Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council

Transcription

1 Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council SWRC s new logo, tag line and display Annual Report 2009

2 The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council is a non-profit, charitable organization, established in 1991, whose mission is: to help Saskatchewan and its people attain the environmental, economic and social benefits that come from reducing waste. This will be achieved through communication, education, partnerships and related support services. From the Chairperson 2009 marks SWRC s 18th year of existence (does that make it legally an adult?). During that time, we ve learned some things. We ve learned that a lot of good happens if you bring people together to share their ideas and experiences. We ve learned that working in partnerships is the way to go. We ve learned to celebrate success and to find the lesson in failures. We ve learned that sometimes progress is slow. We haven t learned patience, but we re trying. We ve learned that change is difficult, but worthwhile every person, business, organization and municipality that adopts waste reduction is one step closer to a waste-free future for all of us. - Bert Weichel From the Executive Director Every so often an organization needs to change its wardrobe and get a new look (of course our logo was so 90s, that s when it was designed!). As we get closer to our twentieth year, it seemed time to update things. And so, after considerable angst, we have a new logo, new display and first-ever tagline: think more, waste less. We re going to take the tagline to heart: 2010 will see SWRC embark on a back-to-the-basics strategic planning process that will clarify our mission and guide us in setting our future direction. We re counting on all this thinking leading to less waste. - Joanne Fedyk Activities Waist Reduction: Tightening Our belts Waste Minimization Forums Our Forum events continue to be popular for networking and sharing information. The Spring 09 Forum was held in Saskatoon at the Parktown Hotel, April 2 & 3, and was titled Waist Reduction: Tightening Our Belts. Highlights included a tour of Saskatoon s Dundonald Yards, a recently opened facility for processing construction materials, the City s Highway 7 compost depot, and Cosmopolitan Industries recently-expanded recycling facility; and a workshop on Energy Awareness Training. Keynote speaker Jerry Powell, editor of several recycling publications, discussed The Great Recycling Market Crash of Other presentations included; The New School 3Rs; Reduce Reuse Recycle; Diets From Abroad: What s New Next Door and

3 Tomorrow (Alberta and New Zealand). For a change of pace, the evening entertainment was a dance featuring Saskatoon band Maxwell s Big Four, rockin the house with great oldies. The Fall 09 Forum was entitled SWAT Taking Waste Down, and was held at the Tropical Inn in North Battleford, Sept. 24 & 25. The event began with a choice of golf, or a workshop on effective public consultation. Session topics included Waste and the Carbon Economy; Waste-to-Energy; and Industry Initiatives. Thursday evening featured guest speaker Thomas Porter, who along with his wife Manda, is building an earth-filled house near Prince Albert that uses 3,000 scrap tires in the walls. Our thanks go to SaskTel, our major Forum sponsor, as well as our other sponsors, speakers, and attendees for making these events such a success. 13th Saskatchewan Waste Minimization Awards The 13th annual Saskatchewan Waste Minimization Awards ceremony was held in conjunction with our Forum in April. Awards were presented by Greg Ottenbreit, Legislative Secretary for Recycling, and SWRC Chairperson Bert Weichel. Congratulations to: Grade Six class of Kipling High School, Youth/School Award Town of Pilot Butte, Municipal Award Sid Bowles and Maureen Robinson from the Saskatchewan Environmental Society for their Destination Conservation Saskatchewan (DCS) program, Non-Profit Award Town of Pilot Butte receive the Municipal Award from Greg Ottenbreit and Bert Weichel. Recycle Saskatchewan SWRC and the provincial stewardship organizations (SARCAN, SARRC, SSTC, SWEEP and Product Care) work collaboratively together as Recycle Saskatchewan. We share a website, RecycleSaskatchewan.ca and work jointly on promotional activities. In 2009, we shared display space at the SUMA Convention and other trade shows. Recycle Sask also created teaching units for the new Grades 7 & 8 science curriculum. These were launched during Waste Reduction Week 2009 and are available on the website under For SK Schools. Summer Student Recycling Ambassadors In partnership with SARRC, SARCAN, SWEEP, SSTC, SPRP, and Retire Your Ride, SWRC coordinated six summer students. Jordan Hildebrandt (making his second appearance), Avry Cline, Joel Bird, Kristin Hitchings, Paul Olfert, and Tawnya Schmidt promoted SARRC s used oil materials recycling program by taking the Mr. Oil Drop mascot to parades and community events. Mr. Oil Drop is an attention-getter and continues to be popular with children. Joan Meyer from SWEEP at the Recycle Sask displays at the SUMA Convention. The students visited oil retailers with information on the used oil recycling program. They also conducted quality control surveys on SARCAN depots, visited paint retailers for the paint recycling program, visited electronics retailers for SWEEP, visited tire retailers for SSTC and visited motor license issuers for Retire Your Ride. They also visited municipal offices on behalf of all the programs. L-R: Avry Cline, Paul Olfert, Tawnya Schmidt, Joel Bird, Kristen Hitchings, Jordan Hildebrandt

