wrap Mailers

Bubble wrap mailers can’t be recycled in curbside bins in British Columbia, Canada.

Yet a pilot project by RecycleBC has 116 recycling depots accepting bubble wrap packaging starting June 1st, 2018.

The participating depots will be collecting flexible plastic packaging, like bubble wrap and zipper-lock bags and crinkly wrappers. Chip bags will be accepted, as will net plastic bags for produce. These, found at grocery stores, can be recycled by dropping them off at a participating depot.

But is it worth driving out of your way to recycle them at a participating depot?

It might seem counter-productive to emit emissions with your drive to these depots to recycle plastic packaging, but consider how often you encounter flexible packaging waste in your life.

Bubble wrap has become a popular disposable waste item because ordering items online is more convenient than ever. Think about how many people order from Amazon each day, and how many packages sealed in bubble wrap are delivered. It’s not just Amazon either — consider eBay, commercial businesses, and local mom and pop stores that deliver products to your door. Bubble wrap and padded envelopes — these are a necessity for sellers to make sure their items arrive undamaged, but at the cost to the environment.

 

So when you think about it, being able to recycle these bubble wrap packaging is a good step forward for BC.

However, the best course of action will be to minimize our waste in the first place, making sure we really need to purchase the item online to begin with. You can also reach out to some online stores to ask about alternative packaging options before they ship the item out to you.

In general, when we use less plastics we don’t have to worry about finding a place to recycle them!

Propane Tanks

Propane tanks can be recycled, so why are they on this list?

Because even if you wash your propane tank, you can’t recycle them in your recycling or garbage bins at home. They are not safe for curbside pickup.

They cannot be recycled curbside because they are hazardous materials, and in rare cases cause fires in garbage trucks if they aren’t emptied properly. If the tanks are not clean, the oil will end up contaminating the rest of the recyclables in these trucks, making all the waste ineligible to be recycled.

Propane tanks need to be transported to a landfill facility or if you’re in Vancouver, at the Zero Waste Center, which accepts up to two propane tanks per day per vehicle for free.

Beverages from outside of Canada

Can beverages from outside of Canada be recycled in Canada?

This is a trick question – of course, they can!

The only difference is that if you paid a recycling deposit fee for example in the US, you can’t claim the fee back here in Canada.

This can deter Canadians from recycling bottles purchased across the border but think about the environmental impacts of a can that isn’t properly recycled. So why not avoid the hassle of either driving across the border to return the bottle for the deposit fee, or feeling guilty about throwing the can away in the trash here in Canada,  and buy Canadian instead? Supporting local economies, bottlers, and suppliers will be more beneficial to the Canadian economy in the long run. Or, simply avoid buying bottled water and aluminum cans in the first place!

So How Can I Recycle Right?

There are many free resources online that can help you recycle right this summer. Recycling can be confusing, as rules are always being updated here in BC Canada. Different cities, municipalities, and even countries have different recycling rules, to make it even more confusing!

We found most of the information for this blog post from the City of Vancouver’s Waste Wizard page and from RecycleBC and the RCBC Recyclepedia.

Sources

116 Recycle BC Depots Collecting Other Flexible Plastic Packaging (RecycleBC, May 2018)

Other Flexible Packaging (RecycleBC, 2018). 

Many Canadians are recycling wrong, and it’s costing us millions (Emily Chung, CBC 2018)

We should be concerned about the world we live in, especially to protect our environment. We should all contribute in one way or another to make our planet a more sustainable, healthier, and greener place to live. We only have one Earth, so let’s make it count!

Here are the top five issues plaguing our environment today:

Climate Change and Global Warming

There is no doubt that anthropogenic activity (that is, human activity) has accelerated climate change in the last few centuries. Global temperatures are higher than ever, and sea level is rising faster than we anticipate. Massive chunks of icebergs are breaking off from the Arctic and Antartica ice sheets while other tropical regions are experiencing their first snowfalls. A change in climate is natural; we have had many cyclical ice ages and thawing periods. However, there is no denying that we humans are accelerating climate change faster than we can adapt to it.

