At West 5, you’ll have a hard time finding a trashcan. The strong presence of recycling bins throughout the neighbourhood sets the tone for sustainability at West 5.
That’s because the minimal waste lifestyle is the way of the future. It’s pragmatic. It’s visionary. And it’s something you can start today. The Sifton Centre at West 5, for example, is aiming to produce as little waste as possible. Sifton’s new Corporate Office is equipped with sustainable features like state-of-the-art hand dryers (which reduces the amount of paper towel thrown in the trash), recycling receptacles in main areas to encourage employees to recycle items from their lunch, and large recycling bins accompanied by much smaller trash cans in workspaces.
Here are some of our easy tips that you can use today to make meaningful reductions in your carbon footprint and start your journey towards a minimal waste lifestyle:
- Compost! Everything from orange peels, tea bags, and diapers can be composted instead of accumulating in landfills indefinitely. Consider investing in a low-maintenance personal composter for your backyard to cut down on trash. Try as much as possible to turn your kitchen garbage can into a compost receptacle.
- Avoid Plastic. If you haven’t already, ditch plastic water bottles and invest in a reusable glass or stainless steel bottle. Do your best to remember to bring reusable shopping bags and containers when you’re running errands. Some retailers, like Starbucks, will even let you bring in your own travel mug for your morning latte so that you can cut down on paper cups.
- Shop at Farmers’ Markets. And don’t forget your reusable grocery bags! You’ll be able to avoid all of the produce stickers, plastic packaging and endless receipts from grocery stores. Plus, local food means less fossil fuels have been expended to take your food from where it’s grown to where it’s eaten. West 5’s farmers’ markets will be just steps away and full of fresh seasonal produce to compliment all of your kitchen creations.
Because the average North American produces multiple pounds of trash a day, even modest reductions in waste can have a huge impact over the years. Even if you can’t live 100% waste free, making moderate reductions in your household garbage can go a long way. It’s just one part of the future you can start today.