4 Anna-Lise Hodgins Summer Student Data Base Clerk This year, SWRC also hired a summer student to work in the office under Naomi s supervision to update our recycling database. Anna-Lise Hodgins called everyone currently in the database to make sure our information was correct and then combed the province for new recyclers to give us the most accurate information possible. Thanks to her hard work, our Where Can I Recycle My. button on the website is as up-to-date as we can get it! Waste Reduction Week Waste Reduction Week in Canada (WRW) was held October and celebrated in every province and territory. Several Saskatchewan communities, as well as the province, proclaimed WRW in SWRC distributed WRW posters and activities to all Saskatchewan schools and invited municipal and recycling organizations to participate. Posters featured spokes-muppets, all our familiar friends from Sesame Street. WRW in Saskatchewan was launched both in Regina, at Ecole Massey School, and in Saskatoon, at St. Angela School. At each event, students competed against sponsors in an Are You Smarter than a 7th (or 8th) Grader? competition using material from the new Recycle Saskatchewan teaching units. Thanks to SaskPower for their continued support of WRW. Additional thanks to SARRC, SSTC, SaskTel, SWEEP, SaskEnergy, and Waste Management of Canada Corp. Launching WRW in Saskatoon Composting Composting, and organic waste management in general, remains a priority for SWRC. We continue to be excited about the possibilities for locally creating a useful product from a significant portion of the waste stream. Composting for the City of Saskatoon SWRC coordinates Master Composter activities for Saskatoon. In 2009, we staffed Saskatoon s composting display at Gardenscapes March This popular gardening show continues to be a great venue to spread the composting message. Master Composter Angie Bugg (right) at Gardenscapes We also did Master Composter training for Saskatoon, April 25 & 26 at the U of S. Instructors Laurie Brasnett and Dennis Woods shared their knowledge with twelve trainees about small- and large-scale composting, vermicomposting and trouble shooting. Master Composters learn about the composting process in a hands-on and in-depth way, with demonstrations, field trips and class work. They are also taught how to give composting presentations, and answer questions about home composting. Several of the new volunteers have already been put to work since their training. SWRC staff and master composters also staffed composting booths at Seedy Saturday (a Saskatoon event), the Saskatoon Farmers Market, as well as giving several presentations at libraries, schools, and other institutions.

