Originally published Dec 23/15  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Last week’s column was the 100th edition of the Recycling Bin.

The idea for a weekly information column about recycling came from Karen McKinnon who was working at The Reminder at the time. The North of 53 Consumers Coop agreed to sponsor the column. ‘The Recycling Bin’ was chosen as the name.

The first column on February 5, 2014 was titled ‘Recycle and Be Amazed’. Its inspiration came from many people telling me they were amazed how little garbage they had when they started recycling.  

We have covered a variety of topics including what can be recycled, where it goes, and why we don’t get money back for recycling like in Saskatchewan. Information about who runs the Recycling Centre and where the money comes from has also been featured.

Several individuals have been recognized for the key roles they have played in the success of recycling.

All the columns are published a week later in the news section of our website www.flinflonrecycling.org along with other information about the recycling program in our community.

Writing a regular column is fun and challenging. Deciding what to write about can be tough. Often conversations, news items or observations in the community provide the inspiration.

Many times the challenge is addressing the topic in just 285 words.

Our goal for this column is to increase the public’s understanding of recycling and answer questions so people are inspired to begin or continue recycling and conserve resources and landfill space.  

Anyone with an idea for future columns can call me at 204 687 6169 or email recycled@mymts.net.

The Recycling Centre would like to thank the North of 53 Consumers Coop for sponsoring this opportunity to spread the word. 

Originally published Dec 16/15  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

A headline today caught my attention. ”Climate Deal Hinges on Buy In from Ordinary People” (cbc.ca Dec 14/15).

Climate change has been in the headlines many times recently because of the COP21 meetings in Paris.

What was COP21? The United Nations Climate Change conferences have been held every year since 1995. This was the 21st Conference of Parties or COP21 for short.

The COP21 was a political negotiation to do something about the big changes science is showing are happening as the earth warms over decades when historically it should be cooling over centuries.

This unusual warming trend is caused by higher levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases in the atmosphere trapping heat and changing climate patterns. Melting glaciers and Arctic ice cap, and unusual weather events are increasingly evident.

COP21 ended with a commitment from most of the countries of the world to make big changes.

Canada generates less than two per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases but has one of the highest rates of carbon generated per person in the world. Part of this is because our size and weather.

The Canadian government said it wants to reduce carbon emissions to 30 per cent below our 2005 levels.  That would be the same as taking 47.8 million cars off the road.

Reducing carbon emission happens in a variety of ways and will need ordinary people as much as business and industry buying in to make it happen.

The Environment Council’s slogan “Think Globally, Act Locally” definitely applies.
Recycling reduces greenhouse gases.

Transportation choices also make a difference. Drive less. Drive fuel efficient vehicles. Take the bus. Carpool. Ride bike or walk.

Become informed. Be ready to change. 

Originally published Dec. 9/15  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

Author's note: This is the same column published last year with a few small changes as nothing has changed. 

The holiday season is a busy time at the Recycling Centre. Festivities and gift giving usually result in lots of waste. Many items are recyclable. Many are not.

The usual things can be recycled: beverage containers, cardboard, boxboard, all plastics containers that have a number in the recycling symbol except #6 (PS), Christmas cards, tin cans, batteries, newspapers and fliers, catalogues, magazines and office paper.
 
Eligible electronics can be recycled. Check the list at www.recycleMYelectronics.ca.

All food and drink containers should rinsed/drained so they are not drippy, sticky or gooey.

Things that belong in the garbage are: gift wrap, ribbons, envelopes with foil or plastic liners, containers made of cardboard and metal, Styrofoam (including packing peanuts), plastic bags and wrap, plastic packaging with no number,  disposable plates, cups including coffee cups.
 We cannot recycle Christmas decorations including Christmas lights.

Call the Recycling Centre with any questions at 204 687 6169.

Reduce waste by using and reusing gift bags and enjoying each other’s company while washing dishes instead of using disposable ones. 

Gifts often replace something that is still usable. Take the time to find a new home for these items. There are many ways to do this. Take it to a second hand store or advertise it on Trader’s Post, Kijiji, or similar service.  Or give it away.

