Today is World Environment Day: how can we make it easier to keep usable items out of the landfill?

We know that many household goods don’t have to end up in the garbage. They can be reused, repurposed, repaired, resold or donated to charities. Items such as clothing, shoes, furniture and bicycles can be used again and again. Today marks World Environment Day, a perfect occasion to reflect on how we can make a more positive impact on reducing our waste and increasing our diversion habits. We want your ideas on how the City can support residents to reuse, repair or share these items and keep them out of the landfill. Residents are invited to complete the survey from now until July 7. Your ideas will be used to inform an Action Plan to increase waste reduction and reuse opportunities in the community. This important work is part of the roll-out of actions identified in the Solid Waste Master Plan that was approved by Council last year. There are many existing community initiatives to keep usable items out of the landfill:

• Clothing donation bins or at home clothing collection through charity organizations
• Furniture donation options
• Thrift and consignment stores
• Garage sales
• Free markets and swaps
• Repair Cafés
• Free online groups such as Buy-Nothing
• Rental opportunities
• Lending libraries such as the Ottawa Public Library, Ottawa Tool Library and the Ottawa Outdoor Gear Library
• Take it Back! Program

Share your ideas We want to know which initiatives you already use and what your barriers are to re-using, donating or repairing items. If you have other ideas on how we can support residents to reduce or reuse waste, then we’d like to know those too. Visit engage.ottawa.ca/reuse to find out more and take the online survey. The survey will be open until July 7.