This is about the new food scrap program they are rolling out in New West (and other cities). Specifically, they are putting scrap food bins in parking garages and giving each tenant buckets to keep under their sinks. These are just simple plastic bins not compost bins.

My issue with this program is I do not see it working specifically in multi-family dwellings like apartment buildings. I wish that the city was giving out compost bin and working towards implementing a composting program for all buildings.

Holding onto food scraps in each apartment or freezing garbage is not a viable plan, imo. There are areas of the city (specifically Agnes Street) that have HUGE problems with rodents right now. This has been a nightmare to deal with along with fruit flies. I see this adding to the problem.

FUUUU, got those green bins today in Richmond :(

I know this probably is a dumb question but can anyone tell me why food scraps in the landfills matter? All that shit is going to decompose there anyways..

I agree. No problem to flush good drinking water down the toilet but putting an apple core in the landfill is bad? What was the carbon footprint of producing all of those plastic bins? It's ok just pay some money and it's carbon neutral suddenly.

Yes, but in a landfill, it still takes up room. It also produces methane and isn't useful.

Organics are also something like 60% of the total garbage.

Individuals can make a huge difference, and without a large amount of effort. And the organics can be used in gardens and such.

Win win. This isn't some hippie bikelane bullshit. This is a real win.

^^ we are not freezing our garbage nor am I keeping it in our place. If you want to participate, you are taking it out all day every day, dude.

As a cyclist who does not utilize the bike lanes while paying ICBC to insure 3 vehicles, I am offended.

:troll:

Do you even know where the garbage goes?

And all day, every day? I need to be on 24 hour garbage watch? You, of all people, DINOSAUR, should understand the need to protect our environment.

DINOSAURS + iceage = doom.
DINOSAURS + warm earth = thrive

umm...kinda.

You are difficult to please. Are you sure you aren't Asian?

They implemented this same program in Victoria in February.

When they announced it, I had the same concerns but it turned out to be not as bad as expected. I don't freeze it, I just use compostable bags.

Though, I can see how it would be concerning in an apartment building if everyone dumps into a communal scrap bin.

Well....there is a little in me somewhere...I have shovel shaped incisors :)
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I'm sure some Asian can be in you if you really want...

:fullofwin:

(not asian, btw lol)

stupid question...where do you get "compostable bags"?...or do you mean paper bags?

Saw that one flying in from a mile away....

compostable/biodegradeable bags aren't accepted (depending on which municipality you are from) eg. Surrey facility can't process that type of plastic.

the paper bags are accepted across all municipalities though.

Compostable bags are not the same thing as biodegradeable bags.

Biodegradeable bags just mean the bags decompose into smaller bits of plastic over time.

Compostable bags mean they actually break down into humus (stable organic matter, basically dirt).

Earthcycle Blog · Compostable vs. Biodegradable ? what?s the difference?

The City of Victoria gave everyone a box of compostable bags at the start of the program in February. When I used those up, I found that Costco sells them in boxes of 125 bags for pretty cheap.

thanks. that might be a something i might have to use to make sure my green bin doesn't smell like poo or attract animals

I was lucky enough to be part of the pilot project for about 2-3 years now. That's the thing that bugs me, if they wanted people to be more receptive to the program they should be providing the bags for free or at a discounted price. I mean their buying power should ensure some decent savings. So instead, we are stuck with less frequent garbage pick ups, paying for specialized bags, and add on top taxes go up to pay for this new program.

Is Lomac going to dress up as a Korean FOB and crawl up......nevermind. :pokerface: :inoutugh:

well it's been 1 week of this...and the first thing we noticed is that when we emptied out our little green bucket, it left a lot of unpleasant 'garbage juice' which turned in to a fuzzy mold in it...even though we outlined it with a paper bag...
definitely going to take some adjusting too...

eeewwww

we'll see what grows this week. i can snap a pic just for you dino ;)

WOOT! :fullofwin: