Next Meeting
May 17, 2012 - 7pm @ CNC
Welcome!
The Nechako Waste Reduction Initiative is happy to introduce our website. This site is here to keep local residents informed on the current recycling options and waste reduction initiatives in Vanderhoof, as well as to provide general information and links to everything there is to know about waste reduction. Have a browse through our site, and please send us your comments.
4th Annual Community Clean Up A Success
It was great to see the community come together for the 4th Annual Vanderhoof Community Clean-Up on Saturday, April 21st. This event was organized by the Nechako Waste Reduction Initiative (NWRI), with the Nechako Valley Food Network (NVFN) coordinating the local food BBQ. Approximately 115 volunteers came together to pitch in and pick up litter throughout our town, and afterwards enjoyed a well deserved BBQ, “on the house” comprised of locally made sausages and buns. The end result was over 4 truck loads of garbage removed from the town, and 1 truck load of recyclable returnables. This was all accomplished within two hours of community effort. Way to go Vanderhoof!
A great big THANK-YOU goes out to our sponsors, Integris Credit Union and Tim Hortons, for the treats, warm drinks and food; to the District of Vanderhoof for providing bags and gloves; the Brownies & Sparks who beautifully coloured the posters, Katimavik for their volunteer help, and of course all of the volunteers for cleaning up our town!
This event was the first in a series of “Green Events” planned by NWRI and NVFN (both part of the Nechako Healthy Community Alliance) where we will be focusing on minimizing waste and serving local food. To keep waste to a minimum, the NWRI’s green toolkit was used. The green toolkit is set of reusable dishes (plates, glasses, cutlery & bowls) available for any community member to use. Please contact NWRI (nechakowri@gmail.com) for more info! The next green event will be the Vanderhoof Canada Day celebrations.
Waste Reduction Guide now available!
Have you ever wondered where you can take a regular, household item for recycling? NWRI now has an answer with our Vanderhoof Waste Reduction Guide. Organized by category, take a look at our handy guide which lists locations of where you can bring your household items for recycling. From antifreeze to eyeglasses to milk containers, your recycling options are in the guide! To see the guide click here.
Vanderhoof Compost Site Moved
With spring finally upon us, most people are starting to work in the yard. Unfortunately the Stewart Street Compost Site was shut down earlier this year. But don't worry, there is still a place you can take your yard waste to be composted. The Vanderhoof Transfer Station is now accepting compost material!
The transfer station has areas designated for leaves and grass clippings. Small volumes of brush and branches are also accepted, but the diameter must be less than 6 inches. Trees/stumps and soil (land clearing debris) are not accepted at the site. Please contact the RDBN (1-800-320-3339) for information regarding disposal of land clearing debris.
Food waste cannot be taken to the transfer station for composting. Transfer Station hours of operation can be found here.
Blue, Green, Black, and Orange
Blue, green, black and orange - not the colours of a nasty bruise, but the colours of waste management! Blue boxes and bins pertain to paper, green boxes and bins pertain to composting and black boxes and bins, well that is garbage. Orange is for all the other stuff that can be reused or recycled in our community. Click on the links below to learn more about paper recycling, composting and garbage in our community.
Benefits of Recycling-Reusing-Reducing our Waste
You know the benefits - reduced load on our landfill, better for the environment, good for our kids and their kids down the line. But a benefit of recycling not often considered, is that by recycling our waste we can help save the community and Regional District money in unneccessary hauling charges. This money then could instead be channeled to other things to benefit our community and region.
Click on the pie chart below to learn more about waste and waste-reduction in our community.
NWRI is on FACEBOOK - link below to get to our Facebook page and photo gallery.