My First 'Real' Reuse Shopping Trip

In my real world, outside of my computer, I work for a bank that runs a super cool kids program for elementary children to teach financial literacy and responsibility. Older elementary-aged children create their own bank within their school--taking on roles like teller, CEO, or treasurer. My part in this picture is helping the kids create promotions to encourage other students to save money. This means that together we dream up ways to educate and incentivize saving money; most importantly, we try to make it fun for the whole school. This laundry list of intentions tends to use a fair bit of construction paper, as you'd imagine.

                                                          Photo taken by Jessica B.

Naturally, my first thought when given nearly a year full of programming was to visit the Reuse Centre! With the help of my co-lead, we put together a crafty Tickle Trunk that could rival even the most impressive DIYer collections. We found cool paper, felt bits, lace, colouring tools and even some administrative essentials like binders and duotangs for our board members. Being there made me realize how very possible it is to utilize the centre in a more regular, everyday way, especially when it comes to creative projects and the classroom. 

More than anything, I was inspired by Edmonton’s reuse community. Walking through the aisles of the Reuse Centre made me aware not only of the people who, in the middle of the Tuesday workday, took the time to shop unconventionally, but also of the people who realized that they had too much tile, paper, or too many bottle caps. These people saw value in these items beyond their own personal use and they took active steps to keep their unwanted items out of the waste system. These people believe in a community where trash is often also treasure, and I feel pretty proud to be part of it.

Many acknowledge that the best way to create a shift in our culture's value and waste practices is to start at home--shifting the way we, individually, interact with the endless mass of things that surround us and make way into our lives. Continuing to shop at the Reuse Centre and incorporating it into my programming allows me, in very small subtle ways, to start conversations about what these changes could look like in the worlds of students, customers and colleagues. For example, what if we reused our posters from week to week with minor tweaks, or what if we sought out promotional incentives that focused on experiences rather than new things? One member of my board of directors even suggested that we run tours of our "bank" for other students instead of sending them home with sugary treats or fidget spinners. Brilliant.

Onwards through 2020!

Photo and submission by Jess (Volunteer)

Tales from the Sales

Winter has a firm hold! I say that with a huge sigh because I love summer. This was my first summer in Edmonton and boy, was it a treat! The long days of sunshine, beautiful hikes, smell of fresh-cut grass, barbecues and of course, the GARAGE SALES! I had no idea how cool a garage sale was until I moved to Edmonton. My mind was blown!

I think that sustainability is a journey that starts from within our own homes and spreads to the community. As the saying goes, “droplets of water become an ocean.” Garage sales are a phenomenal sustainability practice. 

Let me get a bit technical here and take you through the manifestation of the three pillars of sustainability in a typical garage sale.

1.      Economical: Garage sales are one of the most economical ways of buying items you want!

2.      Environmental: You are literally diverting waste from landfills, so kudos!

3.      Social: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, so both of you are happy! 

I know garage sales have been a part of the culture in this part of the world for quite some time. But as a newbie to Canada, I know that some people have genuine apprehensions about getting stuff from a garage sale. It might be that you don’t want to buy stuff from somebody else’s home. It might be that you don’t expect to find anything worthwhile and think that you might be wasting time. Or, it might be that you don’t know how awesome these sales actually are. 

Initially, I was not a fan of garage sales. But I am married to my polar opposite. He loves vintage collectibles and the like, so we went on a garage sale-hopping adventure this summer. I lost count after 10 sales. (I know, it’s crazy). What we purchased from these sales blew our minds.

All the precious wooden sculptures

Check out these  immaculately intricate wooden sculptures of people, animals and much more! To be frank, beyond the artistic appeal, what caught my attention was the story behind each collectible. For instance, I purchased a small storage box that the nice garage sale host had used when she was a little girl. She wanted me to take special care of it as it had a lot of childhood memories.

Ceramic dog figurines

Apart from all the economic gains, these garage sales are an opportunity to meet new people and hear their stories while living more sustainably. 

