2018 Waste Minimization Awards

The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (SWRC) is proud to present the 2018 Saskatchewan Waste Minimization Awards, sponsored by SaskTel. Awards are given to Saskatchewan individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond to reduce their own waste, and in doing so, are an inspiration to others. The 23rd annual Saskatchewan Waste Minimization Awards ceremony was held on April 11th in Saskatoon as part of the SWRC's ReForum conference. 

On hand to assist with the awards presentations was Hon. David Buckingham, MLA for Saskatoon Westview (left side of photos), and Russell Goodman, SaskTel (Right side of photos).

Individual: Sandra Rose
 

Sandra is dedicated to educating the public about composting and volunteering in the community. For over a decade she has used vermicomposting to turn food waste into organic fertilizer and keep it out of the landfill. In addition to her own household scraps, Sandra composts food waste from six other households and two restaurants. In 2007 she turned her passion for worm composting into a small business and began selling worms and offering workshops. Two years later she got her Master Composting training and has volunteered to talk about composting at community events, public workshops, and home visits ever since.

 

 

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Ray Sass
 

Ray is the Southeast Regional Manager for SARCAN Recycling and a passionate advocate for sustainable business practices. His leadership inspires those who work around him. Ray constantly pushes SARCAN to be more efficient and more sustainable. In his previous 25 year career with SaskAbilities, Ray led the creation of RecyclAbility Enterprises, the city-wide recycling program in Yorkton. As a resident of Yorkton he led the City in the creation of a Solid Waste Management Committee and helped facilitate some impressive programs and targets. Ray has steadfast belief in the value of diverting recyclable materials from the landfill and creating employment opportunities for people experiencing disability. 

 

SMALL BUSINESS: Green Tree Beauty
 

Established in 2016, Green Tree Beauty's vision is to provide clients with natural, cruelty-free and sustainable cosmetics, skin care and personal care options. They have an intense vetting process that each product goes through before it is accepted on the company's retail shelves. This includes assessing products for their environmental sustainability, packaging materials, and reuse potential. Green Tree Beauty founder, Jennilee Cardinal-Schulz offers free sustainable product education seminars to community groups as well as complimentary one-on-one workshops to educate those in the community about being environmentally conscious when it comes to choosing cosmetics, skin care and personal care products.

 

Youth/school: Westmount Community School, Saskatoon
 

 

Westmount Community School in Saskatoon is a leader in waste reduction in Saskatchewan. The students, teachers and staff of Westmount School do not just support waste-free initiatives; living waste-free has been woven into the school’s culture. The school is very conscious of the amount of waste created by single-use wrapped products, and avoids using them whenever possible. Students and teachers have organized composting and garden growing in their classrooms. The school has participated in environmental initiatives such as Student Action for a Sustainable Future and the Saskatchewan Environmental Society’s 25 Acts of Conservation Program. 

 

FESTIVAL/EVENT: Saskatoon Pride Festival
 

 

Through a waste audit the Saskatoon Pride Festival discovered that 95% of the solid waste created at their event could be recycled. With the leadership of board member Melissa Squire, the board made a conscious and deliberate decision to recognize environmental sustainability as a fundamental driver towards the success of their festival. As a result of their newly formed commitment to sustainability, Saskatoon Pride incorporated the several initiatives into their festival, including recycling, composting, purchasing green power and preventing waste by limiting disposable items thrown out by parade floats. Their changes demonstrate great leadership and an excellent example for other event organizers to follow.

 

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: FoodRenew

 

 

FoodRenew is a community of volunteers who work toward reducing food waste in the City of Saskatoon. They rescue excess food that would otherwise go to waste from businesses and deliver it to community centres and social agencies. To accomplish this, they have built many business partnerships with local businesses to pick up donatable food. All deliveries are made by volunteers, which FoodRenew coordinates. By doing this they aim to promote food security and protect the environment by reducing the amount of methane gas produced at landfills from decomposing food waste.

 

MUNICIPALITY: Town of Hague

 

 

For a small Saskatchewan town, with less than 1,000 residents, the town of Hague has waste reduction options for their residents that rival what is available in much larger centers. Changes in landfill availability and garbage pick-up pushed Hague Town Council to work towards better waste minimization. By working with multiple service providers, the town has been able to provide options for nearly every waste stream. These include: curbside recycling, separate recycling for plastics, scrap metal, and clothing donations. A municipal compost site diverts yard waste and branches. Once a year the town participates in a Household Hazardous waste collection day. The town office even collects old batteries and cell phones for recycling.

 

 

 

Thanks to SaskTel for their support of the Saskatchewan Waste Minimization Awards.