Genesta Walz, Photo

As part of the Canada-wide Waste Reduction Week, SAITSA and the Recycling Council of Alberta hosted a documentary that chronicles the efforts of one couple to reduce waste in their lives.
Grant Baldwin and his partner, Jen Rustemeyer, competed against each other for one year to see who could produce the least amount of waste. They documented the challenge in a film called the Clean Bin Project.
“Change can come from individual effort,” said Baldwin. “A momentum builds amongst like-minded people … it’s not always top-down.”
Baldwin and Rustemeyer were on hand during the Oct. 19 screening at the Odyssey Coffeehouse to answer questions and give students tips on how to reduce their own waste. The Vancouver-based pair is hosting small-scale screenings to spread their sustainability message.
SAITSA president Courtney Garlough says she’s supportive of the initiative to reduce, recycle and reuse. “It was pretty extreme,” she said. “But it definitely makes you think about that coffee that has a throwaway cup.”
The couple promotes their initiatives though their website (cleanbinproject.com), where they’ve included numerous suggestions on how to practice the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle).
Waste Reduction week runs from Oct. 18 – 24. For more information, go to wrwcanada.com.