NEW ORGANIC RECYCLING OPTIONS FOR VANCOUVER APARTMENT AND CONDO RESIDENTS!

Two groups of residents in the West End and Olympic Village are joining other high-density Vancouver neighbourhoods in a community effort to divert organics from the landfill by creating new Food Scraps Drop Spots.

On June 16, 2012 the West End Neighbourhood Food Network and Village Vancouver launched their 10am-1pm Saturday Drop Spot at the West End Community Centre.

On July 10, 2012 local residents in the Olympic Village will launch their 6-8pm Tuesday-evening Food Scraps Drop Spot at the Olympic Village Plaza in South East False Creek.

Both initiatives result from a partnership with local recycling company Recycling Alternative and benefit from Neighbourhood Small Grants awarded by the Greenest City Fund created by the Vancouver Foundation and the City of Vancouver. The addition of West End and Olympic Village Drop Spots brings the total number of Vancouver Drop Spots currently operating to four, counting the existing Trout Lake and West End Farmers Market Drop Spots, which began in partnership with Vancouver Farmer’s Markets last year.

Food Scraps Drop Spots offer residents of apartment and condo buildings a real option for recycling food scraps (composting) as these buildings are not currently included in the curbside food scraps pick-up and composting service provided by the City of Vancouver. Using the Drop Spots, residents who otherwise throw out their organic waste can now take their week’s worth of food scraps to their local Drop Spot for composting, and for a $2 donation, do their part to keep organics out of the landfill and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To date Food Scraps Drop Spots have received over 6,000 drops and diverted more than 22 tonnes of organic materials from the landfill. Those food scraps get turned into top soil and soil amendment for the local gardening, landscaping and farming markets.

In addition to providing an option for multi-tenant food scraps diversion, the Drop Spots have become an engaging and effective forum for community dialogue, public awareness and education of all things related to waste, food scraps, recycling and our local food cycle!

 

To find your nearest Food Scraps Drop Spot, check out www.foodscrapsdropspot.tumblr.com