Waste Fact #1
Fact
Did you know that the average total waste generated per person per year on the island of Montreal is 396 Kilograms[1]?
More so…
Around 1/3 of an average dump is made of packaging material. It’s not something everyone thinks about when they go shopping, but a huge portion of what ends up in our landfills is simple packaging. The best way to reduce the amount of packaging that ends up in landfills is to buy products that don’t have extravagant packaging, or even better, none at all[2].
Solution
Buy locally and demand for products to be shipped in recycled or compostable wrap!
[1] http://pandaenvironmental.com/Top-10-Interesting-Recycling-Facts.html
[2] http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/montreal-garbage/index.html
Alternative/Success story
SOJA&CO. offers candles made in Montreal with 100% natural soy wax, which is an environmentally friendly alternative to paraffin wax (which is derived from petroleum) and the traditional ingredient used in most scented candles.
SOJA&CO. uses 100% recycled kraft paper for shipping packages as well as high-quality cardboard boxes that can be used for more than one shipment. Feel free to reuse the boxes to pack future birthday or Christmas gifts.
The labels on the candles are made of 60% recycled kraft paper.When possible, the team uses recycled boxes to ship packages.The candle amber glass jars can be recycled once your candle is finished. Simply hand-wash the jars with mild detergent and let them dry. You can then use them as a plant or cactus pot, latte/espresso mug, container for jewellery/pencils etc.
Waste Fact #2
Fact
Unfortunately, even with this increase in recycling officials from Environmental Defence tell us that less than 11% of all plastics are recycled in Canada and 90% of plastics end up incinerated, or in our landfills, lakes, parks and oceans. (Environmental Defence)
More so…
Every year we make enough plastic film to shrink-wrap the state of Texas.
Solution
Refuse plastic bag and plastic items when possible
Alternative/Success story
Tru Earth Laundry Eco-Strips
Tru Earth Eco-Strips laundry detergent has a dramatically smaller eco-footprint than liquid and powder detergents. Its packaging uses zero plastic, and its lightweight reduces transportation fuel consumption and global-warming carbon emissions by 94% compared to today’s leading-brand liquid and powder detergent.
If everyone switched to Tru Earth Eco-Strips, the annual eco-savings would be enormous:
- Eliminate one billion plastic jugs (you read that right!), saving 700 million from going to landfills
- Save truck fuel and CO2 equivalent to taking 27 million cars off the road for a day, or planting nine million trees
Waste Fact #3
Fact
Over a billion toothbrushes end up in landfills every year in North America and take over 400 years to decompose.
Solution
Bamboo compostable and sustainable toothbrushes
→ Olabamboo
Waste Fact #4
Fact
A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute – which breaks down to 20,000 plastic bottles a second – and that number will jump another 20% by 2021. In Ontario alone, one billion plastic water bottles are sent to landfill every year. It takes three times the water to make the bottle as it does to fill it.
Solution
Use a reusable water bottle.
