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14 Comments
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Re: "Climate Change" with respect to waste
2017-12-21 15:53:37 UTC
Late to the party here, but I think it's going to depend on exactly WHO you're marketing towards. If you're trying to get governments, funders, and businesses with CSR policies on board, absolutely include climate change and GHG reductions in your messaging. The fact that they can track and report on measurable outcomes is a powerful incentive for companies that want the optics. Increasingly, governments are also requiring measurable GHG numbers for project proposals.
Robert Gifford has also done a lot of work around environment messaging. Check the journal "Environmental Psychology" for a lot of his work (he's the editor).
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada -
Re: Waste Management for High Rise Buildings (15 - 25 stories)
2017-12-21 15:43:53 UTC
New York has done a lot of good work in very dense areas in terms of innovative composting and waste management solutions. I'd look to them!
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada -
Re: Food Waste
2017-12-21 12:57:30 UTC
I don't know how effective the campaigns are, but here's a couple more recent examples of campaigns to reduce food waste.
NRDC's informational campaign called "Save the Food" https://www.savethefood.com/
Despite it being information heavy, they do seem to be tackling some specific knowledge barriers. They've added a "food waste" knowledge component to Amazon's Alexa, created a database for people to learn how to safely and effectively store all kinds of food for as long as possible, listed food-waste related recipes, and gotten celebrities involved. They have advertising materials available for widespread usage, which I think they are hoping will help to create norms around reducing food waste.
The Food: Too Good to Waste (I Value Food) challenge: http://challenge.ivaluefood.com/
This one is more intensive, and while I'm not sure what the uptake is like, it's well-designed to help motivated households to evaluate their current food waste habits and take actions to reduce them. The real trick is that there's a significant amount of work involved in actually getting people to engage in this challenge.
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada -
Re: What NOT to Compost
2017-12-21 12:39:51 UTC
I don't have good studies to add to this beyond the already-suggested Cornell university and Biocycle magazines. However, Rhubarb leaves are fairly universally considered safe and I have seen science demonstrating that the acid in them is both neutralized in the backyard composting process, as well as in such small quantities you wouldn't need to worry anyway.
Unfortunately not a lot of science has been done on backyard composting as far as I can tell. Acidic things can go in in small to moderate quantities, again depending on the desired end result. One problem with pine needles is they're waxy as well as acidic, so they tend to take a very long time to break down.
We compost citrus all the time and have no apparent issues. In a worm bin, however, we moderate how much is added for the sake of the more sensitive Eisenia Fetida.
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada -
Re: GrassCycling Eduction Campaign
2017-12-21 12:36:17 UTC
The City of Edmonton, in Alberta, Canada, has an excellent CBSM-based "we go bagless" grassycling campaign! https://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/gardens_lawns_trees/grasscycling.aspx For more information.
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada -
Re: Approaching Businesses to Reduce Waste
2016-12-01 16:49:10 UTC
Based on CBSM principles, 1) might work but emphasizing money currently lost is more effective generally than emphasizing potential savings.
3) Is demonstrating the behaviour we DON'T want to see and normalizing it - and so counter productive.
4) is probably helpful backup information
but I'd go with 2) because it demonstrates that doing this behaviour is something already wanted, and it also demonstrates how the targeted behaviour (less use of disposable utensils) is actually the majority view!
Have you focus group or pilot tested these approaches with a few business owners to see what they find most convincing? It would be really interesting to see what works!
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada -
Re: Backyard Composting CBSM Program, Langley B.C. (Webinar, March 21, 2012)
2016-11-09 11:52:13 UTC
Lauren, this is excellent! I had no idea Red Deer was doing this (and I'm from Edmonton originally...). I'm excitedly reading through the report right now. Thanks for sharing and your willingness to share your contact information as well, I might be in touch down the road as we work on refining our programs.
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada -
Re: Cutlery: Plastic vs. Biodegradable vs. Flatware
2016-11-08 16:31:48 UTC
Interesting discussion here! Something important to note is that "biodegradable" and "compostable" are NOT the same. Biodegradable usually means that it will simply break down into small plastic pieces in the landfill...not helpful. It's like putting "natural" on packaging: it really doesn't mean much.
"100% Compostable" is the term to look for. That means that, in certain systems, it will break down into organic matter.
Note that neither biodegradable nor compostable cutlery can be recycled in most jurisdictions! In my experience, the best choice is reusable anything despite the washing impact. The second best is tied with recyclable (and actually recycle it) and compostable (and actually compost it). Worst is anything that ends up in the landfill.
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada -
Re: Mulching or Composting Paper Towels
2016-11-08 15:55:48 UTC
Here, I'm quite certain you cannot recycle paper towels. Regardless, everybody who collects them sends them to the landfill. I've had a couple of schools and daycares say that they have trouble sourcing browns for their on-site composting and recommended that they collect their paper towels. Our social enterprise that does compost pickup also will accept bathroom paper towels (to take to an industrial facility).
The rule I tell people is, if you can send it to the blue bin, pick that first. If you NEED browns or can't put it in the blue bin, send it to your compost pile or yard waste bag.
In terms of composting paper products, go for it! It works fine in a backyard bin. Avoid anything glossy (though I need a source on that) as it's coated with all kinds of stuff. The paper is carbon-rich and works well. I'll use sawdust in a pinch as well in my backyard composting bin.
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada -
Re: Lunch Composting in Secondary Schools
2016-11-08 15:51:20 UTC
I'll just add another vote in support of get the custodians/maintenance staff on board! Custodians not being on board is probably the most common barrier I hear from schools. It would be good to understand the benefits and barriers of composting from their perspective as well but I rarely get a chance to talk to them (at least so far...).
Teresa Looy
Canada
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