Regina joins campaign to promote waste reduction

REGINA The City of Regina has proclaimed Oct. 15 to 19 Waste Reduction Week as it joins other cities across Canada in a national environmental campaign.

The campaign is meant to raise awareness around issues of sustainable and responsible consumption and promotes actions to divert more waste from the landfill.

“This year, we are focusing on reducing food waste,” Mayor Michael Fougere said in a news release. “In Regina, food waste makes up 30 per cent of waste in residential garbage carts and of that, over half was edible at some point, meaning half the food waste was avoidable.”

The city is encouraging residents to take part in the Food Waste Challenge, which includes a quiz to learn how small, everyday actions can help reduce the amount of food waste being created.

Tips include planning your meals in advance, making a grocery list to make sure you don’t double up on supplies, storing food properly to make it last, date your leftovers and find creative ways to use them in your next meal and turning food waste into compost.

“It’s not just this week — we can continue to reduce our food waste throughout the year and divert this material and other recyclables from the landfill,” said Lisa Legault, director of solid waste, in the release. “We want residents to take action in their homes and at the store by adopting more environmentally conscious choices.”

Visit Regina.ca/reduce from Oct. 15 to 19 to take the quiz and Regina.ca/waste for more tips on composting and other strategies.

In Regina, food waste makes up 30 per cent of waste in residential garbage carts and of that, over half was edible at some point.