- Recycle all your organics by using the green bin. This can reduce your garbage by over 50 per cent!
- Reduce food waste. Buy only what you need. Plan your meals, inventory what you already have, take a list when you shop, and resist "impulse buys". Don't shop when you are hungry. Store your food correctly: check the Eat Right Ontario website for tips. Serve smaller portions (you can always serve seconds!). Use up leftovers. Download this "leftovers" recipe book.
- Adopt "green" buying habits. Items should be durable and have recycled content. Before buying new, check out what is available at local re-use stores. Ensure any packaging is 100 per cent recyclable.
- Buy local. Purchasing food grown and products made locally reduces packaging, supports the local economy, and reduces the impacts of transportation.
- Repair items when possible, including furniture, cellular phones, computers, etc.
- Use reusables such as refillable bottles for water and coffee, cloth bags or totes when shopping, and reusable containers for food. Switch to cloth napkins and towels. Save wrapping, gift bags, and ribbons for reuse.
- Donate used clothing and other household items, bicycles, windows, doors, lumber and many other items:
- Discuss the 3R's (reduce, reuse and recycle) with your family. Make sure they understand how to sort properly and why it is so important.
- Celebrating? Use these waste reduction tips for your next get together:
- Reduce food waste (see Tip 2 above). If it's a potluck, suggest what guests can bring and have containers available to portion out and share the leftovers.
- Set up an "eco depot". Place your green bin beside a blue box and garbage can for an easy-to-use sorting station for you and your guests.
- Use reusable dishware and napkins. Or recycle paper ones in your green bin.
- Wrap presents in reused cereal or cracker boxes, or in scarves, towels, or cookie tins. Make gift tags out of old greeting cards.
- Save decorations, gift bags, bows and ribbons, and tissue paper for reuse.
- If your celebration produces more organics than your green bin holds, put the organics in an Liner acceptable liner bag and place on top of your green bin. (If you have extra organics on a regular basis though, please pick up an extra green bin.)
- Tips for specific holidays
- Hallowe'en: Recycle your pumpkin. Remove candles and any decorations, and put it on top of or beside your green bin. Before placing unwanted candy in the green bin, remove all wrappers.
- Christmas greenery: Green bin greenery from wreaths. Remove any wire and decorations.
- Christmas trees: We collect natural Christmas trees shortly after the holiday and chip them into mulch. Check our Holiday Collection section for details.
- Compost in your backyard. Check our Backyard Composting page for details.
- Grasscycle. Mulch your grass when mowing by leaving it on your lawn to provide nutrients for a healthier lawn.
- Reduce household hazardous waste. Look online for ways to make your own "green" cleaners, furniture polish, and laundry detergent.
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Interested in reducing packaging? BYOC! Below are local businesses that will allow you to use your own containers when buying food, including take-out. This reduces waste, such as polystyrene trays, plastic wrap, and plastic and other types of containers.
How does it work?
- Bring any sealable, clean, and undamaged container from home to one of the businesses below. (Note: Businesses reserve the right to refuse any container that is not up standard.)
- Tell the salesperson that you want to use your own container.
- Give the salesperson your container to zero out the scale and weigh only the material inside.
