Once Upon a Farm Packaging Nationally Recyclable Through TerraCycle^®   TRENTON, N.J., October 22, 2019 – Once Upon a Farm, the beloved kid nutrition brand that makes organic, cold-pressed baby food, smoothies and applesauce, has expanded their partnership with international recycling company TerraCycle® to offer consumers a free, easy way to recycle packaging from their entire product line.   “Sustainability is an ongoing journey for Once Upon a Farm and we are always striving to do better and leave a better planet for the next generation,” said Ari Raz, President and Co-Founder of Once Upon a Farm. “While our ultimate goal is a recyclable pouch, our partnership with TerraCycle gives consumers an easy, free option to recycle our packaging.”   Participation in the Once Upon a Farm Recycling Program is easy. Simply sign up on the TerraCycle program page https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/onceuponafarm and mail in the packaging using a prepaid shipping label. Once collected, the packaging is cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products. Additionally, for every pound of waste shipped to TerraCycle, collectors can earn $1 to donate to a non-profit, school or charitable organization of their choice.   “Thanks to companies like Once Upon a Farm, families can offer their children the high-quality, real food nutrition they need, while being rewarded for doing the right thing,” said TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky. “Through the expansion of their recycling program, consumers have an opportunity to divert even more packaging from landfills and while making a positive impact on the environment for future generations.”   The Once Upon a Farm Recycling Program is open to any interested individual, school, office, or community organization. For more information on TerraCycle’s recycling program, visit www.terracycle.com.   ABOUT ONCE UPON A FARM   Headquartered in Berkeley, California, Once Upon a Farm was founded with the dream of providing yummy and nutritious “farm-to-family” food to children of all ages. The company currently offers lines of baby food, applesauce and smoothies that are cold-pressed (HPP) to better lock in nutrients, taste and color compared to shelf-stable alternatives. Once Upon a Farm is B-Corp certified and committed to nurturing our children, each other, and the earth in order to pass on a healthier and happier world to the next generation. For more information, please visit www.onceuponafarmorganics.com.   ABOUT TERRACYCLE` TerraCycle is an innovative waste management company with a mission to eliminate the idea of waste®.   Operating nationally across 21 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers, cities, and facilities to recycle products and packages, from dirty diapers to cigarette butts, that would otherwise end up being landfilled or incinerated. In addition, TerraCycle works with leading consumer product companies to integrate hard to recycle waste streams, such as ocean plastic, into their products and packaging. TerraCycle has won over 200 awards for sustainability and has donated over $44 million to schools and charities since its founding 15 years ago. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in its recycling programs, please visit www.terracycle.com.

We take environmental initiatives seriously and we know that many of you do too, so we’ve rounded up all sustainable brands and green initiatives that are available here at Yorkdale below – take a look!   Reformation Uses eco-friendly materials and reuses offcuts created during the manufacturing process. They also provide a RefScale for each of their garments –  breaking down the item’s impact on the environment for you. They use recycled paper hangers and minimise the use of packaging with 100% consumer waste materials.   Apple Trade in your eligible device for an Apple Store Gift Card. If it’s not eligible for credit, they’ll recycle it for free. No matter the model or condition, they can turn it into something good for you and good for the planet.   EB Games Pick up a recycled game or trade in your used games, accessories, and consoles for an in-store credit or prepaid Visa or Mastercard.   H&M When you drop off your unwanted textiles (clothing, linens, towels, etc) in a H&M store, you’ll get rewarded with a voucher for your next purchase. Just ask for the garment collecting box, usually located by the cash.   The Levi’s Store Bring in your old denim and receive a 20% coupon towards one item that same day.   Starbucks Help Starbucks reduce the number of cups by bringing in your own tumbler and receive 10 cents off.   Tim Hortons Get a 10 cent discount when you bring in a TimMug or any travel mug.   Nespresso Nespresso capsules are made of aluminum, an infinitely recyclable material. Collect your capsules in their reusable bag, seal it and drop it off in store.   Lush Bring back 5 empty, clean black LUSH pots to the store for recycling and receive a Fresh Face Mask, free!   Kiehls Recycle and be Rewarded Program. Bring back 5 of  your empty bottles and get $16 off your next purchase.   Aveda 100% recycled packaging on all of their products.   L’Occitane L’Occitane has partnered with TerraCycle to make it easy for you to recycle your used beauty and skin care packaging. Bring back your empty products for 10% off your same-day purchase.   LEGO The Sustainable Lego blocks is a collection of botanical elements such as trees, leaves, and bushes made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane. By 2030, Lego intends to manufacture most of its products and packaging using environmentally friendly materials or recycled sources.   Bose Will mail any old Bose products to their head office for disposal.   David’s Tea Bring your own mug and get 10% off your drink, 50 cents if you bring your own tin.   Innisfree The brand has initiated a number of campaigns like the Play Green Campaign, Recycling Used Bottles Campaign, and Eco Handkerchief Campaign.   Dynamite For every shopping bag sold, a donation will be made towards One Tree Planted.

