Waterloo Region's newsletter about
waste, water and the environment
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When you use the green bin, you help to fight climate change |
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When organic (food) waste is landfilled, it slowly decomposes and creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. By using the green bin, you help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Your green bin food waste is reused to make compost that is used on local farm fields. Compost is valuable organic material that provides nutrients to boost the health of soil.
As green bin tonnage goes up, greenhouse gas emissions from the landfill go down.
Since the green bin program launched in 2010, the Region has successfully reduced almost 36,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Not only are you reducing GHG emissions when you use the green bin, you also reduce landfill odours and prolong the life of the landfill.
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Ready, set, garden! Sign up for free Naturescaping Webinars |
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Who’s excited to go outside and get their hands dirty? Spring is here, so let’s get planting!
This year, Reep Green Solutions and the Region of Waterloo are offering free gardening webinars to help you spruce up your outdoor space with great ideas that don’t require a lot of water. Horticulture experts will share tips you can use in your own backyard.
These Naturescaping Webinars will be May 5, 12 and 19 from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Sign up here for the first webinar. Registration links for the other two sessions will soon be available here.
Can't wait for May? You can also watch video recordings of the Region's 2020 Naturescaping Webinars on YouTube.
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Help solve climate change! Give us your feedback by April 12 |
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Our community can help solve climate change. But we can’t do it without you. The Region, cities, and townships need your feedback on the draft TransformWR climate action strategy. The strategy sets a path to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by the year 2050, while building a community that is equitable, prosperous and resilient. The document is intended to guide decisions made over the next 30 years by everyone in the community, including municipalities, businesses, households and individuals.
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Municipal governments in Waterloo Region have worked with non-profits in the ClimateActionWR collaborative to develop this strategy, with extensive public and technical consultation. The plan proposes significant changes to transportation, buildings, waste, agriculture and energy.
Now it's your turn! Tell us if this strategy includes what you need to take action on climate change. Please visit the project page on EngageWR and fill out the survey by April 12. This is the last round of consultation before this strategy is considered for adoption by councils across the Region.
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No Regional rain barrel sale in 2021 |
Are you looking for a rain barrel in 2021? Due to the challenges of COVID-19, the Region of Waterloo will not hold its usual rain barrel sale this spring. Check with us next year about a possible 2022 sale.
Rain barrels help you conserve drinking water by harvesting rainwater that can be used for plants or outdoor washing. Rain barrels also reduce stress on our stormwater system during rainstorms. Many rain barrel options are still available through local garden centres and hardware stores.
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Sort it right! Put only acceptable recyclables into the blue box |
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We know residents are eager to recycle, but it is very important that only items we can recycle are put in the blue box. The tiny metal ball pictured here came in the blue box, got wedged in the magnetic conveyor belts on the sorting line, and shut down the entire centre for three hours while staff located and removed it.
The only items that can go into the blue box are retail store packaging from food, drink, personal care, pet care and cleaning/painting containers. Anything else is contamination.
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Contamination poses a number of risks to our recycling program. The recycling processors that buy recyclables will not accept materials with contamination in it, and, like with this metal ball example, contamination can cause costly delays and damage to sorting equipment.
There is a very easy search tool to check if something can be recycled, the Waste Whiz. You can find it on the Region's website or by downloading the Waste Whiz app to your smartphone.
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Region offers free compost, available now |
Compost is currently available for pick up, as supplies last. Residents of Waterloo Region can pick up free compost (maximum five bushels) at the Waste Management sites in Cambridge (201 Savage Drive) and Waterloo (925 Erb Street West, Gate 2), Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bring your own shovel.
Watch the video above to see how your green bin and yard waste becomes useful compost!
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Recognize this road sign? |
While travelling on a regional road you might just pass by a Drinking Water Protection Area sign. In Waterloo Region, groundwater is the source for most of our drinking water. This sign is a reminder we all have a role to play protecting this important resource.
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Landlords can save water: funding available to boost efficiency |
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Water conservation takes a whole community. One way to preserve our Region’s drinking water is fixing leaks and replacing inefficient fixtures in multi-unit properties. Replacing old toilets, showerheads and tap aerators in an apartment building or triplex quickly adds up to hundreds of thousands of litres saved every year. Toilet flappers are a common source of costly leaks – it pays to check and replace!
The Region has funding and free fixtures to help building owners boost water efficiency. Do you or someone you know have a rental property? Let them know they could benefit from the WET (Water Efficient Technology) Program! Do your part for the environment and save money too.
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Help support environmental education for local children |
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Watch the short video above to hear a Festival volunteer explain why water education matters. |
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It’s a spring highlight for many local kids! Since 1996, the Waterloo Wellington Children’s Groundwater Festival has created fun-filled environmental learning for students in Grade 2 to Grade 5.
This year’s festival will be held virtually May 17 to 20 and spots are filling up fast. Students will learn about the importance of water conservation, protection, technology and ecology.
The Region of Waterloo is a proud partner of the Festival, which relies on donations and sponsorship each year to reach our community’s young future leaders.
Are you or your employer interested in supporting the festival? Or just want to learn more? Visit the Festival’s website.
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