5 SWRC also coordinated Saskatoon s two grass and leaf depots. The depots were open daily from mid-april to mid-november. Over the season, more than 17,500 tonnes of grass, leaves, soil, garden materials, and, for the first time, non-elm branches, were dropped off by Saskatoon residents and commercial outfits. This represents a four-fold increase over last year! Sustainable Compost Project With support from Environment Canada s Eco-Action Community Funding Program and the province s Green Initiatives Fund, we completed a two-year project to assist communities and institutions with their composting efforts. In 2009, we had six partners: Yorkton, Meadow Lake, Wynyard, Wheatland Regional Centre (Rosetown) Sherbrooke Community Centre (Saskatoon), and Bruno Feeds The partners composting programs are in various stages of development, from brand new to well-established. Saskatoon residents dropping off grass clippings at the compost depot. As part of the project, SWRC held two Compost Field Days in June, one in Saskatoon, one in Yorkton, to provide education about large-scale composting. These featured local speakers, experts from the Composting Council of Canada and Brandon Ag Research Centre and equipment demonstrations. SWRC provided backyard composting training, technical assistance on largerscale composting and other support as needed to their compost partners. Articles on the individual partners programs are available on our website at saskwastereduction.ca. Compost Project Coordinator Larry Mullen (with megaphone) with Compost Field Day participants in Saskatoon. Spreading the Message SWRC had a number of opportunities this past year to take its message to the public. We participated in CTV s News at Noon segment three times, speaking on electronics recycling, the Saskatoon composting depots, and recycling of household hazardous wastes. Staff also did several media interviews for both TV and newspaper on topics ranging from recycling markets to plastic bags to event greening. SWRC staff and volunteers also made presentations on recycling and composting to the Sask. Registered Nurses Association, to a regional waste management group, to adult education facilities, schools, and libraries, just to name a few. We also participated in the Recycle Saskatchewan displays at both the Regina and Saskatoon Home Shows, as well as having a display at the Ness Creek Music Festival. Representation SWRC partners with the stewardship organizations by providing representation. Bert Weichel is a member of SARRC s board of directors on our behalf. Joanne Fedyk represents SWRC on the SSTC board, the SPRP s Advisory Committee, and SWEEP s board of directors. SWRC Information & Outreach Coordinator Naomi Mihilewicz talks to Wynyard Elementary students on Earth Day.

6

7

8

9 Director Director

10

11

12

13

14

15 SWRC 2009 Members and Directors Thanks for your support! 2009 Board of Directors Bert Weichel, Johnson & Weichel, Chair Kevin Acton, SARCAN, Vice-Chair Richard Matchett, Treasurer Joanne Fedyk, Secretary Jack Astill, Edmonton Angie Bugg, Saskatoon Fred Clipsham, City of Regina Kelly Goyer, U of S Mark Hilton, Sask. Abilities Council Rod Johnson, Saskatoon Annette Lang, Regina Girl Guides Joan Meyer, SWEEP Sheri Praski, City of Saskatoon Chris Potter, Ministry of Environment John Schisler, Air Ronge Tyler Smith, SaskTel Don Taylor, SARM 2009 SWRC Members Allied Paper Savers, Edmonton, AB Shirley Anthony, Yorkton ARWMAS, Saskatoon Town of Assiniboia Jack Astill, Edmonton, AB Town of Battleford Patricia Beaulieu, Meadow Lake Biomed Recovery and Disposal, Saskatoon Allyson Brady, Saskatoon Angie Bugg, Saskatoon Janice Burrows, Prince Albert Town of Carlyle Clean Nova Scotia Foundation, Dartmouth, NS Composting Council of Canada, Toronto, ON Cosmopolitan Industries, Saskatoon Crown Shred & Recycling, Regina Ken Donnelly, Bayside, NS e-cycle Solutions, Airdrie, AB Eastern Recyclers Association, Kentville, NS Ecotainer Sales, Surrey, BC Electronics Product Stewardship Can., Ottawa, ON Melanie Elliott, Saskatoon Environmental Coalition of PEI, Charlottetown ERCO Worldwide, Saskatoon Annette Esau, Meadow Lake Town of Eston Evraz Inc., Regina Ernie Freitag, Prince Albert Town of Gull Lake Habitat ReStore, Regina Gregg Hallsworth, Regina Beach B. Hanbidge & R. Johnson, Saskatoon Amanda Harden, Yorkton Dave Harman, Meadow Lake Joan Harrison, Loon Lake Audrey Harsh, Hudson Bay Hewlett Packard, Mississauga, ON Merv Hey, Saskatoon Paule Hjertaas, Regina Joseph Hnatiuk, Regina Johnson & Weichel, Saskatoon Bob & Iris Johnson, Goodsoil K-Light Recycling, Regina Keep Garbage Beneficial, Pugwash, NS Bob Kenny, Saskatoon Harry Kerr, Yorkton Town of Kindersley Kim Kidd Kitagawa, Waterloo, ON Town of La Ronge Lamon Disposal Ltd., Meadow Lake Stephanie Langevin, Saskatoon City of Lloydminster Loraas Disposal Services, Saskatoon Sharon Loster, Yorkton Town of Lumsden Mallard Diversified Services, Wadena Town of Maple Creek Richard Matchett, Saskatoon City of Melville Menno Industries, Waldheim Ministry of Environment, Regina Ministry of Government Services, Regina Duane Mohn, Birch Hills Judy Montgomery, Saskatoon City of Moose Jaw Town of Moosomin Gail Mott, Meadow Lake Larry Mullen, Saskatoon Municipal Waste Assoc., Guelph, ON Nature Saskatchewan, Regina Anne Neuls, Grenfell Newalta (Sask) Corp., Regina Town of Nipawin City of North Battleford