A spooky Halloween doesn’t have to be a horror show for the planet. Join the Earth911 team as we talk through how to reduce the waste and garbage produced by the scariest holiday of the year.   First off, a green Halloween can be a budget Halloween with these ideas about making, renting, and recycling costumes for kids and adults. You cosplay enthusiasts out there can bring the environmental ideal to your fun, too. Making your own Halloween decorations is another way to take the old and make it new this year. We share ideas about how to reuse household items as All Hallow’s Eve decorations.   Torn over the prospect of handing out processed sugar packaged in single-use bags and boxes? We have some suggestions for greener alternatives to candy and their wrappers.   We also answer your Earthling Questions. This week, we address how to recycle the #7 plastic bags for bird seed, the best way to replace a private-labeled battery — many companies, such as ADT, provide their own batteries with their products — and the challenge of recycling pens and markers. TerraCycle has a convenient, but somewhat expensive, office zero waste box that can help with marker and pen recycling.

We all recognise how important it is to take care of our Skin but very few of us actually remember than lips have skin too. Our lip skin endures so much throughout the day and yet we rarely take care of it further than the daily lipstick application, most of us even forget that it needs SPF protection too.   I have been on the lookout for good lip balms that don’t just give you a few seconds of perceived moisturisation but actually nourish and moisturise the lip skin. In this post we will be looking at the eos shimmer Lip Balm and figuring out whether it’s worth your time and cash.   If you missed previous posts check out:   Cheaper and Better Than Your Lip Balm? Check out the Oryza Dewy Glow Skin Beauty Balm In-Depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   INCredible Jelly Shot Lip Quencher – In-depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   Estée Lauder Lip Conditioner – In Depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   SPF Protection for Lips – Mega Battle: Carmex VS Maybelline VS Nivea VS Blistex – In depth Reviews and Ingredient Analyses   We all recognise how important it is to take care of our Skin but very few of us actually remember than lips have skin too. Our lip skin endures so much throughout the day and yet we rarely take care of it further than the daily lipstick application, most of us even forget that it needs SPF protection too.   I have been on the lookout for good lip balms that don’t just give you a few seconds of perceived moisturisation but actually nourish and moisturise the lip skin. In this post we will be looking at the eos shimmer Lip Balm and figuring out whether it’s worth your time and cash.   If you missed previous posts check out:   Cheaper and Better Than Your Lip Balm? Check out the Oryza Dewy Glow Skin Beauty Balm In-Depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   INCredible Jelly Shot Lip Quencher – In-depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   Estée Lauder Lip Conditioner – In Depth Review and Ingredient Analysis   SPF Protection for Lips – Mega Battle: Carmex VS Maybelline VS Nivea VS Blistex – In depth Reviews and Ingredient Analyses       Packaging   The eos lip balm comes in black outer packaging which looks simple but yet stands out. The lip balm itself comes in a matte black plastic ball with a pink-orange design.   Colour   The eos lip balms come in many different types and colours. It was hard to figure out how many of these exist as not all of them appeared on the eos website. Nevertheless, the one shown in the picture and tested in this post is the eos Shimmer lip balm in Coral.   It has a shimmery orange shade but the colour is very transparent and doesn’t make the lips orange at all (this might depend on the natural shade of your lips). The shimmery part though is very beautiful, it gives the lips a nice glow that doesn’t look or feel heavy or sticky.   Texture and Finish   The balm has a gel-oil type of texture when it’s on the lips. It’s neither oily or sticky but neither thick and it spreads easily and evenly like a gel.   The finish is gorgeous, the shimmery aspect is very beautiful and the lips don’t feel heavy or sticky.   Smell and Taste?   This balm has a very faint scent that is hard to define. The closest I can describe it is something between vanilla and a crayon.   I’ve added a taste category here too, but please don’t eat this. The category is here simply because practically whether you want to or not, it’s not uncommon to lick your lips or somehow taste the balm off your lips while you eat or drink something.   This balm doesn’t taste of anything.   Longevity   This is a very important category for lip balms because many of them feel nice the first couple of minutes but most of them disappear quickly and without offering the skin lasting results.   This balm lasts longer than many others out there (this depends heavily on how you eat, drink and speak though) and it leaves the skin soft and smooth. It might not give you a skincare overhaul but it’s a nice quick fix solution for dry lips.         Price   A full size, 7g sphere retails for £6.50. Not the cheapest lip balm but it looks great and the ingredients are not bad either.   Practicality of use – user experience   This lip balm is very easy to use even if you are not a fan of sphere balms. It’s also very practical and easy to just throw in a handbag without having to worry that it will get damaged.   Skin compatibility   Lip skin compatibility is not as detailed or researched as much as our face skin, so one can only assume that this lip balm is suitable for all. Avoid using any cosmetics if your skin is broken or has open wounds.   Additionally, this product does not contain any skin type specific products.  

