Edmonton Sustainability in Review - November Edition
Welcome to the November edition of Edmonton Sustainability in Review!
At the end of each month, I’ll be going over the latest happenings in sustainability within Edmonton, so that you can keep up to date.
For those of you who are less familiar with sustainability, let’s do a quick recap of what it is and what it entails.
There are so many definitions of sustainability out there, so it’s easy to get confused as to what sustainability actually is! I like to stick with the definition given by the United Nations Brundtland Commission in 1987, which says that sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. I like this definition because it’s broad enough that it's able to encompass various facets of sustainability, such as:
Human sustainability
Social sustainability
Economic sustainability
Environmental sustainability
These four facets will guide the stories that we share each month!
Reducing Plastic Waste One Step at a Time
Each year, Canadians produce approximately 3.3 million tonnes of plastic per year, sending about 2.8 million tonnes of it into landfills. In an effort to reduce plastic waste, Corey Saban began melting down plastic that would normally be discarded to repurpose it and keep it out of our landfill. Corey’s idea grew in size and he eventually started a small company called [Re] Waste!
[Re] Waste is currently partnered with both Goodwill and the City of Beaumont in an effort to help reduce plastic waste by turning it into 100% recycled plastic products such as coasters, tiles, and plastic storage bags.
Learn more about [Re] Waste and their incredible projects at https://rewaste.ca!
Waste Free Refills are Back!
Earth’s General Store and Take Care Cafe have reinstated waste free refills!
At Earth’s General Store you can bring your own reusable containers for their bulk dispensers, just make sure that the outside of your containers/bags are VERY CLEAN! Keep in mind, staff may refuse the item if it isn't visibly clean.
At Take Care Cafe you can bring your own reusable mug so you can enjoy your favourite drink in a more sustainable way! Their amazing staff will make your drink in their ceramics and will then ask you to transfer your beverage into your own mug.