10 - Friday, September 7, 1990 - North Shore News

Office environmentalism
sweeps the North Shore

IT CAN be hard enough to get a recalcitrant spouse en-

thusiastic about sorting garbage. It's something else again

to get everyone at your workplace in a green frame of

mind.

Confined to inter-office memos,
unable to wield the imaginative
bribes and threats common to the
domestic sphere, employees often
have an uphill battle convincing
their fellow toilers that single-
sided photocopies truly are passe.

Given the changing clime, how-
ever, our task is getting easier,
and several companies are em-
barking on ambitious environmen-
tal programs that stand to really
make a difference.

The Lower Mainland Save-
On-Foods _ stores, including the
Park and Tilford location, are us-
ing the chain’s new recycling plan,
whose goal is to recycle 90 to 95
per cent of the waste generated by
each store.

In June, 140 tons of waste was
diverted from the landfill due to
the program, which sees Save-
On-Foods’ in-house cardboard,
paper, plastic, glass, aluminum,
metals and wood transported to
Wastech Services Ltd. for recycl-
ing.

Peggy
Trendell-Whittaker

ECOINFO

attacking the waste problem from
a variety of angles, the most re-
cent of which is the start of a
multi-material blue box recycling
program.

While we were already recycling

44 The stores also employ full-time
recycling clerks whose job it is to keep
on top of the (recycling) program (and)
be environmental resource persons for

customers. 99

on,

Once the program is instituted
in Overwaitea stores throughout
B.C., it is projected that 1,200
tons of refuse will be diverted
from B.C.’s waste stream each
month.

The stores also employ full-time
recycling clerks whose job it is to
keep on top of the program, be
environmental resource persons for
customers, and report customer
concerns to head office.

Save-On/Overwaitea Manager
of Environmental Concerns Den-
nis Kinsey reports that 70 per cent
of Save-On’s customers already
reuse their shopping bags and says
that any paper or plastic bags
returned to the store are recycled
back into more bags.

Unfortunately, while Save-On
stores have had overwhelming
consumer requests, health
department regulations prevent
them from allowing customers to
bring in their own containers for
use in store bulk-foods section.

At the North Shore News, we’re

_’ SPECIAL ALL.NEW
CHILDREN’S ‘SH

/ rh
1 DressvP.

Gr & his friends _
J [ASEY & FINNEGAN
appearing at:.
NORTH VANCOUVER
CENTENNIAL THEATER
Thursday, October 11
& Friday, October 12
MASSEY THEATRE,
NEW WESTMINSTER
Saturday, October 13
& Sunday, October 14
On Sale Friday, September 7
at all Ticketmaster Outlets

our newsprint, office paper and
computer paper with Paperboard
Industries (875-1635), we’re now
also collecting hard and soft
plastics, mixed low-grade paper,
corrugated cardboard, tin and
aluminum, and glass.

These are picked up by En-
vironmental Commitment Option
(685-8066), who delivers the goods
to buyers. The company will also
pick up compost.

Speaking of in-office com-
posting, a colleague reports that
he visited an office in the United
States that has a state-of-the-art
worm composting system sitting in
the corner, ready and waiting to
digest lunchtime leftovers.

Apparently it looks good, works
weil and provides endless oppor-
tunities for metaphysical reflec-
tions on slow afternoons.

But back to the News — we're
using recycled paper in the
photocopiers and recycled paper

envelopes. Paycheques are handed
out in’ envetopes that are left
unsealed so they can be returned
to accounting for reuse.

Old photographs, film can-
nisters and presentation folders
are given to Imagination Market
(253-1033), where they are used in
art programs. Come new  tele-
phone book time, all the outdated
books are collected and delivered
to a recycling facility.

Employees lobbied for, and
succeeded in securing, a ban on
polystyrene cups at the coffee
machine.

Visitors are now offered coffee
in official ‘‘North Shore News’’
visitor mugs, and emp'oyees bring
their own mug from home or
they're out of luck. The coffee
filters are unbleached.

Some employees are making
their own memo pads from the
back of waste paper, and reusing
envelopes by relabelling and
restamping the ones we get in the
mail.

Seventy-five attractive labels
bearing the slogan ‘‘Re-use
Envelopes — Save Our Forests’’
can be obtained by sending $3 to
Agnes Stewart, 1889 - 196th St.,
Surrey, B.C. V3S 5J9.

Here’s some other ideas for of-
fice environmentalism — make
this the week to take a hard look
at your workplace and see how
your company can cut down on
waste.
einstall roller towels in the
washrooms instead of relying on
paper towels;

* abandon plastic stir sticks in
favor of communal teaspoons;
dry coffee mugs with tea towels
instead of paper towels;

instead of making copies of
memos and reports for everyone,
circulate one copy or post one in a
central location;

*use an overhead projector at
meetings instead of handouts;

® instead of throwing out meeting
minutes, reports, etc., save them
and use the blank backs for
photocopying;

© if your office receives a lot of
unwanted mail, i.e. trade publica-
tions, marketing brochures, etc.,
write the head office and ask to
be taken off their mailing list;

e show fellow employees the
benefits of a green workplace by
example and education —- don’t
turn off potential converts with
hackle-raising lectures.

Send your environment news
and questions to Ecoinfo, North
Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave.,
N. Vancouver V7M 2H4.

Interested in a Career
in Caring?

If you are a caring person looking for a
fulfilling career in the health field, consider
training for a career as a Personal Care
Attendant for the Disabled.

There is still time to register for our October
1990 program.

Graduates of the program work with the
physically disabled of all ages to help them live
independently in the community.

The program offers practical and classroom
training. It begins October 1. Call Capilano
College Health Programs now at 984-4947 or
come to the information meeting on Tuesday,
September If at 7 p.m. in Room H204 to learn

more about it.

2055 Purcell Way « North Vancouver « B.C.

B Emphasis on 100%: recycled,

i North Vancouver

| MONDAYS

Ox 4

is

Recycled Paper Products

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Cards « Gifts « etc.
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"JUST A REMINDER

City Library
121 West 14th Street
Is NOW OPEN

9:30 a.m. 9:00 p.m.

Same excellent service
Monday thru Saturday

1. CURLING

Canada’s fastest grawing indoor wintersport
NORTH VANCOUVER CURLING CLUB

invites you to join us for a season of fun and
recreation.

Men’s, Ladies’ & Mixed Curling
Curling School

for all levels

September 19, 24-26. ($10)
Registration till September 11
League play starts September 27

For registration info rr
988-6166 or 985-1074 (Eves.) AE-SS
Marie Wolf or Tom Walker ~~

Lonsdale Rec Centre
oy r Curling fun for
everyone!

123 E. 23rd & Lonsdale
N. Vancouver