Winnipeg libraries to battle for batteries in Waste Reduction Week

News release written for Call2Recycle, October 2013.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 15, 2013

Winnipeg libraries to battle for batteries in Waste Reduction Week

Call2Recycle^® offers community prize and “Waste Ace” title for diverting the most batteries from landfill

(Winnipeg, MB) — Call2Recycle and Winnipeg Public Library are running a competition during national Waste Reduction Week, October 21-27, to see which branch can collect the most household batteries for recycling.  The community library that collects the most weight in batteries will be awarded a prize by Call2Recycle. Used batteries (weighing up to 5 kg each) and cellphones (with or without batteries), regardless of make, model, or age are accepted. 

According to Orysia Boytchuk, marketing director, Call2Recycle, “It is critical to the success of any recycling program that there are sufficient drop-off locations in the community, and that those locations are well-known.  This is why we are happy to collaborate with Winnipeg Public Library to make sure people understand just how easy battery recycling can be”. 

The genesis of Waste Reduction Week was in the mid-1980s when like-minded local government and environmental organisations in Canada first began collaborating to improve environmental awareness.  From 2001, the week became a branded, national initiative and is now an annual event.  Its organizers and participants include schools, businesses, non-profits, individuals and government departments from each of the 13 participating provincial and territorial jurisdictions across Canada.

The winning library and holder of the “Winnipeg Waste Ace” title will be announced on or close to November 18^th.

Winnipeg Public Library accepts batteries and cellphones for recycling all year round.  To learn more about the competition, or to find the nearest drop-off locations, visit call2recycle.ca/winnipegwasteace/

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For further information contact:

Glyn Davies, marketing coordinator

Call2Recycle^®

1 416 224 0069 ext 234

gdavies@call2recycle.ca

About Call2Recycle

Founded in 1994, Call2Recycle—North America’s first and largest battery stewardship program—is a non-profit organization that collects and recycles batteries at no cost for municipalities, businesses and consumers. Since 1996, Call2Recycle has diverted over 34 million kilograms of batteries and cellphones from the solid waste stream and established 30,000 collection sites throughout Canada and the U.S. It is the first program of its kind to receive the Responsible Recycling Practices Standard (R2) certification. Learn more at call2recycle.ca or call 1.888.224.9764. Become a follower or fan at Twitter or Facebook.

Winnipeg Libraries Battle for Batteries in Waste Reduction Week

Written for Call2Recycle web/newsletter, October 2013

There has been a week for reducing waste in Canada since the mid-1980s, although it wasn’t until 2001 that ‘the week’ evolved from a loose collaboration between like-minded councils and environmental organisations into a branded national initiative.  Today, Waste Reduction Week has become an annual event whose organisers and participants include schools, businesses, non-profits, individuals and government departments from each of the 13 participating provincial and territorial jurisdictions across Canada.

It’s fair to say that the organisers and volunteers behind the week have come a long way from those early days in terms of identifying potential environmental projects.  In 2012 for example: schools held waste-free lunches; communities conducted special recycling collection activities; and one organisation even had a "Re-Funk Your Junk" contest.

This year, from the 21^st to 27^th October, Call2Recycle will collaborate with Winnipeg Public Libraries to promote Waste Reduction Week amongst the people of Manitoba’s capital city.  All 19 branches will be rallying residents to drop off their used batteries and cellphones into a permanent Call2Recycle collection box as they indulge in a friendly competition.  The branch that collects the most during Waste Reduction Week will be named Winnipeg’s “Waste Ace” and awarded a community prize.  However, as long as the people using each library participate, then it could be argued far more easily that all participants are winners.  

Stay tuned for an update! In the meantime for more details, click here.

Batteries, Bugs, and the Nineteenth Hole

Written for Call2Recycle web/newsletter, October 2013.  

Did you know that the practice of changing clocks every Spring and Fall is the result of needing more time to collect insects and play golf?  

Excluding ancient civilisations, the concept of “daylight savings time” was first proposed in 1895 by an entomologist from New Zealand named George Vernon Hudson.  His motivation was to try to increase the amount of time he could study insects after work.  At almost the same time in 1907, an English builder and outdoorsman named William Willett proposed the same thing so that he would have more time to play golf in the summer evenings!  It took another decade for the practice to be adopted but by 1916 Germany, Austria, and Hungary were changing their clocks.  The ‘final straw’ for clock changing came much later, when the 1979 Oil Price Shocks led to Western nations reducing their power consumption so as to not be reliant on foreign oil.  

In the 21^st century, Call2Recycle marks these biannual alterations of time for safety reasons that still relate to power.  Many modern homes are fitted with smoke or CO₂ alarms, and the common best practice in maintaining these is to check and/or change the batteries every six months.  Indeed, in 2010 a global initiative between battery manufacturers and the International Fire Chiefs Association called, “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery” was launched.  The intention was to try to reduce the quantity of casualties caused from fires in the home.  Today, Call2Recycle still works with more than 400 fire departments across the continent, some of whom are also drop-off locations for used batteries.  With them we have already diverted more than 11,000kg of used batteries away from landfills this year alone.  

And don’t forget, Call2Recycle has over 30,000 drop-off locations all over North America for the day when your batteries are finally spent.  After all that, if you can’t remember whether the clock should be moved forwards or backwards, then just remember that one hour’s sleep is the price we pay for Summer.