FAQ-Waste-Waste Reduction

If there are no recycling facilities in my community, what can I do to reduce waste?

Of the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), reduce and reuse use far less energy than recycling does. The less packaging on your purchases, bringing your our reusable travel cup and reusable grocery bags, contributing to and shopping at second hand stores, sharing tools and equipment with a neighbour, borrowing from libraries, renting instead of buying and composting your organic waste are all positive actions that contribute to waste reduction. If you practice reduce and reuse but still want to recycle, talk to your community leaders about setting up a local recycling centre.

Where can we find information for communities who want to promote waste reduction among residents?

Communities can promote the booklet, Saving the World Begins at Home, which contains a lot of information about pollution prevention and waste reduction in the home. It is available online, and you can let residents know about it by distributing Saving the World Begins at Home bookmarks, available through the Alberta Environment Information Centre (by phoning 780-427-2700).

In addition, a Waste NOT information sheet is available to small communities in limited quantities. This colourful page provides information about waste reduction across the province. The reverse side is blank so that you can print your own, local waste reduction messages. View the brochure from the link below. Please note the pdf file size is 1.1 MB. http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/resedu/pubs/WasteNot_Brochure.pdf

Please contact the Alberta Environment Information Centre to order copies.

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