Other

  This balm lasts for 12M. This product is dermatologically tested and gluten free but not vegan (contains beeswax).   I couldn’t find this lip balm on the eos website but here’s what the brand states on the packaging:   “Light shimmery soft lips Eos Shimmer, enriched with hydrating jojoba oil, shea butter, and anti-oxidant vitamin E, enhances your lips with a touch of colour and shine.”   Ethics   It wouldn’t be ethical if we didn’t talk about the credibility of this section. It is very hard to impossible most of the time to verify the information or credibility of the sources, so please take this section with a pinch of salt unless stated otherwise. This section is not meant to be definitive and is most likely more about reputation around those subjects than credible information. If you have additional or more correct information please email: bondsofbeautymail@gmail.com   Eos supports sustainable sourcing and they are an active member of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), a non-profit industry association. They also support I Am That Girl, a non-profit organization helping girls to transform self-doubt into self-love.   They partnered with TerraCycle to make their sphere balms out of recyclable packaging. You can participate in the eos recycling program for free. To learn more click here: eos & TerraCyle   They state that they do not test on animals but some of their products are sold in China were animal testing is required.   Results   I have very dry lips all year round that peel multiple times on a daily basis and I thought that this lip balm was cute enough to want to use constantly but also kept my lips soft and moisturised. It stays on the lips for a while but of course the exact time depends on whether you are eating, drinking or talking in the meantime.       Ingredients   This lip balm is not exactly skincare but it does contain some ingredient goodies that will help moisturise your skin.   To keep this article short, I am only listing the skin nourishing or skin positive/negative ingredients and ignoring the ones that only play formulation or pigmentation purposes. For the full list of this product’s ingredients scroll down to the “full list of ingredients” section.     Ingredient positives:  

1. Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil –A skin replenishing, emollient and anti-oxidant.
2. Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille) – A skin conditioner and fragrance. It is said to help heal inflammation, bruises and burns and can also help temporarily with itching. It is particularly beneficial for dry skin as it can help moisturise and create a waterproof barrier on the skin. It can also be a source of Vitamin A.
3. Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil – A skin conditioner that is high in anti-oxidants and anti-bacterial fatty acids. Provides deep hydration and conditioning to skin. Some research shows that it can improve skin’s elasticity and by extent perhaps slowing down wrinkle formation.
4. Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil– Also known as Jojoba oil, a skin conditioner that can enhance the skin’s restorative properties.
5. Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Extract – A good skin conditioner. Helps retain moisture by forming a barrier and reduces the appearance of rough patches and dry flakes. Anti-flammatory, soothes itchy, irritated or sunburnt skin. Absorbs UVB, anti-oxidant, emollient, skin replenishing.
6. Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil – Moisturiser and skin conditioner.
7. Tocopherol – Refers to a class of compounds with similar activities to vitamin E. A skin conditioner, anti-oxidant and fragrance agent. Check out: Vitamins C & E – Do they work in skin care?
8. Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil– Anti-oxidant, skin conditioner and fragrance.