What causes global warming? You might say it’s the greenhouse gasses we produce every day in our lives. From gas-guzzling cars to oil plants and refineries, all the gasses we emit into the atmosphere has an effect on our climate. Even the impacts of global warming can be felt in the oceans, not just on land. The Great Barrier Reef has lost its colours due to a process called ocean acidification that causes coral bleaching. On land, as climate affects local weather patterns, we are experiencing more intense heat waves and storms.

One of the ways we can drastically reduce our effects on climate change is to use renewable energy, like wind and solar power, instead of fossil fuels. Although transitioning to a fossil-fuel less society can be difficult, if we are to sustain the Earth for future generations, we must act now, before it’s too late.

Water Pollution and Scarcity

Water scarcity is a scary thought, as we humans (and other life forms) need water to survive. Water is sustenance; it helps life grow. A world without water is terrifying, and rightly so.

Many freshwater water sources around the world are drying up, simply because of longer periods of droughts and shorter periods of rainfall. As weather and climate patterns shift, areas of the world more prone to rain are receiving it less, while others are dumped more rain than they have ever seen before.

There is also another reason why we’re running out of freshwater: simply because there aren’t enough of it, and there are a lot of people!

As the human population continues to grow over the next decades, more resources are needed. But when only 2.5% of the world’s water bodies are freshwater (and not saltwater) and only 1% of that 2.5% is accessible, the odds don’t look nice. Most of our water is trapped in glaciers and snowmelt. When our world warms up, and these ice sheets melt, the freshwater inside these sheets does not end up in our freshwater supply. Instead, the freshwater melts into oceans, turning into undrinkable salt water.

One way we can combat water scarcity is by conserving our use of water to necessary tasks, like for cooking, cleaning, and washing.

We can also, surprisingly, reduce our water consumption by reusing and reducing the food and textiles we throw away each year. Agriculture and the clothing industry are big consumers of freshwater resources. A pair of jeans for example, take a lot of water to process and make, and lots of clothes are thrown out due to fast fashion each year. Agriculture is also energy and water intensive. The food we eat took countless of water, energy, and fuel to transport to our grocery stores. Yet so many food is wasted around the world each year.

Environmental Pollution

One of the reasons why fossil fuels are being phased out is because of its damage to our air. CO2 emissions from transportation and industrial activity, along with other chemicals like carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide contaminate the air we breathe. Too much of these chemicals also seep into our soil, contaminating our supply of water and food. When animals are at risk for bioaccumulation, we are too. Everything we ingest can contain bioaccumulated toxins starting from the plants that herbivores consume.

How do we stop our air, water, and land from being so polluted?

We can decide where to spend our money, what corporations we support, and altogether consume far fewer resources than we need. We can choose more sustainable methods of travel, or better plan our travels to reduce our CO2 emissions. If all 7 billion people on Earth do something small to pollute less, imagine what our world will be like.

Deforestation

Trees and forests are natural carbon sinks. They take harmful chemicals like carbon dioxide out of the air. Forests are also home to rich, diverse ecosystems where many animals live. Vegetation near rivers and streams (riparian) help maintain balance in the water and provide a home to important species that apex creatures depend on.

When we cut down forests, we lose soil stability. This makes sudden flash floods and rainfalls more deadly, as the trees’ roots cannot stop the soil from washing away. Clear-cutting forests also destroy the habitat of creatures living in them and make the soil unstable for decades to come.

We need to reduce the number of trees cut to keep our ecosystems alive.

Ecosystems and Endangered Species

As ecosystems continue to decrease, the number of endangered species continues to rise. Both the species and the ecosystem are continually being affected due to all the environmental issues. When a habitat is lost, the species living there will also be lost. Others may find a new place to stay while it may not be possible with others. Giving full support to organizations dedicated to fighting the extinction of species is one of the most effective ways to save species.

Conclusion

We have to take these issues seriously, as we are already seeing the consequences of our inactions. If we all do our part to take care of the environment, champion a green revolution, and conserve what we have, we can sustain the beauty of the Earth for many generations to come.