Consider giving something that makes the world a better place and creates very little waste. Many charities have special projects you can contribute to in honour of someone on your list.

This season as always, remember that everything we have comes from the earth. As you treat each other to Christmas cheer and kindness, remember to also be kind to Mother Earth. 

Originally published  Dec 2/15  The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

‘Volunteering is the ultimate exercise of democracy….when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in’.

These words by an unknown author appeared on my facebook page. They reminded me of the many volunteers ‘voting’ for recycling our community.

Thirty-two people have volunteered as Board members of the Flin Flon & District Environment Council, Inc, the non-profit organization responsible for the Recycling Centre.

Angie Simpson began serving in 1999. She brings wealth of experience in public service and strong support for recycling. 

La Verne Hinzman was appointed the Town of Creighton representative in 2005 and stayed on when someone else became the town rep. He is the Chairperson of the Board. He built carts that have greatly increased the efficiency of operations.

Fran Gira, an original Board member, served 12 years. She was the bookkeeper before it was computerized.  

Jewell Robertson served eleven years. She typed up and circulated meeting minutes.

Nadine Morrison served eight years. She found the new forklift and supervised during an extended leave of the Administrator. 

Les Ginnell served six year and contributed resources used to develop personnel policies.
 
Glenna Daschuk served six years.  We still use the budget spreadsheet she designed. The red bag curbside program was her and Moira Davis’s idea.

Others Board members include Annette Banach, Bill Fulford, Bob Lyons, Barb Lyons, Janet Modler, Greg East, Moira Davis, Deanna Petrash, Henry Wolf, Darcy Chrisp, Robin Rideout, Wendy Weseen, Christine Schneider, and Peter Bush.

Municipal representatives include George Fontaine, Dennis Ballard, Connie Roberts, Kevin Elliot, Bill Hanson, and Skip Martin. Darren Grant and Karen MacKinnon are the current reps.
​
New Board members are always welcome. 

Originally published Nov 25/15   The Reminder. Flin Flon, Mb. Sponsored by North of 53 Consumers Coop.

The Flin Flon & District Environment Council, Inc. is a non-profit corporation. Its mission is to promote environmental responsibility through education, projects and advocacy.

The Board of Directors makes decisions about what the organization does.

Recycling was the first project and has become the main activity of the organization.
​
Some of the environmental benefits from recycling in our community between January 1 and September 30, 2015 are:
                 1,226.4 cubic yards kept from landfill
                 1,859,480 kWh of saved energy
                 Carbon dioxide emissions reduce by 931.5 tonnes
                 3,689 mature trees saved

The environmental benefits of recycling motivated the Board to save the recycling program in the tough times between 2007 and 2010. 

The organization was in survival mode when Barb Lyons joined in 2009. She put much effort into understanding how everything from funding to job descriptions worked. 

Her husband Bob joined the Board in 2010 bringing experience managing finances for non-profits and expertise in equipment maintenance and training.

Together with other Board members, they considered several options to move forward.

In 2012, an advisor from MMSM, the organization that provides recycling subsidy met with the Administrator and Barb. He described the financial benefits of paying someone with equipment to sort recyclables and discussed pickup fees that cover actual costs. 
 
Barb understood the benefits right away. She and Bob advocated for these changes at the Board level even as others were concerned about reducing the number of employees.

The Board of Directors decided to stop sorting in October 2013. Service fees were increased the following year.

The recycling program has benefited greatly from Barb’s vision. Her work contributed to the Board’s decisions that have resulted in stability for the recycling program.   

November total – 37,655 kg
        Newsprint – 2,163 kg
        Co-mingled* - 9,306 kg
        Office Paper – 4,114 kg
        Cardboard – 18,105 kg
        Glass – 2,973 kg
        Books - 944 kg
       

Total for 2015 – 422,456 kg
Total for 2014 at the end of November - 382,340 kg
​Difference - 8,757 kg

Batteries - 82 kg
E – waste – A trailer was shipped November 27. Actual weight will be posted when available.  

* Co-mingled is unsorted materials sent to Winnipeg for sorting