Waste Drive: April 21, 2011

April 22 is EARTH DAY! In honour of the day, we'll be hosting a waste drive on April 21, 2011 in the parking lot of the Patricia Hotel at 403 E. Hastings. We'll be there from 9:00 to 3:00 collecting your businesses waste. Items we're accepting are:

• E-waste (old computers, monitors, laptops, ink cartridges, cables, computer accessories, and other electronic equipment)
• Cardboard
• Plastics
• Styrofoam

Don't worry if you're too busy to make it down on April 21. Just give us a call anytime between April 1 and April 20 at 604-258-2727, and we'll make arrangements to pick up your waste from your business or property. Help us reach our goal of diverting 3 tons of waste!

Our last waste drive, held in conjunction with Waste Reduction Week 2010, diverted just over 1 ton of e-waste, including:

• 20 Computer Monitors
• 11 PCs
• 58 Ink Cartridges
• 23 AC Adapters
• 19 Cables
• 3 Laptops
• An assortment of computer accessories, printers, copiers, fax machines, and other obsolete electronics.

What happens to the collected items?

 Reboot will collect all electronic donations. They refurbish what they can, and recycle the rest through Free Geek. Cardboard will be reused by BIA businesses, plastics will go to West Coast Plastics and Styrofoam will go to WCS Recycling. We'll even record it for you on the Resource Exchange. What are you waiting for? Give us a call today at 604-258-2727 and we will take care of your waste.

Waste Exchange Workshops and Networking

The Strathcona BIA is committed to reducing and redirecting “waste” in Strathcona through education, innovation, and collaboration. Our Green Zone Connects events are networking workshops where members can learn how to deal with problematic materials and collaborate with each other to redefine their wastes as resources.

This fun event offers you a chance to meet your neighbours and find new ways to reduce your waste and recycling costs by giving your "waste" to those who need it.

For example, here are some collaborations that have transpired between previous workshop attendees:

•  A print shop has received dozens of cardboard boxes, which they use to make deliveries, from BIA members who were either throwing them away or recycling them
• Several BIA members have diverted their e-waste to Reboot, a BIA member and workshop participant that collects electronics and refurbishes them to sell to non-profits, schools, and low income and disabled individuals.
• Two BIA members connected at a workshop and collaborated to purchase soil for their landscaping projects, saving significantly on delivery fees.