If you are looking for tips to land your own amazing finds, try checking out some of your local buy-and-sell forums and websites. Most of the sale notifications come with pictures of things for sale and approximate prices, so you can go prepared. Also, keep your eyes open while walking around your neighborhood as there are definitely sales around every nook and corner. Winter sales are mostly indoor, and notifications are normally through online platforms.


For those who missed out this year, please do try your luck during our next summer garage sale season, and keep an eye out for indoor winter sales too!

Submission by Roshni Mary Sebastian (Volunteer)

'Tis the season to reduce, reuse and save

It’s almost Christmas! Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? I usually do mine online because I find more sales online compared to in stores. The downside of online shopping is the packaging waste it creates (packing peanuts, bubble wrap, boxes, etc.). Consolidating all items into a single package can reduce this waste, but only if the order is coming from one store, and often that only happens if a person makes a special request to combine items for shipping.

This year, I am replacing little knick-knacks that I usually order online with a couple of gift ideas that don’t create extra waste, require minimal crafting skills and cost less than $6. I would love for you to try them too! Of course, there are other wasteless options available within various budgets: gift cards, tickets to movies and other experiences. Check out the Wasteless Gift Guide post for more ideas.

1. Potted plants

These small plants are not only very cute, they are also low maintenance and air-purifying. Although they may not be as Christmassy as poinsettias (which don’t always last long), the pots can easily be decorated with ribbons or fabrics to make them look more festive. You can paint the pots, write a cute message, or make a Christmas terrarium.  Let your creativity work!

I got these succulents at Ikea for $4.99.

2. Secondhand books

Some people frown on the idea of regifting, but there are certain items that are perfect for enjoying then passing on, like books. Books are timeless and their contents never get old. Even if a book looks a little worn out on the outside, the inside will be brand new to a person who hasn’t read it yet! Plus, there are many secondhand books out there that look brand new. All that is required is some cute fabric wrap and you are set.

The Reuse Centre has many books to choose from. If you’re looking for another great option, the Edmonton Public Library has a Books2Buy event coming up on December 14 and 15 at the Enterprise Square location downtown. 

Books2Buy is a regular event where the library sells excess inventory of books, audiobooks, CDs and more at discounted prices. You can get kids’ books and paperbacks for just a dollar! See complete pricing at the Edmonton Public Library website. 

At a previous Books2Buy event, I was able to fill up this box with 27 fairly new books for $10. Amazing, right?

So there you go. Just a couple of affordable and sustainable gift ideas for you to try. Remember, it's the thought that counts! 

Finally,  because we all like to save money at this time of year I wanted to share about a free app called Flashfood. It helps you find local stores selling discounted items that are close to their expiry or best before dates. This food is safe to eat and tastes great. Hopefully more grocery stores will start using the app, as it reduces avoidable food waste and helps budget-conscious consumers find food at reduced prices. Definitely worth trying this season while planning for the celebrations with friends and families that will involve food! 

Well, that's it for now. Enjoy your holidays!

Photos and Submission by Mariz (Volunteer) 

Happy International Volunteer Day

International Volunteer Day (IVD), is a day of observance set by the United Nations. It was first established in 1985 and since then has been recognized globally as an opportunity for us all, “to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions at local, national and international levels.”

The theme chosen to mark this year is, "Volunteer for an inclusive future", highlighting the impact that volunteers have in promoting greater inclusion throughout our communities.

The United Nations explains this theme well, “Volunteering provides opportunities for people, particularly those often excluded, to concretely impact their own lives and play a constructive role in their communities by volunteering their time and skills. Through volunteerism, communities around the world often experience strengthened solidarity and inclusion.”

The City of Edmonton encourages staff and facilities to be inclusive environments that provide equitable access to resources and opportunities for all. The Diversity & Inclusion Framework guides this effort throughout our city as we collectively work together to achieve our societal goals. If you want to learn more about this, consider registering here for an event on December 10th to celebrate the launch of the City’s new framework.

