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Category Archives: Green Living
Top 10 blogs about recycling and waste
This blog launched in September 2011, and since then, we’ve published 236 posts about waste management! Who knew there’d be so much to say about waste? These posts have explored our personal and collective connections to waste; they’ve touched on local, provincial, national and … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged 3rs, blog, conservation, environment, environmental education, waste management, zero waste
4 Comments
“What Earth Day means to me” by Omar Hadi
Our home planet, Earth, is the only world known to us to contain life. We depend on it. We all walk on the surface of the Earth, we all breathe the air supplied by Earth, and so it should be our … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged compost, composting, earth day, environment, environmental education, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, waste management
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“What Earth Day means to me” by Christina Stratford
What words come to mind when you think about Earth? Beautiful, luscious…our home. Yet, there are only some places on our planet that look like what I have just described. If you want to make every place in the world look … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged compost, composting, earth day, environment, environmental education, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, waste management
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“What Earth Day means to me” by Sam Bisutti
April 22, not only is it my birthday, but it is also the day of an environmental event taking place all over the world. It’s Earth Day, and that means many things to many different people. Let me explain what … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged compost, composting, earth day, environment, environmental education, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, waste management
8 Comments
An ode to Nana’s couch
My grandmother recently passed away. She lived a very long life, filled with much love and adventure. In the past fifteen years or so, she moved from her large single-family home into a seniors’ retirement building, then twice more into … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged 3rs, clutter, conservation, consumerism, death, Declutter, grandmother, grandparent, heirloom, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse
1 Comment
Online shopping — is it good for the environment?
Online shopping has gained a lot of momentum over the last few years, as retailers of all sorts move toward making it more convenient for consumers to shop. What doesn’t sound appealing about shopping in your pajamas, out of the … Continue reading
Posted in Blue Box, Disposal, Green Living, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse
Tagged 3rs, conservation, consumerism, cyber shopping, eco, environment, online retailer, online shopping, packaging waste, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, waste management
2 Comments
Travelogue – South Korea
Recently I had the pleasure of visiting South Korea. Whenever I visit a foreign country, I can’t help but notice their waste bins; it’s a side-effect of working in the industry. While my friends take pictures of the Gyeongbokgung Palace, … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, Travel
Tagged conservation, environment, holidays, Korea, recycling, Seoul, South Korea, vacation, waste management
1 Comment
Will you be my green Valentine?
It may feel like we’ve just gotten through the holiday season and now it is already time to start thinking about yet another holiday — Valentine’s Day. While Valentine’s Day is about celebrating love, it can result in a lot … Continue reading
Posted in Blue Box, Green Living, GreenCart, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse
Tagged 3rs, compost, composting, conservation, consumerism, environment, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, Valentine, Valentine's Day, zero waste
1 Comment
LEGO – an opportunity to reuse
Let’s face it — everyone loves LEGO! Kids love it. Adults love it. Heck, I’m in my mid 30s, and I still get a new LEGO set each Christmas! From Ninjago to LEGO Friends, from the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre to the upcoming The … Continue reading
2014 Halton Waste Management Guide and Collection Calendar – how it’s made
Starting tomorrow, residents of Halton Region will start to receive their 2014 Waste Management Guide & Collection Calendar. This popular guide — the largest public document produced by Halton — provides you with your waste collection schedule, and information about Blue … Continue reading
Posted in Blue Box, Garbage, Green Living, GreenCart
Tagged 2014 Waste Management Guide & Collection Calendar, 3rs, Collection Calendar, compost, composting, conservation, environment, Halton Region, printing, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, waste management, waste management services, zero waste
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Recycling in Downton Abbey
January 5, 2014 marks the return of Downton Abbey in North America, and I for one couldn’t be more excited. I came late to this television masterpiece, having binge-viewed the first three seasons over the past few weeks. Telling the story of … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living, History, Movie Review, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse
Tagged 3rs, conservation, Downton Abbey, environment, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, TV, waste management
2 Comments
Happy holidays from HaltonRecycles
HaltonRecycles, and the entire Halton Region Waste Management Services division, wish you and your family a most happy holiday! Enjoy this Christmas recycling poem!
