Waste Reduction Week

Community 

You can reach out to your community during Waste Reduction Week and all year round. Here's how:

• Become an environmental citizen. Take responsibility for the health of your community in two ways: learning and acting. Get involved in education and decision-making around environmental issues.
• Set up a local group. Start by inviting friends and associates to join you. Then, invite members from different sectors of your community - teachers, municipal officials, local business people and environmental organizations. Appoint a committee chair, establish meeting times and outline realistic, achievable goals and objectives. Assign tasks and a timeframe that allows you to meet your goals.
• Inform your community of your actions by putting up posters, recruiting volunteers and holding a public meeting to talk about what you want to do.
• Reach out to other local groups and organizations across the country that can help provide resources.
• Raise funds for your cause by approaching local businesses for financial or in-kind support (i.e. goods and services like printing, prizes).
• Organize waste reduction challenges to see who can produce the least amount of waste. Give prizes for "overall least waste", "best recycler", "most creative initiative", etc.
• Hold swaps or sales of used sporting goods, books, clothing or household items.
• Distribute or organize a community litter clean-up and separate the litter into recyclable and non-recyclable components.
• Tell the world what you're doing—involve the media! According to the Canadian Newspaper Association, about 40% of our daily news is a result of community-based news releases. Arrange to meet journalists, write letters to the editor, your mayor and politicians. File newspaper clippings and other coverage you receive. It will help you secure funding in the future.
• When it's all over, don't forget to thank your volunteers, sponsors and anyone else who helped out.
• Make a note of ideas to use for next year.
• Remember to have fun!