are now composting city-wide. I am proud of our city for taking this key step toward waste diversion. Over the past 50 years, 40 million tonnes of garbage were thrown into landfills. By converting our food and yard waste to valuable compostable material, we are working toward a more sustainable future. The City of Calgary is reporting that Green Cart is already exceeding expectations.
Some highlights include:
- Residents composted approximately 29 million kilograms of food and yard waste since the start of the program in mid-July.
- In the first six weeks of city-wide Green Cart service, Calgarians reduced their black cart garbage by an average of 53 per cent compared to the same period last year.
- More than 99 per cent of the material received at the composting facility is the correct material—compostable food, yard, and pet waste.
Council set a target of 70 per cent waste diversion for 2025. The City continues to work on city-wide projects to help meet this target. In the meantime, there are more steps we can take in our everyday lives to make an impact.
The amount of single-use plastics we use in food and household purchases is staggering. In the United States alone, it is estimated that 500 million plastic straws are used every day. Sometimes, pushing for change starts with a simple question. With consumer demand driving supply, a request to your local grocer to stock compostable single-use supplies, like cutlery and pet waste bags, will encourage environmentally-friendly products to be more widely available. Some local food businesses have already taken proactive steps by switching out styrofoam containers to compostable containers. The power we hold in our purchasing options can create a market for positive change.
Thank you for taking on the challenge for a better and more sustainable Calgary.
To sign up for updates on key community and Ward 7 issues, please visit www.DruhFarrell.ca. To learn more about the Green Cart program, visit calgary.ca/greencart.
