Next Meeting
February 9, 2012 - 7pm
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.
The Nechako Healthy Community Alliance (NHCA) wants you!
The NHCA is actively recruiting community members to become part of their board.
Who and what is the NHCA you ask? The NHCA and its member groups strive to promote sustainable living in the Nechako Valley and adjoining areas. They believe that our quality of life very much depends on the health of both the natural world surrounding us and our neighbours. What does the board member position entail? It's a one year term with the responsibility to attend set, monthly meetings, as well as promote the NHCA mandate and encourage community participation in delivery & use of its programs. For a full description of board member responsibilities, click here.
New board members will be chosen at the NHCA AGM, which will take place March 14th at the Vanderhoof Public Library. There is a potluck dinner at 6:30pm and the AGM to follow at 7:30pm. If you are interested, please email the NHCA at exec@nechakohca.ca.
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.
Paper Recycling has Returned to Vanderhoof
All paper products (office/mixed paper, newspaper and boxboard) can now be recycled in the blue bin located at the Vanderhoof Waste Transfer Station, also known locally as the dump. The blue bin is located beside the reuse shed. Paper recycling will be available during the waste transfer station hours of operation. Corrugated cardboard recycling is still available at the Vanderhoof Co-op.
Thanks for your patience and support during this transition period!
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.
2011 Community Clean Up - Great Work!
It was so wonderful to see the community come together for the Vanderhoof Community Clean-Up on Saturday, April 16th. This event was organized by the Nechako Waste Reduction Initiative (NWRI), with the Nechako Valley Food Network (NVFN) coordinating the local food BBQ. Doubling in turn out numbers from last year, 150 volunteers came together to pitch in and pick up litter throughout our town, and afterwards enjoyed a well deserved BBQ, “on the house” comprising of locally made sausages and buns. The end result was over 7 truck loads of garbage removed from the town, and one truck load of recyclable material. This was all accomplished within two hours of community effort. Way to go Vanderhoof!
A great big THANK-YOU goes out to our sponsors, Tim Hortons and Integris Credit Union, for the treats, warm drinks and food; to the District of Vanderhoof for providing bags and gloves; Northside School for the use of their kitchen to wash the dishes; Vanderhoof Kinettes for covering the town in signs; the students who beautifully coloured the posters, 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. The next event will be the Vanderhoof Canada Day celebrations.
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.