  Ingredient negatives:    N/A   Ingredients that can cause irritation to some:   This is actually really case specific, as different people have different sensitivities and allergies. Just because a compound has been reported by some to cause sensitivity, it doesn’t mean you will have an issue. “Sensitizer” compounds being present is not a negative in my opinion, as this is the case with pretty much everything out there and funnily enough I’ve seen products that are targeted specifically for sensitive skin, containing some compounds that have been reported by some, or are known to be, sensitizers.   If you have sensitive skin or you are prone to skin sensitisation and unwanted reactions, try a little bit of this at the back of your hand first and consult a medical doctor if you are concerned.   Check out: What is sensitive skin? What are the causes and what can we do?   The following compounds present in this spray have been either proven or claimed by some to be sensitizers, irritants, allergens etc: Natural Flavor (Aroma), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil.   Full list of ingredients:   Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Natural Flavor (Aroma), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Mica, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Yellow 6 (CI 15985), Red 6(CI 15850).      

Verdict

  This lip balm is not the best skincare product you could use on your lips but it is a very good lip balm for when you are on the go. It looks great and it doesn’t feel sticky or heavy. Plus it moisturisers the lips and keeps them soft.   I am not affiliated with any company or brand. These are my views and experiences.   Beauty is a very personal thing, we all have different skin, requirements and biological build which can influence things. What worked for me might not work for you and vice versa. Have you ever tried these products? Did they work for you? Let me know your experiences below!     Packaging   The eos lip balm comes in black outer packaging which looks simple but yet stands out. The lip balm itself comes in a matte black plastic ball with a pink-orange design.   Colour   The eos lip balms come in many different types and colours. It was hard to figure out how many of these exist as not all of them appeared on the eos website. Nevertheless, the one shown in the picture and tested in this post is the eos Shimmer lip balm in Coral.   It has a shimmery orange shade but the colour is very transparent and doesn’t make the lips orange at all (this might depend on the natural shade of your lips). The shimmery part though is very beautiful, it gives the lips a nice glow that doesn’t look or feel heavy or sticky.   Texture and Finish   The balm has a gel-oil type of texture when it’s on the lips. It’s neither oily or sticky but neither thick and it spreads easily and evenly like a gel.   The finish is gorgeous, the shimmery aspect is very beautiful and the lips don’t feel heavy or sticky.   Smell and Taste?   This balm has a very faint scent that is hard to define. The closest I can describe it is something between vanilla and a crayon.   I’ve added a taste category here too, but please don’t eat this. The category is here simply because practically whether you want to or not, it’s not uncommon to lick your lips or somehow taste the balm off your lips while you eat or drink something.   This balm doesn’t taste of anything.   Longevity   This is a very important category for lip balms because many of them feel nice the first couple of minutes but most of them disappear quickly and without offering the skin lasting results.   This balm lasts longer than many others out there (this depends heavily on how you eat, drink and speak though) and it leaves the skin soft and smooth. It might not give you a skincare overhaul but it’s a nice quick fix solution for dry lips.       Price   A full size, 7g sphere retails for £6.50. Not the cheapest lip balm but it looks great and the ingredients are not bad either.   Practicality of use – user experience   This lip balm is very easy to use even if you are not a fan of sphere balms. It’s also very practical and easy to just throw in a handbag without having to worry that it will get damaged.   Skin compatibility   Lip skin compatibility is not as detailed or researched as much as our face skin, so one can only assume that this lip balm is suitable for all. Avoid using any cosmetics if your skin is broken or has open wounds.   Additionally, this product does not contain any skin type specific products.  

