Conception Bay South
When it comes to reducing waste, Conception Bay South is all business. As early as 2003, Conception Bay South was demonstrating environmental leadership by piloting a curbside recycling program, then moving to a drop-off program for paper and cardboard. Each year the town hosts the Winterfest Recycling Challenge to engage elementary schools in a friendly recycling competition to motivate them to collect the greatest amount of used beverage containers during a three-week period. The town is already moving forward with new, innovative ways to reduce paper waste by working towards eliminating agenda and minute packages and to ultimately have paperless meetings. Currently, the town is in the planning stage of this environmental effort. Consultation with the town’s computer consultants is ongoing and it is anticipated that the project will be launched in the New Year.
Ocean Quest
Rick Stanley’s Ocean Quest, based out of Conception Bay South, depends on the conservation of our province’s incredible natural wonder and beauty. This is why Rick has steered his tourism operation to reduce waste and Get to Half. Ocean Quest provides an exceptional model for tourism-based businesses by showing how simple steps can get you to Get to Half, such as reducing paper use through electronic communications, installing a compost bin, instituting a thorough recycling program, eliminating Styrofoam completely, and making purchases that use less packaging. They also provide cloth towels and reusable bags for guests. In the near future, Ocean Quest hopes to develop a completely paperless office, waving “bon voyage” to all non-recyclable packaging. Rick and the staff of Ocean Quest are proof-positive that getting to half can be smooth sailing. |
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Western Health
Western Health, with its many regional facilities, recognizes that there is a critical link between wellness and the health of our natural environment. That is why environmentally conscious staffers formed the Western Health Green Team to improve community wellness through the promotion of environmental awareness within Western Health. They have implemented numerous successful initiatives including a paper reduction program. Western Health intends to develop a paperless electronic forms system; to date, several forms have already been converted to the new system and paper newsletter circulation has decreased by 2000 copies, in favour of electronic versions. They have also have provided staff with other electronic tools to reduce the need for printing. These include an email system, an intranet for sharing documents, and two-sided printers. Western Health has reduced kitchen waste from 10 down to 2 garbage bags per meal (a reduction of 8640 bags annually) simply by recycling beverage containers and paper products and by putting food through a garburator. Western Health didn’t just Get to Half, they got to 80 per cent!
L’école Boréale
L’école Boréale initiated the Heart of the Earth project in September 2008 with their hearts set on recycling paper, used batteries and cardboard; encouraging the use of reusable bags; and increasing composting. To get there, they distributed recycling bins to family, friends, Queen of Peace Middle School and Peacock Primary. Next, a public awareness day was held. Information booths were set up in local stores, many of which offered reusable bags free of charge. Project signs were installed at the entrances of these locations and remain there as a public reminder.
L’école Boréale also composts recess and lunch wastes, and forwards batteries to Goose Bay military base for recycling. |
