Zero Waste Challenge
The Zero Waste Challenge is back! Champion a sustainable lifestyle from October 1. Whether you opt for 7, 14, or 30 days, commit to minimizing waste and learning more about your consumption habits.
Join The Zero Waste Challenge!
Mobile Users: please follow this link to fill out the survey.
Challenge Yourself to Waste Less!
Every October, we challenge residents of Waterloo Region to try to fit all their single-use waste into a mason jar for 7, 14 or 30 days.
The Challenge is an opportunity for each of us to learn about our consumption habits and challenge ourselves to find low-waste solutions to these habits!
Grab a 1 litre mason jar and get ready for the challenge! For questions about what waste goes where, use the Region of Waterloo’s Waste Whiz to find out if something can be recycled or put in your green bin. Better yet, download the My Waste app offered by the Region for Android and Apple devices.
14 Day
Challenge Option
You spoke, we listened…
Want to take part in a longer Zero Waste Challenge, but don’t feel ready to try the 30 Day Challenge? Don’t worry – we’ve created the NEW 14 Day Challenge just for you.
Community-Led
Recycling Program
We are supporting local community members who have set up recycling programs through Terracycle at their community centres.
Current locations:
- Rockway Centre: Oral hygiene products, razors, Swiffer refills
- Downtown Community Centre: Oral hygiene products, batteries, pens and markers, ink cartridges
- Mill Courtland Community Centre: Oral hygiene products, razors
Circular Economy Partnerships
This year we have partnered with Precious Plastics Canada and Plastic Flux to upcycle plastic bottle caps into benches.
Save your caps and bring them to one of our convenient drop-off locations, or send us an email and we will pick them up!
Bottle Caps to Benches
This year, we have partnered with Precious Plastic Canada and Plastic Flux to upcycle plastic bottle caps into benches, keeping the material in our community.
During the month of October, we will collect caps from all types of bottles: oat milk, baby formula, vitamins, juice – you name it! Save your caps and bring them to one of our convenient drop-off locations, or send us an email and we will pick them up!
Drop off your caps at one of these locations:
- Reep House for Sustainable Living – 20 Mill St., Kitchener – Front Porch Drop-Off Box
- Mill-Courtland Community Centre – 216 Mill St., Kitchener
- Greenway-Chaplin Community Centre – 116 Rouse Ave. Cambridge
- Le Prix Fashion and Consulting – 181 Park St, Waterloo
Why take the Zero Waste Challenge?
Our Zero Waste Challenge aims to introduce participants to the Circular Economy: a system of production and consumption where goods used to make items are regenerated and re-used, rather than simply thrown away.
Communities and individuals reducing their consumption is the first step towards a Circular Economy. The Zero Waste Challenge is therefore designed to help you learn how to disrupt the linear cycle of consumption. As you learn about your consumption habits and challenge yourself to improve them, you will begin to develop creative, personalized solutions that contribute to a local Circular Economy.
Our Zero Waste Challenge also aligns with Transformative Change #4 in the TransformWR Climate Action Strategy, meaning that by 2050, the Zero Waste Challenge will help equip and empower residents of Waterloo Region to use less, waste less, and no longer dispose of organic matter in landfills. This Challenge specifically aligns with actions listed under Strategy 4.2 (Use less, and use it again, p. 79) of the Climate Action Report. By taking the Zero Waste Challenge this year, you will be directly contributing to our region’s vision for an equitable, prosperous, and resilient low-carbon community.
Reducing the waste you create is an important part of living sustainably. By challenging yourself, family, friends, and colleagues, you will learn about the amount of waste you generate and how to reduce waste in the future.
Connect With Our ZWC Community:
Register for the Zero Waste Challenge
Questions or Comments?
Get in touch at [email protected]. We are happy to assist you in making the Zero Waste Challenge as fun and impactful as possible!
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