Forging Ahead – the Latest RCA Updates

Dear RCA Members,

We hope you are adjusting to your new-routines and staying healthy and happy during the COVID-19 pandemic. We would like to specifically thank our front-line workers, including those on the waste and recycling teams across the province, who continue to work long hours to ensure our essential services are maintained. The RCA continues to function with necessary adjustments such as no travel or in-person meetings. We are getting to be Zoom experts, likely the same as many of you working remotely. We thought we’d send a quick update on some of our activities in the past few weeks. Our primary goal is to keep you, our members, informed and feeling supported.

Activities:

• The RCA has continued to advocate for reuse and environmental choices in a time when society seems to be slipping into single-use mode. We urge our members and partners to maintain your reduction and reuse policies and practices wherever possible. Review the resources we have compiled (see below) for guidance.
• We developed a web resources page with the latest updates to help you navigate the policies and actions in waste management and recycling during COVID-19: https://recycle.ab.ca/resources/covid19updates/
• We shared a Newsflash on leading actions to take for waste reduction, reuse and recycling during COVID-19 with Plastics Free YYC, Waste Free Edmonton and Environment Lethbridge: https://recycle.ab.ca/news/albertas-zero-waste-champions-challenge-citizens-to-reduce-reuse-and-recycle-during-covid-19/ and hosted a podcast episode on the same topic: Download On the Cusp: Alberta’s Circular Podcast from your Google Play or iTunes store or on our website here: https://recycle.ab.ca/resources/podcast/
• As recognized experts in waste reduction and recycling, the RCA received some media coverage in April outlined here:
  • Edmonton Journal: https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/covid-19-is-the-city-still-separating-recyclables-with-the-same-scrutiny/
  • Daily Herald Tribune: https://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/news/local-news/public-encouraged-to-recycle-as-material-received-decreases
  • CHQR 770: Danielle Smith: https://omny.fm/shows/danielle-smith/recycling-council-of-alberta?fbclid=IwAR0diw1ew_EERMmFUt4ZMw5-_x-vXdpvF4nO9LrgZkfL4P_H7yn7eCWC6fQ
• We will keep you informed on the RCA’s Fall Conference plans as we get closer to the October event. It is too soon to make any decisions on the conference, and we are closely monitoring rules regarding events and gatherings. If you choose to register for the conference, you will be eligible for a full refund if the situation changes. If you have questions, give us a call.
• We also continue to advance our ongoing projects, including the following:
  • Farm Composting Project: we have been working with Olds College students who completed and submitted reports on the opportunity for Alberta farmers to be increasingly engaged in composting practices. Our Project Team is working to develop a plan to look at options to move forward with outcomes and recommendations.
  • Recycling Coordinator Training: our Project Team has met and started planning for development of a training program for recycling professionals.
  • Circular Cities: drafts of roadmaps for five Alberta communities have been completed and there is ongoing consultation with our partners on edits and next steps.
  • RCA Student Ambassadors: we have hired two ambassadors for summer projects, so please reach out if you’d like to engage the summer students with your projects.

We love to hear from you so let us know if you have questions or concerns and we will look to address them. We also encourage you to share in the latest news and member stories on our social media channels https://twitter.com/3RsAB; https://www.facebook.com/RecyclingCouncilOfAlberta; https://www.linkedin.com/company/3020827

Keep in touch with your ideas and projects! Take care and stay safe!

Christina Seidel
RCA Executive Director