Blogs

  • A Guide to Cleaning Cleaner this Spring

    As we near the tail-end of a long and cold winter, the fast-approaching March 20 means spring is finally around the corner! For me, that means I am pulling out my running shoes to go for a few sock-soaking puddle runs, and getting a head start on spring cleaning. This year for spring cleaning, I…

  • And so, My Low Waste Journey Begins …

    Welcome to Less is More, where sustainability meets everyday life in Saskatchewan. I’m Jana Ham, your guide on this journey. I joined the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council as a Blog Writer and am excited to be part of a passionate team committed to educating and inspiring the people of Saskatchewan to reduce waste. About Me…

  • 2025: The Year of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle….and Resolutions

    As we ring in the new year, it’s a great time to reflect on our habits and set goals for personal growth. Like most successful New Year’s resolutions, keeping things small, simple, and sustainable is key because over the course of a year, small lifestyle changes can add up to make a big difference. One…

  • Mixed Recycling, Mixed Feelings

    This week, SK Recycles (formerly Multi-Material Stewardship Western) announced a new partnership with SARCAN that will allow residents to recycle glass jars, foam (e.g., Styrofoam) packaging, and flexible plastics (everything from plastic bags to stand-up pouches to chip bags). It’s an exciting development. Those of us lucky enough to have access to both curbside recycling…

  • Unsold and Returned Goods

    Ever walk behind a retail store and notice stuff in the dumpster that’s still in the original packages? Or return an item with a small flaw and wonder what the store is really going to do with it? Or look at all the truly ugly clothes on the sale rack and speculate about what the…

  • Size Does Matter

    I live in Saskatoon. A couple of months ago, I got my ‘new’ garbage cart. As part of shifting the cost of waste out of general taxes and into a utility, Saskatoon gave people a chance to reduce their garbage costs by choosing a smaller cart. The city offered three sizes – 360 litres (the…

  • Environmental Handling Fees – getting the facts straight

    ecent calls in the media for the Environmental Handling Fee (EHF) on tires to be reduced because some tires are being recycled outside the province show a lack of understanding of the purpose of those fees and of Extended Producer Responsibility programs in general. Let’s start with program basics first. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs…

  • Why relying so heavily on recycling isn’t the answer

    Recycling is often seen as the solution to our escalating waste problem, but the real heroes in waste reduction are other R’s like reduce and reuse. I’m going to shed some light on some flaws of recycling and why we shouldn’t rely so heavily on it to save us. For some materials, recycling hardly counts…

  • Thinking Through Sustainable Packaging

    I like this story about The Absolut Company and its efforts to make two of its packages more sustainable. Their Kahlua and Malibu bottles were made from coloured PET plastic, which Absolut acknowledges is technically recyclable but practically isn’t. So, first, kudos to them for not sticking with ‘technically recyclable’ and being willing to work…

  • Taking Waste Reduction Initiatives for Granted

    Isn’t it exciting when we discover a new business or organization that is working to reduce waste? Whether it’s a local refillery business, a community-run toy library or a big corporation creating products from reclaimed materials, they’re all working towards a circular economy and it’s something to celebrate. To find out which businesses and organizations…

  • Response to: Opinion: The plastics ban is bad for people and the environment

    Response to: Opinion: The plastics ban is bad for people and the environment The Federal ban on six single use plastic items that came into effect at the end of last year has generated some controversy. The Fraser Institute contends that the ban will cost more than it saves and create more garbage than it…

  • Starting Your Own Low Waste Project (Part 2 – Textiles)

    Our second installment of ‘going the extra mile’ waste reduction projects is all about textiles — there are so many opportunities in this area. 4) Grocery and/or Produce Bags: There are many reusable items you can make, but popular options are reusable grocery or  produce bags. A bonus step here is to try and make…

  • Starting Your Own Low Waste Project

    If you’ve been working on your own low waste habits and are now thinking about what else you might do, here are some suggestions for projects you could tackle. Some of them have the added bonus of helping others in the community. 1) Clothing Swaps: People bring their unwanted, still in good condition, clothes and…

  • Reducing Waste in the Workplace

    More than half of the waste in Canadian landfills comes from non-residential sources. Our workplaces are full of opportunities to reduce waste. As with any effort to reduce your waste, the first step is to figure out what is being thrown away. (For info on doing a waste audit check out this blog.) Each workplace…

  • Hostess with just the right amount-est

    Whether you’re planning an event for work, friends or family, there are a few things you can do to reduce the garbage that can accumulate before, during and after a gathering. FoodIf you want to avoid the excessive plastic packaging that comes with pre-made meals/dishes/food but don’t think you’ll have time to make all the…

  • How to start the “no gift” conversation

    Giving gifts can be a really lovely experience, but in my opinion, the requirement to give at certain holidays or milestones can ruin the beauty and thoughtfulness of gifts. I love a gift paired with an “I saw this and I just knew you’d love it” on a random Tuesday in March. But I get…

  • Let’s Chat Repair Culture!

    The SWRC has been working on improving Repair culture in Saskatchewan. We’ve updated our Waste Reduction Hub to include information about repair businesses in the province. We’ve also been working on getting Repair Cafes up and running in Saskatchewan, and with that comes a lot of great conversations and learning opportunities. One of the most…

  • It’s Not All Up to You

    Oftentimes the narrative around waste reduction or other sustainability goals revolves around individuals and what we can each do. And it can feel like we’re letting everyone down when we’re struggling with our mental or physical health and aren’t able to follow our usual sustainable habits. I’d like to remind us all that waste reduction…

  • Food Waste During Harvest

    Whether it’s too many apples in your apple tree, too many carrots in your garden, or those you-can’t-believe-how-big zucchinis, when there’s more than you can eat or harvest, garden food can overwhelm and become waste. If you have do have time to harvest, food preservation is a great solution. Freezing, canning, fermenting or dehydrating are…

  • Should we celebrate small wins?

    We’ve probably all been there: we see a public announcement about a new waste reduction initiative and think “Okay, cool, but that’s not enough”. It’s easy to feel conflicted: yes, progress is nice, but this project seems insignificant. Case in point: the recent announcement by the federal government on banning and restricting a few types…

  • Downsizing Mindfully

    One way some people are reducing their environmental footprint is to downsize their living space. Having less room typically means buying less as we’ve been known to buy things to fill empty space even when we don’t need anything. When I moved into my last apartment, I had been looking for a one bedroom but…

  • Decluttering Sustainably

    I’m moving this month, so I’m in the middle of decluttering. I want to only move things I genuinely want into my new home. In an effort to avoid the landfill, I’ve been going slowly and trying to find a new home for most things. My main advice: Start early. Start early. Start early. Unfortunately,…

  • Privileges

    You may have noticed more talk lately about privileges. Discussions about privilege can be confusing, difficult to wrap your head around and uncomfortable. One of my favourite ways to explain privilege is by talking about barriers. Sometimes barriers are physical and easy to see. A store with stairs and no ramp access is a barrier…

  • Ten Low Waste Snacks

    Snack foods, while tasty and handy and fundamental to the existence of many of us, are typically NOT low waste. They are often individually packaged and the packaging is rarely recyclable. Do not give up hope, my fellow snack addicts, there are low waste options waiting to be discovered. Bulk buying and imagination are your…

  • Choosing your values

    Is waste reduction your #1 priority? It’s not always mine. I consider myself advanced when it comes to waste reduction, but waste isn’t always my top priority when making purchasing decisions. Most people care about a wide range of issues and there are so many things to consider that it’s difficult to find products and…