The Reuse Centre strives to create an inclusive space for City of Edmonton residents to donate and purchase reusable items and learn about reducing waste through reuse. We all create waste and we all play an important role in being responsible with the waste we create. The Reuse Centre benefits from the work of Volunteer Sorters, Event Assistants and Bloggers. All of our volunteers contribute in different ways; they bring a variety of skills, abilities, and personality with them in fulfilling these roles. At the Reuse Centre, inclusion means that as we all contribute to the mission of diverting waste from landfill and promoting the benefits of reuse to others, and we all share in the continued success of a more sustainable community. Recently, customers and Waste Services staff have recognized the efforts of our volunteers with thank you messages.

Reuse Centre staff sharing a note of thanks

Notes of thanks written by customers

Waste Services staff shares a note of thanks

Jayne (Customer) poses to share a note of thanks

If you are interested in volunteering at the Reuse Centre, view our opportunities here. Want to contribute to our inclusive mission, but don’t want to volunteer? That’s okay too, have a look at our list of accepted items and start collecting some in your home today. Simply bring your collected items along with you on your next trip to an Eco Station or the Reuse Centre.

If you volunteer elsewhere locally, nationally or globally, thank you! 

Submission by Andrea (staff)

Smash those pumpkins

Pumpkins ready to be smashed

Halloween is over, and so is the pumpkin season. What did you do with your Halloween pumpkins? Have you ever considered reusing them to have a smashing good time?

The City of Edmonton’s Compost ‘S Cool organized a free pumpkin smashing event on the afternoon of Saturday, November 2. People were invited to bring their Halloween pumpkins to smash and prepare for composting. Everyone had a great time and the event gets bigger every year. This year, 479 people smashed 518 pumpkins!

Composting is a natural process that breaks down organic kitchen and yard materials. Composting turns organic materials into a dark, earthy material called compost. Finished compost improves soil and helps make your plants, garden and lawn healthier. The pumpkins brought in by participants are put through the composting process and, after a few months, will be available as food for plants. During the event, volunteers helped  people make compost tea bags. The tea bags, made from coffee filters filled with a small amount of last year’s pumpkin compost and tied closed, can later be soaked in water and used to water plants.

Pumpkin compost being made into compost tea bags

The event was fun-filled, particularly for the young ones. To smash the pumpkins, participants could drop it from a set height, stomp on it to break it down into pieces, or  crush it with a long hammer. The most popular option for children, though - resulting in a long queue of eager participants - was attaching a pumpkin to a rope plant holder and swinging it into a tree or pillar. No matter the choice, every pumpkin smashing station was manned by Master Composter Recyclers to assist with the smashing and to ensure the safety of all.

Different and fun ways pumpkins were smashed

Volunteers then collected the smashed and broken pumpkin pieces into large heaps, mixed with leaves and straw, in preparation for composting.

Smashed pumpkins become compost

After all of this hard work, people warmed up with free hot chocolate provided by Compost S’ Cool.

If you are new to composting, you can learn more about the process and get useful tips and resources from Compost S’ Cool. They organize regular workshops and information sessions for members of the public. You can learn more here.

If you missed this year’s pumpkin smashing event, plan ahead for next year. If you have a soggy pumpkin or other food scraps to discard, find out if there is a Sharewaste compost site in your neighbourhood. Follow Compost ‘S Cool on Facebook to stay up to date with all of their upcoming events and workshops!

Photos and Submission by Sunanda (Volunteer)

Waste Reduction Week Canada (Oct 21-27)

Waste Reduction Week in Canada has again come and gone! 

For those that aren't familiar with this Canadian initiative, "Waste Reduction Week" (WRW) is an annual event to inform Canadians about the environment and social ramifications of wasteful practices. WRW was developed by a coalition of 13 recycling councils and sister organizations from across Canada and happens in the third week of October each year. WRW uses its “take action” messaging to empower all Canadians to adopt more environmentally-conscious choices and provides them with information and ideas to reduce waste in all facets of daily living. (https://recycle.ab.ca/wrw/)

This year Waste Reduction Week (WRW) tackled seven different subjects related to waste, with each day dedicated to one theme. 

