It’s the happiest time of the year. It’s also the most wasteful. Boxes and Styrofoam and gift-wrap – oh my!
According to Stats Canada, the annual waste generated in Canada from gift-wrapping and shopping bags equals about 545,000 tonnes. If every Canadian family reduced its weekly waste during the holidays by just one kilogram, we could eliminate 34,000 tonnes of garbage.
London Drugs, recipient of numerous corporate recycling awards for their waste diversion program, What’s the Green Deal?, shares ideas on how you can reduce or divert that holiday waste from going into landfills.
“There are a number of things consumers can do before and after Christmas to significantly reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills over the holiday season,” says Maury McCausland, Administrator of Retail Operations for London Drugs. “The most important thing is to be diligent about your waste decisions over the holidays, and make the effort to bring in those unwanted items that can so easily be put into the trash. In the excitement of a new gift, we need to remember we can bring back most the materials that come with that gift.”
McCausland also says this is the prime time for people to get a new tech gadget gift, but many people aren’t sure what to do with their old appliance or device once they upgrade.
“If you no longer have a need for your old device, it is easy to recycle your older generation Smartphone, computer, or electronic device by bringing it into London Drugs,” says McCausland. “We also accept batteries, which people find a bit too easy to toss in the trash at this time of year.”
All electronic appliances from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are sent to the GEEP plant in Edmonton, AB, dismantled into its component parts, and sold as commodities or reused.
Customers can also bring back their Styrofoam, cosmetics and candy wrappers, among other items. For years, London Drugs has offered Bring Back the Pack – our packaging take-back program for anything purchased at our stores. Just drop off your packaging at customer service as you leave the store, or bring it back later with your receipt.
So why not pass that gift of less packaging forward? If you shop at London Drugs and include a gift receipt with your presents, your giftees can reduce their trash footprint as well.
If you can’t bring back the pack, then be sure to grab Bag to Earth Waste Bags for your waste. They are 100% compostable and stronger than plastic, so there is no need for double bagging.
London Drugs has currently recycled over 190,000 lbs of Styrofoam since it started the program, as well as prevented millions of pounds of other materials from going into landfills.
