Reduction

Every year Canadian residents dispose of around 10 million tons of waste and we consume or trash most of the things we buy within 6-months. For more information on lethbridge waste, click here. Landfills are not always the best option as they release greenhouse gases, toxins and create leachate.

Although recycling uses less raw materials, it is not a perfect process as it still uses energy and creates pollution.  We still need to reduce and reuse as much as possible to manage waste.

What can I do?

Reduce! Reduction is the number one thing you can do to help the waste problem in Lethbridge and Canada. Some easy and simple things you can do is:

1. Reduce single use items: Reducing single use items such as plastic bags, plastic straws, disposable cups, plates and cutlery. This will reduce the wastage of single use items and will promote re-usage of these items.
   
• Use reusable bags instead of plastic bags.
  
• Replace plastic Ziploc bags with reusable containers.
  
• Use reusable mugs and water bottles instead of disposable cups and waterbottles.
  
• Avoid plastic straws and lids at restaurants, use a reusable straw instead.
  

2. Compost: Composting can significantly reduce your waste and greenhouse gas emissions from the landfill.
   
3. Donate, sell, or repair items that you do not use regularly
4. Go paperless on mail items and refuse "junk mail"
5. Avoid take-out containers, bring your own reusable containers for them to put the leftovers in!
   
6. Buy food in bulk or larger containers
7. Use E-books, E-newspapers, and E-magazines
8. Use cloths rather than paper towels for cleaning
   
9. Consume and buy only what you need!