Last month we shared our plans to join the #SCJZeroWaste challenge and I’m here to dish out our progress. Some of the challenges I set out for us were a bit harder than anticipated, while were quite easily! Living in a condo, it can be easy to forget about seperating trash and building a compost bin, because unlike those who live in a house, we don’t get billed for doing the wrong thing. SC Johnson strongly believes that small changes in your home and community can make a big difference, and I have enlisted their tips to help me make some changes.
SJ Johnson Canada wants you to join in the challenge! They’re offering one lucky reader a prize pack worth $350! This giveaway may appear on multiple blogs, but only one prize will be awarded.
Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with SC Johnson and I received compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions, as always, are totally mine!
Packing liter-less lunches was much easier than anticipated. Remembering to take the container out of my purse at the end of the day…now that was the hard part! As with any routine, I’m slowly getting used to it. That said, I have opened my work purse on Monday mornings only to discover a very stinky container with left over scraps from my weekday lunch – eww!
As you may know, in Canada, SC Johnson responsibly resells or recycles 100 percent of their e-waste and surplus IT equipment. We took a page from their books and dug around our condo for old electronic gadgets. Any guesses on what we found? Old phones, calculators (clearly we have no need for calculators in this day and age!!) and a Discman were all dropped off at local retailers recycle bin. I love that we’re de-cluttering whilst reducing waste.
When it came to separating the trash and using fewer paper towels, we’re failing. Mind you, we’re trying our best but we can definitely do better. I’m starting to rethink the products we buy and now look for items that come in recyclable packaging. I’m beginning to see that it’s a mindset, and once you start noticing the little things that add up and contribute to the global waste pile, you’re more aware of your actions, and more apt to make subconscious decisions that are good for planet earth. I mean, if a large corporation like SC Johnson Canada is committed to reducing waste and recycling, and has not sent any waste to landfills since January 2013, we should do our part as well.
We also did a HUGE dive into the toys and clothes closets, and packed up a carload full of items in great condition which we donated at a consignment store in downtown Toronto. The #SCJZeroWaste challenge didn’t end after a month of trying. A co-worker who read our first post suggested that we start bagging and including our compost items in the trash, because she thinks that when it gets to the sorting facility there’s a better chance of it getting into the right pile.
I’m motivated to make this a new way of life, and will be looking for other ways for us to reduce waste in our condo. It’s easy to not worry about reducing waste or recycling when you live in a condo where all trash gets piled in one place and no one charges you for the extra waste, but we’re determined to look at our home as the starting point.
Enter to WIN a $350 SC Johnson Prize Pack! Ends December 21, 2015. Open to Canada only (excluding Quebec).
Shelley N
December 3, 2015 at 9:24 pmWe donate used items to charities and try to avoid adding unnecessary things to our home
Pat Drouillard
December 4, 2015 at 1:33 pmWe recycle everything we can even gum packages
Maritess S
December 4, 2015 at 2:13 pmWe recycle and do composting.
Kelly Gordon
December 4, 2015 at 3:23 pmWe reuse anything we can, and donate used clothing and other household goods to non profit charities.
James Brown
December 4, 2015 at 3:38 pmI live alone, so it’s not difficult for me to reduce waste but I do recycle everything I can!
joanne darrell
December 4, 2015 at 3:41 pmWe recycle and compost to reduce waste.Also we use containers whenever possible to save on plastic wrap.
Elena
December 4, 2015 at 4:01 pmWe try not to buy products that are overly packages in the first place.
Brandee H
December 4, 2015 at 5:11 pmWe use eco containers for lunches and meals out. We also have no single serve beverage or food containers. But I agree, the paper towels are hard to give up!
phyllis G.
December 4, 2015 at 7:42 pmWe as a family are constantly looking at ways to reduce our carbon footprints. We compost and recycle daily as well as donating to local goodwills and charities.
Lorraine Wiebe
December 4, 2015 at 8:27 pmRecycle clothing by giving away to those who need it
Lorraine Wiebe
todd
December 4, 2015 at 10:18 pmwe recycle and give away stuff we don’t use anymore
Carole Dube
December 4, 2015 at 10:31 pmWe use container and lunch box for lunches. We use reusable bags. We compost and much more.
sophia
December 4, 2015 at 11:56 pmRecycling whenever possible
Dee Schwark
December 5, 2015 at 5:26 amWe are actually very conscious of what we use and how we can reuse. We repurpose anything we can, donate our unwant/needed items, buy previously owned, recycle, use our own bags etc…I am always looking for ways to improve….
Wayne Lecoy
December 5, 2015 at 7:00 amIt would be great to win a $350 SC Johnson Prize Pack.
In response to your question of
How does your family reduce waste in your home?
I Recycle and Compost.
Thank you for having this giveaway.
Melanie Barclay
December 5, 2015 at 8:35 amWe love using are green and blue bins, We use re-useable containers for lots of things
donna snugglebuns dufresne
December 5, 2015 at 8:50 ami always donate clothing and we recycle
Treen Goodwin
December 5, 2015 at 2:11 pmI like to donate or hand me downs i guess it great for those old clothes the kids can’t wear any more 🙂
Suzie m
December 5, 2015 at 6:35 pmWe do composting & recycling
Brenda Lacourciere
December 5, 2015 at 9:11 pmwe recycle everything we can.
Jenn
December 5, 2015 at 9:30 pmWe recycle and make sure to put the right things in the compost bin. We also try not to use the plastic baggies when buying produce.
Debbie S.
December 5, 2015 at 10:03 pmWe buy in bulk to save money and it has less packaging. We recycle absolutely everything we can.
Margaret H
December 5, 2015 at 11:05 pmWe make trips to the recycle place every week
Yashy
December 6, 2015 at 7:37 pmVERY impressive! Great habit to get into
Stacy Scott
December 6, 2015 at 11:09 amWith 10 Children and 2 Adults, we do a lot of Recycling and Composting
beth
December 8, 2015 at 7:42 pmWe recycle tremendously, try to limit what we put out on garbage day
Marco Bairos
December 10, 2015 at 6:38 amRecycling is very important for us and for the future. We recycled anything we can. Also we reuse a lot of things that we can like Re filling water bottles.
Tanya
December 12, 2015 at 12:42 pmRecycle,compost,donate, reuse,shop at thrift stores.
Holly
December 13, 2015 at 11:42 pmRecycle & donate. I try and go through everything once a month and get rid of clutter that starts to pile. We live in a small place, so it happens easily.
Wendy Wagar
December 15, 2015 at 9:54 pmWe recycle everything possible not just cans, glass and paper! We take clothing, books, small appliances etc to our neighbourhood sharing centre or Thrift stores. We also look for products without excess pakaging.
Steve Cowan
December 17, 2015 at 2:21 amWay to go 🙂
Steve Cowan
December 17, 2015 at 2:22 amWe fill a large recycling bin every week
Nathan Lapointe
December 17, 2015 at 9:24 pmWe recycle and compost as much as possible to reduce waste
Mrs White
December 18, 2015 at 3:26 amWe recycle frequently..Also donate on a regular basis. We are small-space living as well, so it’s super important. I had no idea about the Zero Waste from SC Johnson (or this giveaway ha)…Your article just caught my eye and am always interested to see how others maintain their small space living and also help the environment 🙂
Yashy
December 18, 2015 at 10:57 amGlad you found us Mrs. White! Looking forward to learning from you as well!
Jeanette Jackson
December 21, 2015 at 4:01 pmWe buy in bulk to reduce packaging waste and we recycle. We also bring our own reusable bags to carry our purchases in.