Posted in Green Living
Tagged 3rs, Christmas, environment, holidays, recycle, reduce, reuse, sustainability, sustainable, waste management, zero waste
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A Christmas card conundrum
I admit it: I’m addicted to paper. Books, newspaper, writing paper, computer paper, flyers, brochures — I love it all. My love of paper is especially heightened during the holidays, as I love mailing (and receiving) Christmas cards. But this … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged 3rs, Canada Post, Christmas, Christmas card, Christmas cards, environment, mail, paper, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, zero waste
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All we want for Christmas… are environmentally friendly presents
With Christmas just around the corner, the award-winning HaltonRecycles team has visions of sugar plums, dancing in their heads. The team has put together their environmentally friendly wish list for Santa. “I’m hoping Santa brings me a new road bike this … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged 3rs, Christmas, consumerism, eco, environment, gift, presents, zero waste
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Christmas: A time to renew the life of the Earth
One of the great holiday traditions at Christmas time is gathering with family and friends to set up a Christmas Manger scene in our homes and churches. I remember as a child taking great care in placing the figures of … Continue reading
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
When I was a child I eagerly anticipated going to get a Christmas tree. I can vividly remember trekking through the snow and endless rows trying to find the perfect one. When we finally found it, the joy of yelling … Continue reading
Posted in Compost, Green Living
Tagged 3rs, artificial tree, Christmas, Christmas tree, Christmas tree farm, compost, composting, conservation, environment, fake tree, family, holiday waste, holidays, natural tree, real tree, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, tree
3 Comments
Wrap it up in environmentally friendly ways!
The holiday season is officially here! Festive music, tempting treats, colourful decorations and gift giving! Although a most wonderful time of the year, generous gift giving can create a lot of waste. You may be surprised to learn that gift … Continue reading
Posted in Blue Box, Garbage, Green Living
Tagged 3rs, Christmas, eco, environment, environmental education, gift, Gift wrapping, Gifts and Occasions, holiday waste, holidays, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, sustainable
4 Comments
Chanukah and the Environment
In the darkest days of December, the Jewish community will be celebrating our annual holiday of Chanukah. This ancient ritual dates back close to 2,500 years ago when the Greek-Syrians took over the holy land of Israel from the Jewish … Continue reading
Green is the new Black Friday
‘Tis the season — for shopping! For many North Americans, the day after the American Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season, more commonly known as “Black Friday.” The day’s name originated in the 1960s and it marked the … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged Black Friday, consumerism, holidays, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, shopping
2 Comments
Celebrating GIS Day
On my way to work in the GIS section at Halton Regional Centre, I realized that I needed to stop at the nearest gas station — before my car ran out of fuel! — so I picked up my hand-held … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged environmental education, geographic information system, GIS, GIS Day, GPS, sustainability, sustainable, waste management
4 Comments
Waste less this Halloween
As old Hallow’s eve draws near, costume ideas and sugary treats are on a lot of people’s minds. It is a fun and festive fall celebration, and one that can also create a large amount of waste with disposable candy … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse
Tagged compost, composting, costume, eco, Garbage, Halloween, holiday waste, holidays, Parties, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, Trick-or-treating, waste management
1 Comment
School librarians promote reduce, reuse, recycle
Books have the power to educate, entertain and enthrall. They can cause personal reflection, a change of thought, and a call to action. In recognition of Waste Reduction Week in Canada and the need to protect our environment, teacher-librarians, library technicians and … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged 3rs, book, children, eco, environment, environmental education, Halton District School Board, libraries, library, literacy, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, sustainability, waste management, zero waste
1 Comment
Are you throwing away edible food?
My personal journey with food waste started in October 2011, when I heard Dr. Ralph Martin, Loblaw Chair in Sustainable Food Production from the University of Guelph, deliver a keynote speech about how we are going to feed ourselves in … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living, GreenCart
Tagged 3rs, compost, composting, environment, family, food, food waste, Ralph Martin, sustainability, World Food Day, zero waste
5 Comments
When you look at a can of cranberries, what do you see?
When you look at a can of cranberries, what do you see? Do you see a delicious side dish to your Thanksgiving turkey? Or do you also see the seeds that grew the cranberries? What about the farmers who planted, … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged 3rs, compost, composting, conservation, consumerism, environment, environmental education, food, Garbage, holidays, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, Thanksgiving, zero waste
1 Comment
Trees and recycling – connect to National Tree Day
Trees and recycling have a long history together. With National Tree Day coming up on September 25, 2013, let’s have a look at how trees, paper and recycling are connected. In Canada, we are fortunate to have a vast supply … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living, Recycle
Tagged 3rs, conservation, environment, environmental education, forest, National Forest Week, National Tree Day, recycle, recycling, tree, trees, waste management
1 Comment
Meal planning = less stress and less waste!
