Parenting Picks: Waste Reduction Week Landfill Tour

Wild Turkey's

A visit to the Waterloo landfill reminded me of illustrations from a Bill Peet book.

In honour of Waste Reduction Week, the region held free-to-the-public tours, where we learned what happens to our garbage post pick-up and ways we can contribute to improving the environment.

http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/aboutTheEnvironment/waste2.asp
They hold Spring and Fall tours, as well as educational groups throughout the year.
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/aboutTheEnvironment/Publications_Education_Events.asp#ED

Before our tour, we had the opportunity to visit the display room featuring a mini replica of the landfill and the layers involved to encourage decomposition. Not to mention, how they use underground piping to reduce the methane released from decomposition of waste!

We met 'London', the Harris Hawk whose job it is to scare away the seagulls.

Big Yellow Bus

O's transportation dream fulfilled again, as our driver Jose pulled up in the yellow school bus!

Nye Ludolph

"Father of the Blue Box"

Kitchener Ontario is home of the Blue Box.

The Father of the Blue Box and former resident of Kitchener, Mr. Nye Ludolph, introduced a pilot program involving 250 families and now the curbside recycling is a worldwide initiative to reduce landfill waste.

Baling Recyclables

Staff stayed on for our tour, so we could witness recycling in action. Giant bales of plastic and cartons are compacted and tied by machine in preparation for sales back into the market.

Future Toilet Paper

Baler

Landfill Site

Three hundred acres is owned by the region with 175 belonging to landfill, while the remaining was sanctioned in the 60's as an environmentally protected region; home to birds, coyotes, deer, fox and other local wildlife. They are preparing the new excavation site as the current one pictured above, will be capped off within the next year or two. It is then converted into recreational land for public use.

Our guide reminded us that the term, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is listed in order of importance;
1) reduce the amount of waste we use by being conscientious consumers and not purchasing wasteful items in the first place. Our guide used the example of plastic water bottles; though they are recyclable, they still require energy and materials in the breakdown process.
2) reuse the containers that you do purchase. She insisted that if you do purchase water bottles, they can be reused up the 19 times with tap water, which is both environmentally-friendly and cost effective.
3) recycle the containers for sale back into the market. Take the time to sort your garbage in order to use the programs in place.


EXPAND ON ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES
Region of Waterloo encourage use of the following programs:
1) Rechargeable Battery Recycling. Drop off rechargeable batteries so they can get turned into new batteries and stainless steel products.

2) Paint Program. Pick up reuseable paint for free.

3) Goodwill Industry. Drop off used clothing at Waste Transfer Stations.

4) Wood Chips Pick Up. Quality garden mulch available for free pick-up.
5) Blended Bicycles Program. All bicycle parts are accepted. Repair and refurbishment taught to high school students and redistribution to families in need.

Vermacomposting. Did you know we toss out 1/3 of our food each year? Check out the benefits of Vermacomposting at The Kids Should See This http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/vermicomposting-how-worms-can-reduce-our-waste

Sleeping Naked is Green. Canadian, Vanessa Farquharson wrote this book based on her one year journey of change. Her 365 changes are listed here http://greenasathistle.com/green-listed/ .
Her site also hosts links to various other green bloggers.