- Pay and take you container home to be reused
- 126 Chinese Food, 2922 King Street East, Kitchener
- Ambrosia Pastery Co., 150 Roger Street, Waterloo
- Angie's Waterloo, 47 Erb Street West, Waterloo
- Aroma Cafe, 33 Erb Street West, Waterloo
- Bangkok Cuisine, 1500 Weber Street East, Kitchener
- Barley Works, 59 King Street North, Waterloo
- Bauer Butcher, 150 Caroline Street South, Waterloo
- Bauer Kitchen, 187 King Street South, Unit 102, Waterloo
- Brady's Meat and Deli, 465 Phillip Street, Waterloo
- Bulk Barn
- 425 Hespeler Road, Cambridge
- 5 McLaren Avenue, Cambridge
- 1400 Ottawa Street South, Kitchener
- 1400 Weber Street East, Kitchener
- 66 Bridgeport Road East, Waterloo
- 295 The Boardwalk, Waterloo
- Cafe 1842, 59 King Street North, Waterloo
- Caudle's Catch, 300 King Street East, Kitchener
- Charles Quality Meats, 1448 Wilby Road, St. Agatha
- Chopan Kebab Restaurant, 200 Highland Road West, Kitchener
- Cobs Bread, 718 Belmont Avenue West, Kitchener
- Copper Branch, 80 King Street South, Unit 106, Waterloo
- Daniel's Cheese and Deli, 250 Thompson Drive, Cambridge
- Davids Tea
- 2960 Kingsway Drive, Unit G002, Kitchener
- 95 King Street South, Waterloo
- Distinctly Tea, 187 King Street South, Waterloo
- Ennio's Pasta
- 655 Fairway Road South, Kitchener
- 384 King Street North, Waterloo
- Frat Burger, 247 King Street North, Units 1A to 1B, Waterloo
- Fresh Ground, 256 King Street East, Kitchener
- Full Circle Foods, 3 Charles Street West, Kitchener
- Golden Hearth Bakery, 343 King Street East, Kitchener
- Good Vibes Juice Co., 1 King Street West, Kitchener
- Grand Trunk Saloon, 30 Ontario Street South, Kitchener
- Guanaquita Restaurant, 273 King Street West, Kitchener
- King Wok Chinese Food, 501 Krug Street, Kitchener
- Kypreos Restaurant, 305 Lancaster Street West, Kitchener
- Lana's Lounge, 220 King Street North, Kitchener
- The Lion Brewery Restaurant, 59 King Street North, Waterloo
- Mambellas Italian Kitchen, 160 Columbia Street West, Waterloo
- Mark's Caribbean Kitchen, 20 King Street East, Kitchener
- Mel's Diner
- 645 Westmount Road East, Kitchener
- 140 University Avenue, West, Waterloo
- Meltwich Food Co, 255 King Street North, Unit 2, Waterloo
- Mountain Oak Cheese Ltd., 3165 Huron Road, New Hamburg
- Mucho Burrito
- 594 Hespeler Road, Cambridge
- 4195 King Street East, Building B, Unit 102, Kitchener
- 220 King Street North, Waterloo
- My Thai, 51 King Street North, Waterloo
- Nostra Cucina, 31 Manitou Drive, Kitchener
- Pierogi House
- 4336 King Street East, Kitchener
- 655 Parkside Drive, Waterloo
- The Poke Box, 255 King Street North, Unit 3, Waterloo
- Proof Kitchen and Lounge, 110 Erb Street West, Waterloo
- Pub on King, 77 King Street North, Waterloo
- Pupuseria Latinos, 25 Eby Street South, Kitchener
- Qdoba Mexican Eats, 10 Manitou Drive, Kitchener
- Queen Street Commons, 43 Queen Street South, Kitchener
- Quesada Burritos and Tacos
- 100 Jamieson Parkway, Unit 8, Cambridge
- 95 Saginaw Parkway, Unit 5A, Cambridge
- 324 Highland Road West, Unit 3, Kitchener
- Rawlicious, 718 Belmont Avenue West, Kitchener
- Ray Woodsy's Craft Chippery, 94 King Street South, Waterloo
- Red Ginger, 465 Highland Road West, Kitchener
- Settlement Co.
- 1 Victoria Street South, Kitchener
- 23 King Street North, Waterloo
- Seven Shores, 10 Regina Street North, Waterloo
- Shiri's Kitchen, 169 Lexington Court, Unit D, Waterloo
- Slice and Rice, 251 Hemlock Street, Unit 114, Waterloo
- Stark and Perri, 56 King Street North, Waterloo
- Sticks and Scones Cakes, 62 Balsam Street, Waterloo
- Taco Farm, 8 Erb Street West, Waterloo
- Taj Rasoi Indian Cuisine, 8 Bloomingdale Road North, Kitchener
- Three Kretans, 151 Frederick Street, Kitchener
- T and J Seafood, 26 Elm Street, Unit 2G4, Kitchener
- Victoria Wholesome Food Market, 1373 Victoria Street North, Kitchener
- Vincenzo's, 150 Caroline Street South, Waterloo
- Wildcraft, 425 King Street North, Waterloo
- Wuddup Dog, 763 King Street East, Cambridge
- The Yeti, 14 Eby Street North, Kitchener
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