Zero Waste Simcoe

Randy introduced Katy Austin who is a Board Member on Zero Waste, a retired teacher and a 4 time NDP candidate who enjoyse outdoor activities.

She said back in 2008 when they were all working against Site 41 McKay and Millar, now Mayors of Midland and Tiny respectively, invited several to a new zero waste organization with the aim of reducing the need for such sites by reducing waste.  She admits that it seems hopeless but if we remember back before smoking bylaws you couldn't go anywhere without breathing second hand and now look.  Change can come.  Reducing waste through education, legislation and financial incentive can work.

She had some slides showing the awful proliferation of garbage in the oceans and mentioned the effect it has on marine life - mostly killing it.  Canada, she says, produces more garbage per capita than any other country because we have a cradle to grave waste economy.  Natural resources are converted to material, creating waste, then turned into products that need to be packaged which is thrown away and eventually we throw away the product and buy new which requires unending new resources.

Landfills leak and pollute, incineration also pollutes and becomes dependent on the generation of garbage to make the investment in the facility pay.  Simcoe is sending some garbage to an incinerator in Southern Ontario.  Zero Waste is achievable - they are far ahead of us in Europe where stuff is reformatted for reuse - but it is off the radar of our politicians in this economy.  It needs to be promoted at the County and at the Province.

Reduce by products, package with material that can be reused or composted - like beer bottles; why can't we do that with pop cans?  There is resistance, of course.  Coke is suing in Australia which is trying to impose deposits but it is in place in AB, NS and Germany.  There is a carpet company in the States that will take your old carpet and reuse the fibres which makes their product cheaper and reduces waste.

The organization suggests individuals avoid where they can, reduce when the can't and reuse if possible.  The promote the concept of extended producer responsibility which means legislating responsibility for dealing with packaging and disposal of things like water bottles.  They go to dumps or the ocean and producers take no responsibility - they should be forced to use a deposit return system.  If it's made expensive enough they might move to glass, which lasts longer.  Some corporations are helping - Toyota has moved to reusable packaging for shipping - these boxes can be used up to 150 times.

She suggests we don't buy garbage packaging and, when we do, leave the packaging at the store.  Choose recyclable products, avoid single servings, use the green bins, use travel mugs, sugar bowls instead of packets, and give experiences and consumables instead of more stuff we don't need for presents.  Regift.

Check out sites - zerowastesimcoe.org, storyofstuff.org,  and freecycle.org (an exchange site).  Make it a better world for our children.

Ron offered the thanks of the Club and presented her with a certificate on recyclable paper.