Other

  This balm lasts for 12M. This product is dermatologically tested and gluten free but not vegan (contains beeswax).   I couldn’t find this lip balm on the eos website but here’s what the brand states on the packaging:   “Light shimmery soft lips Eos Shimmer, enriched with hydrating jojoba oil, shea butter, and anti-oxidant vitamin E, enhances your lips with a touch of colour and shine.”   Ethics   It wouldn’t be ethical if we didn’t talk about the credibility of this section. It is very hard to impossible most of the time to verify the information or credibility of the sources, so please take this section with a pinch of salt unless stated otherwise. This section is not meant to be definitive and is most likely more about reputation around those subjects than credible information. If you have additional or more correct information please email: bondsofbeautymail@gmail.com   Eos supports sustainable sourcing and they are an active member of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), a non-profit industry association. They also support I Am That Girl, a non-profit organization helping girls to transform self-doubt into self-love.   They partnered with TerraCycle to make their sphere balms out of recyclable packaging. You can participate in the eos recycling program for free. To learn more click here: eos & TerraCyle   They state that they do not test on animals but some of their products are sold in China were animal testing is required.   Results   I have very dry lips all year round that peel multiple times on a daily basis and I thought that this lip balm was cute enough to want to use constantly but also kept my lips soft and moisturised. It stays on the lips for a while but of course the exact time depends on whether you are eating, drinking or talking in the meantime.     Ingredients   This lip balm is not exactly skincare but it does contain some ingredient goodies that will help moisturise your skin.   To keep this article short, I am only listing the skin nourishing or skin positive/negative ingredients and ignoring the ones that only play formulation or pigmentation purposes. For the full list of this product’s ingredients scroll down to the “full list of ingredients” section.     Ingredient positives:  

1. Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil –A skin replenishing, emollient and anti-oxidant.
2. Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille) – A skin conditioner and fragrance. It is said to help heal inflammation, bruises and burns and can also help temporarily with itching. It is particularly beneficial for dry skin as it can help moisturise and create a waterproof barrier on the skin. It can also be a source of Vitamin A.
3. Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil – A skin conditioner that is high in anti-oxidants and anti-bacterial fatty acids. Provides deep hydration and conditioning to skin. Some research shows that it can improve skin’s elasticity and by extent perhaps slowing down wrinkle formation.
4. Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil– Also known as Jojoba oil, a skin conditioner that can enhance the skin’s restorative properties.
5. Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Extract – A good skin conditioner. Helps retain moisture by forming a barrier and reduces the appearance of rough patches and dry flakes. Anti-flammatory, soothes itchy, irritated or sunburnt skin. Absorbs UVB, anti-oxidant, emollient, skin replenishing.
6. Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil – Moisturiser and skin conditioner.
7. Tocopherol – Refers to a class of compounds with similar activities to vitamin E. A skin conditioner, anti-oxidant and fragrance agent. Check out: Vitamins C & E – Do they work in skin care?
8. Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil– Anti-oxidant, skin conditioner and fragrance.

  Ingredient negatives:    N/A   Ingredients that can cause irritation to some:   This is actually really case specific, as different people have different sensitivities and allergies. Just because a compound has been reported by some to cause sensitivity, it doesn’t mean you will have an issue. “Sensitizer” compounds being present is not a negative in my opinion, as this is the case with pretty much everything out there and funnily enough I’ve seen products that are targeted specifically for sensitive skin, containing some compounds that have been reported by some, or are known to be, sensitizers.   If you have sensitive skin or you are prone to skin sensitisation and unwanted reactions, try a little bit of this at the back of your hand first and consult a medical doctor if you are concerned.   Check out: What is sensitive skin? What are the causes and what can we do?   The following compounds present in this spray have been either proven or claimed by some to be sensitizers, irritants, allergens etc: Natural Flavor (Aroma), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil.   Full list of ingredients:   Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Natural Flavor (Aroma), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Mica, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Yellow 6 (CI 15985), Red 6(CI 15850).    

Verdict

  This lip balm is not the best skincare product you could use on your lips but it is a very good lip balm for when you are on the go. It looks great and it doesn’t feel sticky or heavy. Plus it moisturisers the lips and keeps them soft.   I am not affiliated with any company or brand. These are my views and experiences.   Beauty is a very personal thing, we all have different skin, requirements and biological build which can influence things. What worked for me might not work for you and vice versa. Have you ever tried these products? Did they work for you? Let me know your experiences below!