Now that summer’s over, I am back to work and the kids are back in school. I am faced with my new reality of less time and more commitments. Gone are the days of deciding what to feed my family … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged children, compost, composting, consumerism, environment, family, food, reduce, zero waste
2 Comments
WasteAid – working to improve waste management in developing countries
Imagine waking up in the morning. Instead of making breakfast, you head out into the streets, scavenging through litter and accumulated waste to find food and clothing for your family. You then head to the local dump where you pick … Continue reading
Summer fades into autumn
As summer fades in autumn, I’m reminded how the change of season also changes my family’s waste management practices. Around the house, it’s time to locate our reusable lunch bag, thermos, containers and cutlery in preparation for packing waste-free lunches … Continue reading
Posted in Compost, Green Living, Household Hazardous Waste, Reuse
Tagged 3rs, autumn, compost, conservation, eco, environment, gardening, household hazardous waste, Yard Waste
1 Comment
Back to school… back to green
For anyone involved in education, that feeling that creeps into your stomach as August fades away cannot be ignored. While September can bring anxiety over the uncertainties of new classes, new teachers, and a new school year, it also brings … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living, Schools
Tagged 3rs, children, composting, conservation, consumerism, environment, environmental education, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, school, sustainability, sustainable, waste management
3 Comments
Travelogue: A Journey Through Eastern Canada
Recently, my wife, our dog and I headed out east for a driving vacation through Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. We stayed at private camp grounds, provincial parks, national parks and the odd hotel, and it gave me … Continue reading
What’s the deal with “compostable” packaging?
Packaging is a huge business. Corporations spend millions of dollars annually to ensure their packaging choices are eye-catching, memorable, and easy to use — all in the effort to ensure consumers (you) buy their product. In recent years, many corporations … Continue reading
Cups runneth over
The summer season is in full swing — bringing long weekends and warmer temperatures, backyard barbeques and outdoor parties. Entertaining in the summer is fun and, while reusable beverage cups are truly the best option, many find that outdoor entertaining … Continue reading
Posted in Blue Box, Garbage, Green Living, GreenCart
Tagged beverage, Blue Box, composting, cup, eco, environment, Garbage, GreenCart, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, waste management, zero waste
7 Comments
Shopping for a new fridge
I recently had to purchase a new fridge after my 30-year-old fridge reached was on its last leg. After hiring an electrician to have the fridge fixed many times, we decided it was cheaper to buy a new fridge. New … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged consumerism, energy conservation, fridge, recycle, recycling
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Fore! Look out, the 2013 RBC Canadian Open is going green!
This year, from July 22 to 28, Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville will be hosting the 104th Canadian Open golf tournament. This week long tournament showcases the abilities of over 26 amateur and professional Canadian and international golfers. It … Continue reading
Posted in Compost, Green Living, Recycle
Tagged compost, composting, conservation, eco, environment, glen abbey golf club, golf, RBC Canadian Open, recycle, recycling, reduce, zero waste
3 Comments
Greening for golf
Did you know the sport of golf and the environmental movement have a long standing relationship? Some golf courses in the Great Toronto Area are built on closed landfills and other golf courses are working towards being certified for their environmental … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged conservation, eco, environment, golf, RBC Canadian Open, sustainability, sustainable, zero waste
4 Comments
World Population Day
World Population Day is recognized internationally on July 11. Coordinated by the United Nations Population Fund, World Population Day aims to educate about the challenges — and opportunities — associated with increased population on development, health and social attitudes. In … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged conservation, eco, environment, Places to Grow, population, sustainability, sustainable, waste management, World Population Day
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All aboard! Next stop…waste diversion!