In my opinion, WRW in Canada has done an excellent job in educating about the vast array of waste issues that are suffocating our planet these days. What I liked most about this week is how easy it was to share about the importance of waste reduction because the organization's website, useful information and infographics were so easy to access. What made it even more simple to share with others was the fact that it was an official Canada-wide initiative - which I feel super proud of my country for having - and made it so much easier to share with businesses and organizations, such as the private school I work at.

The topics highlighted are truly some of the most imperative and urgent waste issues. As WRW has dedicated each day to a topic, let's review all that was shared for each subject and learn about how we can reduce our waste!

1. Circular Economy. Developing a circular economy is so important because products are designed so that the resources used to make products can be reused and reinvested into new products over and over again.

Circular economy is different from recycling because during the initial stages of product design, purposeful reuse of the resources is planned into the system instead of finding a recycling solution afterwards. This mindfulness in the initial stages of production reduces inevitable waste at the end of that product lifespan and also avoids possible toxic or non-recyclable materials from ending up in landfills.

What can you do to support this? Check out these tips from WRW below:

• Engage in products/services that use smart design and recycled materials

• Prioritize access over ownership (e.g. consider borrowing or renting items that you don't need often)

• Extend the life of materials through swapping, repairing/refurbishing

• Support companies that offer take-back programs

• Purchase refurbished products

2. Textiles. Fast fashion is one of the leading waste contributors and one of the top polluters of our environment. Factories of fast fashion companies often do not have proper water-treatment systems, resulting in the harmful dyes and chemicals leaking into rivers and streams where water is collected for household use. Additionally, sweatshops are known to underpay their workers and disregard safety regulations, making working conditions dangerous. These are the key messages from WRW on what you can do:

• Practicing conscious consumption

• Learning about the environmental impacts of clothing production

• Repairing clothes before purchasing new

• Repurposing clothes into new outfits and accessories

• Extending the life of textiles through reuse: clothing swaps, shopping thrift, and donating clothes.

3. Champions & Innovators. This day celebrated communities, individuals, and organizations that are disrupting traditional business models to embrace waste reduction initiatives and making big gains in waste reduction.

Doesn't this sound just like... the Edmonton Reuse Centre?! Yes, yes it does! In this post, I'd like to commend the Reuse Centre for being a one-of-a-kind place in Edmonton Waste Services that promotes the ideas and benefits of reuse, provides affordable items to organizations and individuals, and thereby diverts waste from the landfill.

If you've never been or don't know anything about the Reuse Centre, they have a collection of a wide variety of materials, ranging from arts and crafts supplies, home decor, media, metals, needle craft supplies, office and school paper, plastics, wood, and various other items that are all sold by weight - meaning you can grab your goods for cheap!

Source: City of Edmonton 

4. Plastics and Packaging. It is well known that single-use plastics are one of the leading contributors to the world's waste problem, with our oceans and landfills drowning in it. We can all work towards reducing our plastic use and learn to dispose of items properly. Here are some key tips from WRW:

• Make simple changes in your everyday life to reduce your plastic footprint. Every action counts.

• Use circular economy principles in product design and business models to reduce plastic waste.

• Learn about how plastic affects marine environments and how you can take action.

• Learn how to reduce and reuse plastics in everyday life through WRW's online resources.

• Find resources and links to other plastics awareness campaigns.

5. Food Waste. It's inevitable that households will produce food waste, but how much is too much? It doesn't make any sense that there are approximately 800 million people starving around the world, when the total world food production is more than enough to feed everyone. Food waste often happens in North American kitchens when food and produce in the fridge goes rotten - and this is something that can be completely avoided! WRW sets out simple guidelines to reduce food waste and asks those that are committed to take a pledge. Here are the tips suggested by WRW:

• Learn about food waste in Canada.

• Take action to reduce your food waste by:

• Planning meals and making a grocery list.

• Storing fruits and vegetables properly so they last longer.

• Getting creative with leftovers.

• Understanding the difference between best before and expiry dates.

Click here to take the pledge!

6. Swap, Share & Repair. Swapping, sharing, or refurbishing extends product/material lifecycles and diverts them from disposal. On Saturday of Waste Reduction Week, Canadians were encouraged to think about the lifecycle of their materials and learn more about sustainable consumption, the sharing economy, and extending the life of materials through reuse.