Descartar incorretamente potencializa a poluição ambiental.

TerraCycle, a company eliminating the idea of waste by recycling the "non-recyclable," has teamed up with Schneiders' Lunch Mate and Maple Leaf Simply Lunch to bring schools the opportunity to win a share of $3,700 in TerraCycle points.   The top 10 schools that earn the most Lunch Mate points between Sept. 1 and Nov. 31 will be awarded a share of 370,000 TerraCycle bonus points (equivalent to $3,700).   Students, staff and the surrounding community are encouraged to vote for a school of their choice once a day during the contest period.   The Eco Squad and Green Team at Baxter Central Public School have joined the Collection Craze contest. Any proceeds won from the contest will go toward the creation of a butterfly garden connected to the school's “no-mow zone” to enhance student learning.   The first time you vote online, you will need to complete a one-time verification of your email. After this, you can vote daily without needing to verify it. The school is listed under Baxter Central Public School. In order to vote, please visit terracycle.com/en-CA/contests/2019-schneiders-lunch-mate-and-simply-lunch-collection-craze.  

The scale of Halloween in America is staggering.   According to an article in Redbook written by Kelly Marages and distributed through MSN, Americans spend about $3.8 billion on Halloween candy every year. Annual candy purchases include 35 million pounds, or about 9 billion pieces, of the candy type most associated with the holiday, candy corn, which Marages writes was invented in 1898.   A few differences between this year and 1898 help explain the incredible volume of candy distributed on Halloween.   Daylight saving time and street lighting give treat-or-treaters more hours to collect candy, and urbanization and infill development enable most kids to visit many more houses per hour.   Perhaps the biggest change boosting the velocity of candy distribution is an end to an old tradition; kids in the past had to entertain homeowners with a song, dance, joke, or poem in exchange for treats. Now, the only qualifications for receiving candy before running to the next house are the ability to knock on a door, hold a bag, say “trick or treat,” and perhaps show at least the hint of a costume.   Costumes are another feature of Halloween leading to mass consumption. According to Marages, Americans spend about $3.4 billion a year on Halloween costumes for themselves and $370 million dressing up their pets.   In addition to candy and costumes, Halloween is the impetus for massive production of ornamental pumpkins. In fact, according to Marages, 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced on more than 90,000 acres in the U.S. each year.  

What are the solutions?

  Of the waste resulting from these activities, candy wrappers are the least amenable to a solution. Etsy projects cleverly upcycle or reuse folded wrappers in items such as bracelets, and recycling can be accomplished through TerraCycle, but these are not viable options for many people.   Reuse projects for candy wrappers generally require painstaking folding work, and recycling through TerraCycle requires mail-in and payment of a $43 fee for the smallest mailer pouch.   If you distribute something other than candy for Halloween, you risk disappointing trick-or-treaters, but you can avoid buying a product packaged in non-recyclable wrapping and possibly transported thousands of miles to serve no nutritional purpose.   I found I can satisfy trick-or-treaters by giving out handfuls of nickels instead of candy, probably because, in the dark, kids cannot be sure if they got any quarters. In previous years, when I cared less about neighbors’ opinions, I gave out pencils and small toys from thrift stores.   Halloween waste from costumes can also be reduced. Cheap, plastic, disposable costumes will quickly become waste, but durable, reusable costumes look better and last longer. Shop at thrift stores for high-quality, low-cost costumes, and donate your used costume to a thrift store when you are done with it.  

YMCA costume exchange 

  The Camarillo Family YMCA, at 3111 Village at the Park Drive, will host a costume exchange program from Oct. 22-31, and it is open to nonmembers. In the lobby, the YMCA charges just $10 per costume and $1 for accessories such as masks, hats and magic wands. If you drop-off a costume, you get a $10 voucher for a new costume. According to Paige Harris, youth programs department head, the YMCA will have costumes available, left over from last year, even on the first day of the program.   The exchange will relocate to the Halloween at the Y event on Oct. 26 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. This free community event, also open to nonmembers, will feature an outdoor movie, “Hotel Transylvania,” on the lawn field starting around 6:30 p.m., so bring a lawn chair. The event will also feature a costume contest and food trucks.  