Many people would argue that train travel is one of the most sustainable modes of transportation. According to the Railway Association of Canada, Canada’s rail sector moves more than 70% of all surface goods each year, yet only accounts for … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged environment, railway, recycle, recycling, train, waste management
1 Comment
Plan now for efficient water irrigation this summer
Automatic irrigation systems have become popular because of convenience, however they do not always translate into improved water efficiency. Many systems use excessive amounts of water due to improper design, installation, and/or maintenance. Irrigation systems that significantly over-water are not … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged conservation, eco, efficient water management, environment, garden, gardening, irrigation, reduce, Smart Irrigation Month, water
1 Comment
Six steps to upcycling success: from baby crib to blanket rack
Several years ago, a friend’s parents were preparing their home for sale. This included decluttering three decades worth of family-oriented items before they would make a “downsizing” move to another house. During a pre-move visit, I found that many precious, … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living, Houses, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse
Tagged baby shower, before and after, blanket rack, children, cribs, Declutter, diy, downsizing, family, paint, reduce, refinish, reuse, Up cycle, upcycle, upcycling
4 Comments
Growing heirloom seeds with compost
This spring I read a blog at Yard Eatins that featured a list of heirloom seed suppliers compiled by Treehugger and a video of Jere Gettle, founder of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. I like to garden and this inspired me … Continue reading
Posted in Compost, Green Living
Tagged Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, compost, composting, eco, environment, food, gardening, Jere Gettle, nature, reduce, reuse, sustainability, sustainable, tomato
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An unconventional classroom
During the week, a normal high school student would find themselves in class learning anything from math to history at 12:30 p.m.. I too, head off to class at that time, but not in your conventional classroom — my classroom … Continue reading
Floating cities and the waste they create
I recently had the opportunity to call a new place home for 14 nights. This new home is a magical place where you can throw your towels on the floor and they get cleaned and replaced twice a day. There … Continue reading
Posted in Disposal, Green Living, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, Travel
Tagged 3rs, conservation, cruise, cruise ships, eco, environment, ocean, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, vacation, waste management, water, zero waste
1 Comment
Reusing plastic milk bags
Canadians should be proud of some of the life changing inventions they have pioneered. However, Canadians have also invented a number of items that have wreaked havoc to the planet. The familiar green garbage bag was a Canadian invention. Canadians … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged 3rs, crochet, eco, environment, milk bag, plastic bag, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, zero waste
4 Comments
Think.Eat.Save – World Environment Day 2013
While not as well-known as Earth Day in April, World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5. Organized by the United Nations Environment Programme, World Environment Day raises awareness about the need for positive environmental action. The theme for the 2013 … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living, Reduce
Tagged composting, conservation, consumerism, environment, food, food waste, sustainability, sustainable, waste management, World Environment Day, zero waste
1 Comment
Conserving blue gold
Here at Halton Waste Management Site, we like to think of ourselves as experts in the 3Rs — reduce, reuse, recycle. This slogan is embedded into our work and everyday lives as we consciously think of ways to minimize our … Continue reading
Posted in Green Living
Tagged Canada Water Week, conservation, eco, environment, rain, reusable water bottles, water
1 Comment
Waste’s impact on biodiversity
Visit the Royal Ontario Museum and learn how biodiversity is being impacted by waste — and how we can minimize those environmental impacts.
Posted in Disposal, Green Living, Household Hazardous Waste, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, Video
Tagged bald eagle, biodiversity, conservation, consumerism, environment, environmental education, household hazardous waste, International Day for Biological Diversity, nature, Royal Ontario Museum, sea turtle, sustainability, sustainable, waste management
1 Comment
Celebrating National Public Works Week
One of my favourite books is In The Skin of the Lion, by famed Canadian author Michael Ondaatje. Part of this excellent novel narrates the lives of the workers who helped build some of Toronto’s most iconic — and important — public … Continue reading
Posted in Disposal, Education, Green Living, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse
Tagged 3rs, American Public Works Association, compost, composting, environment, environmental education, landfill, National Public Works Week, public works, recycle, recycling, reduce, reuse, waste management, zero waste
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Road Trip!
It is the start of summer. For many of us, it is also the start of summer road trips. Whether a trip to the cottage or exploring Canada, here are some tips that can help make the trip greener. Make … Continue reading
How to choose a greener burial
We live. We die. There is no getting around this circle of life. A question that plagues most environmentally conscious families today is: how can I live and die while leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible? Can I still have … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Green Living
Tagged burial, Burlington Memorial Gardens, cemetery, conservation, eco, environment, funeral
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What Earth Day means to me
Earth Day is celebrated around the world on April 22. The first Earth Day was held in the United States in 1970 and was organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson. The first Canadian Earth Day was celebrated in 1980, and in 1990 … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Green Living
Tagged 3rs, children, conservation, consumerism, earth day, eco, environment, environmental education, sustainability, sustainable, waste management, zero waste
7 Comments
