The Conservation Society’s Waste Wise program is hosting the provincial Waste Reduction Week campaign here in Williams Lake this week.
The project runs until Sunday, Oct. 26 with support from Save On Foods, Canadian Tire, and the Williams Lake Library, says Brianna van de Wijngaard, the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society’s Water and Waste Wise community liaison.
“We are aiming for plastic bag reduction, reuse, and recycling at these locations, as well as providing information on other ways to reduce waste in our daily lives,” van de Wijngaard says.
“But it’s not all about trashing the plastic bag; in fact, plastic bags account for less than one per cent of landfill waste, even though we use more than nine billion a year.
“Plastic bags are more of a symbol of how easily we can consume products of convenience without always thinking of relatively easy alternatives.”
She says eliminating plastic garbage bags may not make a huge dent in our weekly garbage pick-up, but they are so ubiquitous as a disposable plastic product that changing our consumption habits before we reach the till can send a pretty big message, especially when it is done en masse.
“Save On Foods and Canadian Tire are good examples of retailers that can still be stewards and lead by example, with recycling drop-offs for plastic bags, glass, batteries, and light bulbs,” van de Wijngaard says.
To find out more about Williams Lake’s new recycling program, check out www.recyclinginbc.ca, or call the Conservation Society team at 250-398-7929 with any questions.
“Even if for only a week, the CCCS Waste Wise program thanks everyone for being responsible waste-reducers,” van de Wijngaard says.
The Waste Wise program, run by the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society, is in partnership with the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District.