Environment Committee

(on behalf of Councillor M. Wilkinson): That, pursuant to Section 89(3) of the Procedure Bylaw (being By-Law No. 2014-441), the Environment Committee approve the addition of this item to its Agenda of Tuesday, 16 June 2015.

(on behalf of Councillor M. Wilkinson): WHEREAS under Diversion 2015, the City began working with local schools to facilitate and encourage green bins organic recycling, and; WHEREAS to date almost 70% of public, separate and private local elementary, and secondary educational institutions are currently registered in the Green Bins in Schools Program, and; WHEREAS recycling organics in schools provides opportunities for environmental education; reduces materials sent to landfill; allows students to see the positive impact they can make in their community; and teaches students to be good environmental stewards, and; WHEREAS it is recognized that engaging children as early adopters of recycling habits can lead to lifelong patterns of behaviour and improve overall diversion rates in households with children; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council direct staff in Environmental Services to: 1. Renew outreach and public education efforts, within existing budgets, to encourage educational institutions in our community to promote waste diversion; 2. Undertake a scan (survey) of those schools registered with the Green Bins in Schools Program to better understand the success of the Program; 3. Work with all four local school boards to increase the number of educational institutions enrolled in the Green Bins in Schools Program, and; 4. Work with all four local school boards to include waste diversion information on a Professional Development (PD) program day in 2015.