25 June 2009 - 12:34How to Handle a Garbage Collectors’ Strike

Took this photo yesterday on Queen Street near Spadina...

Day 3 of the garbage strike in Toronto and waste has already begun to pile up. While walking around the city, you can’t miss the overflowing garbage bins, the illegal dumping in parks, and the horrendous stench!

Torontonians will once again have to come face-to-face with the garbage they created. It’s so easy not to think about the waste we produce, because it gets taken away by the trucks, out of sight and out of mind. Maybe it takes a strike to realize that garbage sitting in landfills is just as uncool as garbage piling up on busy streets…

Instead of seeing it as an inconvenience, I see the strike as an opportunity to reflect and maybe change some bad habits. We often just buy, and buy, and buy with disregard for how much we throw out. The strike is an opportunity to make a permanent impact – for the good. Try to avoid buying anything with excessive packaging and just buy less. If we try to be mindful of these things now (and for as long as the strike lasts), we may be able to form some healthy, sustainable habits.

While I’m not saying I want to see a long strike, necessity is the driver of invention. This strike may just inspire more people to think about their garbage and take some small steps towards reducing it on a long term basis.

Tips for getting through a city workers’ strike (like the one going on in Toronto):

- Produce less garbage

- Take a reusable mug or bag when purchasing drinks or groceries.

- Compost in your backyard (http://www.toronto.ca/compost/approach.htm)

- Leave wasteful and bulky packaging at the store if you can.

- Cook fresh food, rather than packaged food

- Return your LBCO and Beer Store bottles and containers to the store and get back the deposit.

- Pack a waste-free lunch with reusable containers and a lunch bag.

- Make sure you rinse all your food packaging before putting it in the recycling bin or garbage bag to prevent smell.

- Make sure you flatten or break down recyclables or garbage before you throw it away to save space.

- Throw away less organic waste by wasting less food. Buy only what you need for short periods of time and freeze leftovers if they will otherwise go bad.

- Think about things before you toss them into the garbage.

- Store your garbage in your backyard shed/garage/or basement – whatever is safest for your situation. Keep pests and creatures away by adding generous amounts of baking soda into the bag/bin to keep odors at bay.

Remember, please do not litter!

posted by Prabhjit Banga, EcoAction Teams program researcher

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