Dressed as Phil for the Bridges for Autism event before taking the ice.

I work in a team with interns, carrying out various tasks and organizing and maintaining waste management outreach efforts provided by the Region including but not limited to:

• Outreach (presentations and events)
• Multi-residential recycling
• Special Events Recycling
• Waste/Recycling audits

Although I contribute to all aspects, I am the lead on outreach–booking and organizing presentations to schools, community groups, summer camps and organizations to deliver our waste diversion message. It is great to get out into the community with hopes of inspiring a healthier environment for the future, built on the connections that youth and citizens make with their environment to make informed waste management choices. Depending on the presentation we bring along our friends; Benji the Blue Box, Greycie the Grey Box and Phil the Green Bin! And yes, it is just as fun as you think it is to wear these mascot costumes!

Five days worth of coffee cups that are not recyclable in Niagara and will end up in our landfills

Today, our intern team completed a week long office building waste audit under O. Reg. 102/94: Waste Audits And Waste Reduction Work Plans. This is exactly what it sounds like, opening up garbage and recycling bags collected by custodial staff and sorting through the material to see how well folks are diverting their waste. Not glamorous, but important and informative.

Aside from office building audits, we also complete audits at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF), Niagara Falls Downtown Business Areas, and residential curbside Green Bin audits in promotion of the Green Bin campaign.  Information collected during these audits is essential in influencing the type of promotion and outreach as well as achieving optimal performance at the MRF.

Our team of interns are the face of the Waste Management Department. We are out in the community promoting best practices in waste diversion! My teaching degree has made this position an easy transition, but it is my background in Geography and GIS that leaves me wanting to explore this environmental field in more depth!

Stay Green, Ashley