16 North Central Sask. Waste Mgmt. Corp, Prince Albert North Valley Waste Mgmt. Assoc., Fort Qu Appelle Anton Olfert, Saskatoon Town of Outlook Zsuzsanna Papp, Saskatoon Wendy Paquin, Balcarres Parkland Regional Waste Mgmt. Assoc., Endeavour Pinter & Associates Ltd., Saskatoon PPEC, Toronto, ON City of Prince Albert Product Care Association, Surrey, BC Town of Radville Karen Ransome, Yorkton REACT, Humboldt Recycle-Logic Inc., Red Deer, AB Recycling Council of Alberta, Bluffton, AB Recycling Council of BC, Vancouver, BC Recycling Council of Ontario, Toronto, ON Recycling Equipment Co. of Canada, Kitchener, ON Redcoat Waste Resource Authority, Carlyle Regina Area Girl Guides City of Regina Public Works Resource Conservation Manitoba, Winnipeg Resource Recycling Magazine, Portland, OR Town of Rosthern Yann Ruskovski, Prince Albert Clayton Sampson, Woodstock, ON Denise Sarauer, Meadow Lake SARCAN Recycling, Saskatoon SARRC, Saskatoon Sask. Abilities Council, Yorkton Sask. Association of Urban Municipalities, Regina Sask. Environment & Industry Mgmt. Assoc., Regina Sask. Environmental Society, Saskatoon Sask. Federation of Labour, Regina Sask. Scrap Tire Corp., Regina Sask. Waste Electronic Equipment Program, Saskatoon City of Saskatoon Saskatoon Health Region Saskatoon Processing Co. Saskatoon Regional Waste Mgmt. Assoc., Dundurn SaskPower, Regina SaskPower BDPS, Estevan SaskTel Safety & Environment, Regina Wayne Schidlowsky, Humboldt John Schisler, Air Ronge Joe Schmutz, Saskatoon SGI Salvage Operation, Regina Town of Shaunavon Mark Smishek, Regina SUMA, Regina City of Swift Current Tetra Pak Canada, Richmond Hill, ON THRL Waste Management Authority, Raymore Town of Tisdale Titan Clean Energy Projects, Saskatoon Heather Trueman, Saskatoon University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Urban Forest Recyclers, Swift Current Town of Wadena Town of Warman Waste Management of Canada Corp. City of Weyburn Environment Committee Weyburn Wor-Kin Shop Wheatland Regional Centre, Rosetown Town of Wilkie Wilson Engineering, Calgary, AB RM of Wilton, Marshall WYWRA, North Battleford City of Yorkton Pat Zatylny, Dysart SWRC 2009 Sustaining Members