March 2012 (PDF) - Townsite of Redwood Meadows

RM SUSTAINAILITY COMMITTEE
In Search of Sustainable Waste Management
Apart from hosting a monthly film series and organizing
our next Earth Day celebration on April 22, the
Redwood Meadows Sustainability Committee has
been working behind the scenes on a number of pet
projects. One initiative that is very dear to us is getting
Redwood certified as a “green community”
through Audubon International. As you can imagine,
there is a rather long list of certification criteria,
but one of the first that we're addressing is waste
management.
In the past decade, communities around Alberta have
taken direct action in reducing waste by promoting
recycling and composting programs. In Calgary, the
goal for 2020 is to reduce the amount of waste going
to landfills to just 20 per cent, and to recycle or recover
80 per cent of waste materials. Blue cart residential
recycling programs and 52 city depots enable residents
to make recycling a habit-forming part of their
lives.
es. How can we significantly reduce our waste production
if composting attracts wildlife? How can we
encourage all residents to recycle? What are the targets
to meet in seeking “green community” status?
How far are we willing to go to live more sustainably?
These are the questions the RMSC is currently exploring.
At the same time, a community-wide resident
survey is in the works to help determine which recycling
and composting options are best suited to Redwoodians.
Living here often leaves us feeling that we're worlds
away from “big city” problems, but this is an illusion.
We cannot sustain our throwaway lifestyles indefinitely.
As individuals and as a community, it's time
for us to make a change. This is the kind of place
where we can shape our destiny as a community - we
can make this an even better place to live!
Wanda Urbanowicz—RMSC Member
This month several Calgary communities are also
starting a food and yard waste “Green Cart” pilot
project, in which the City will pick up residential
green bins, and the contents will be turned into highquality
compost.
In Redwood Meadows, the weekly roadside garbage
pickup clearly demonstrates that we are 20 years behind
other communities in reducing waste and making
recycling and composting opportunities accessible.
It's certainly convenient to skip the hassle of sorting
recyclables – you just put your garbage at the end
of the driveway every week and then come home to
an empty can (or cans, as is often the case.) However,
our system is outdated, and the RMSC believes that it
is time to start asking our residents to consider
change.
Because of our location in a wildlife corridor, waste
management in Redwood presents unique challeng-
RMSC Friday Night Film Series
proudly presents ….
King Corn is a feature documentary
about two friends, one acre of
corn, and the subsidized crop that
drives our fast-food nation. What
emerges is an informative and at
times disturbing account of both
the food Americans so readily
consume without so much as a
second thought, and the alarming
state of the contemporary agricultural
industry.
Admission at Redwood House is f ree!
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 8:00pm
organic herbal teas and non-GMO organic popcorn served,
select wine and beer available for purchase.
CHATTER IN THE WOODS, March 2012 11