While Covid has been wreaking havoc to our lives and efforts, and importantly our connections and relationships, the incredibly harmful havoc created by single-use plastic and packaging has never stopped and the core message of our initiatives is still so valuable and important: “Reduce and avoid single-use wherever and whenever you can, and inspire others to sign on to circular thinking and living.”
While some Reduces groups have been on pause, some groups are quite active and hard at work! Mount Pleasant Reduces, ecoCaledon Reduces, Parkdale Reduces, St. Lawrence Reduces, Vancouver Reduces, and wonderful new initiatives in the US (Silicon Valley Reduces, Ithaca Reduces, D.C. Reduces) are all working on getting busy or making plans for 2022. We’re excited to hear more as things progress, and are looking forward to bringing all of the groups together one day soon.
Upcoming Webinar:
Ithaca Reduces has a webinar event coming up this week: How to eliminate the Scourge of Single-Use Plastics in Food Establishments: Lessons from Toronto, Canada and Berkeley, California.Thurs., Jan. 27, 2022 at 7 PM on Zoom facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/374947327772309/
Tina will be participating to rep Roncy/Canada Reduces.
Roncy Reduces Tote Bag Project: Full of good energy!
Roncy Reduces has been enjoying the work on their upcycled, reusable market tote bag project. Roncy Reduces worked with local sewers to make the bags out of upcycled upholstery fabric samples, with a goal to welcome the upcoming end of the single-use plastic bags (hooray!) with a well-made, beautiful, sturdy tote bag that inspires a culture of reuse.
They’re almost done with their second round of bags that have the Canada Reduces logo and will be sold at farmer’s markets in the spring. If you’re interested in bags for you or your group, or you’d like to make some in your neighbourhood, get in touch!
Here are 2 ways you can take action from the cozy comfort of your home:
Consider signing Environmental Defence's letter to prioritize reuse
They are looking for groups and organizations rather than individual signatories.
"Our letter calling for the government to prioritize reuse was sent to ministers Guilbeault, Champagne, Freeland and Boissonnault on Tuesday. If you're interested in helping to amplify the call, I urge you to take to your social media accounts. You can share the letter with your followers and explain why you signed. Hashtag suggestions: #PrioritizeReuse #ZeroWaste and #EndPlasticPollution."
Environmental Defence has published a blog post about it here .
Share your thoughts: proposed Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations
Canada’s proposed Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on December 25, 2021, and are open for a 70-day public comment period ending on March 5, 2022. Tell the government (our elected officials!) what you think should be done to reduce plastic waste and pollution, especially regarding the 6 targeted items: checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics, ring carriers, stir sticks, straws.