Keep in mind that this can be done anytime and anywhere! The best way to reduce and reuse waste IS to give your products a new life by trading them elsewhere and, in turn, receiving something new! Edmonton's thrifting, trade, and consignment scene has been growing, with new events and initiatives happening every couple of weeks, so this is a great opportunity for people to get out there and do some swapping and sharing!


7. E-Waste. E-waste has definitely been the focus in the past two decades as technology has become an essential part of everyday life. Did you know that globally last year, the total amount of electronic waste reached 44.7 million tonnes and only approximately 20 per cent was recycled? Our electronics are made from materials like chlorinated solvents, brominated flame retardants, PVC, heavy metals, plastics, and gases that could poison the environment if not recycled properly.

Source: City of Edmonton

WRW says that a majority of households have old electronics kicking around. Since most Canadian municipalities do not offer curb side e-waste pickup, many residents rely on collection events for proper management of these items. Organizations, schools, and municipalities were encouraged to host an e-waste collection event for reuse and/or responsible recycling during Waste Reduction Week. 

In Edmonton, we currently have 4 Eco Stations where you can drop off your electronics for FREE! How great is that?! 

If you are a resident looking to drop off your electronics at a City of Edmonton Eco Station, make sure you take a look at the guidelines for other acceptable/unacceptable items.

I hope this movement inspires you to be your own champion in reducing waste and in finding more ways to reuse the things in your life!

Until next time!

Submission by Jessica (Volunteer)

Reuse Ideas for the Kitchen

September is the perfect month for establishing new routines and getting into a groove after the chaos of summer. For me personally, September was also about adjusting to a new home after a big move.

Food, as always, is a big theme in this reorganization period. So, I thought I’d share my favourite ways (as well as some aspirational ways) to reuse everyday items. Ever-present yogurt containers and glass jars aren’t just for leftover lasagna, they can be used proactively to reduce waste!

I love to drink smoothies in the morning and I recently discovered Earth’s General Store on the eastern end of Whyte Ave. Earth’s General Store  encourages customers to use reusable containers for bulk products like nuts and seeds in a similar way to Bulk Barn (my true love). They also carry bulk products like frozen fruit, peanut butter and pierogies. Pierogies are, arguably, unrelated to smoothies, but they’re also my favourite ‘easy meal’ to keep in the freezer. Old ice cream pails or margarine tubs work perfectly for easy-stacking freezer grabs and I am so so excited to be free from the single-use packaging for these staples!

Truth bomb here: I spend way too much time (and probably money) at La Boule. All my time there sipping teas and munching on croissants has made me realize how often I buy bagged bread from the grocery store when I could be pursuing better crafted loaves sans plastic packaging. So here’s the dreamy bit—I’m going to make my own fabric bread bag. Sewing has never been my forte, but I think I’m up for the challenge.  Whether from my own home or from the Reuse Centre, giving old fabrics a new life not only keeps them out of the landfill, it also means that I won’t be wasting plastic bags for my bread on an almost-weekly basis. It might even allow me to visit new bakeries all around the city to find bread for my bread bag!

Last but not least: I’ve grown extremely affectionate about Veg in YEG. For those who have not heard of it, this is an urban farming group near the University of Alberta. They’re great for a couple of reasons: firstly, I can bring my organics and compostables and use their composting facility (thank you!); secondly, they sell incredible produce without the use of wasteful packaging that can be picked up or delivered to nearby areas. They operate on a pay-what-you-want structure which is such an important thing to have so near to the University (and in general). My favourite experience is Nicole showing up to my door with a reusable container full of luscious greens that I simply transfer to my own glass jar for storage. My greens stay fresh for longer and we forgo any wasteful packaging.  Win, win!

My more recent deliveries have included garlic, onions, tomatoes, kale, beets, sage, oregano, thyme and a special blend of herbs for making tea.

Nicole also let me take a sweet rainy-day photo of her--what an actual angel.

Cheers! And happy harvest season.

Photos & Submission by Jess B (Volunteer)