Pumpkin planning

  Pumpkins, the last of the three main Halloween wastes, can be easily managed. Pumpkins, including seeds, may be recycled in your curbside yard waste cart. Compost site operators bring the temperature of compost piles up over 130 degrees for several days, preventing seeds from sprouting in finished compost. Composters do this regularly anyway to kill seeds that cause weeds. Pumpkins, like fruit from landscape trees, are an exception to the general rule against food in yard waste carts in Ventura County.   Even better than putting your pumpkin in your yard waste cart is to compost it yourself in your own compost pile or worm box, saving the seeds for replanting next year. However, put pumpkins in your garbage cart if you have attached self-adhesive plastic rhinestones, glue-gunned beads, studs, rivets or other unnatural decorations. No one wants Halloween pumpkin bling contaminating the compost of their spring flower beds.  

Here’s a consolation

  Fortunately for the cause of local waste reduction, one Halloween tradition is limited to other parts of the country. In New England, the night before Halloween is known as Mischief Night; kids “T.P.” houses, throwing streamers of toilet paper over tree branches and landscaping. Even this waste and annoyance is tame compared to an older tradition. According to Marages, teens used to “throw stinky cabbages at their neighbors' houses or leave other rotting produce on their doorsteps.”   Eco-Tip is written by David Goldstein, an environmental resource analyst for the Ventura County Public Works Agency. He can be reached at 658-4312 or david.goldstein@ventura.org.

One year after the legalization of cannabis, Alberta retailers and producers are gearing up for the introduction of edibles to the market but aren’t sure what to expect.   “The regulations aren’t very understood for us right now,” said Jayne Kent, who co-owns a Spiritleaf cannabis store in St. Albert.   “We welcome the opportunity to get that literature to see what the products are and understand how they’re going to work for consumers.”   Health Canada has released its rules surrounding potency, packaging and marketing of edibles, but retailers haven’t seen the final products.   “It’s a bit of a grey area,” said Michael LeBlanc, manager of a Canna Cabana store on Parsons Road in Edmonton.   “The agency has regulations around flavouring and enticing children, so I’m still curious about how they’re going to roll out products like gummy bears or flavoured cookies.”   While edibles will technically become legal on Oct. 17, they won’t be available for purchase until mid-December, since licensed producers have to submit their products to Health Canada for a 60-day review.   Despite the uncertainty, Aurora, an Edmonton based cannabis producer, has been investing in edibles for the last year.   “We are extremely well-prepared for legalization 2.0,” said Aurora chief corporate officer Cam Battley.   The company is rolling out a diverse line of edibles, Battley said, ranging from vaping products to cannabis-infused beverages.   “We are anticipating significant interest among adult consumers in the new product forms. It’s a novelty.”  

‘PIONEERING AN INDUSTRY’

  Edible products could translate into $2.7 billion worth of sales in the next year, according to Deloitte’s June report on the country’s cannabis industry.   LeBlanc hopes the launch of edibles will be smoother than the introduction of legal cannabis in October 2018, which led to stock shortages and delayed licences for retailers.   “It’s a bit of a wild west,” he said. “I know we’re pioneering an industry, so hopefully it gets rolled out pretty well.” Customers have a keen interest in cannabis edibles, says Jayne Kent, who co-owns a Spiritleaf store in St. Albert. (Josee St-Onge/CBC) Customers are excited, Kent said, and have been asking for more information.   “People are curious, they really want to see what’s coming.”   Regardless of the format edibles will take, providing accurate information to consumers will be crucial, she said.   “It is a different way to consume cannabis and we need to be responsible about that,” said Kent.   Users should start with a small dose, LeBlanc said, and be aware of how cannabis can interact with other intoxicants, like alcohol.   “We make sure to pass that information along to the customers and always tell them ‘start low and go slow.’ ”  

INDUSTRY TACKLES WASTE

  Health Canada’s strict rules are meant to keep cannabis out of the hands of children, but have also had unintended consequences.   The fledgling industry is grappling with the waste it generates through packaging, which must be child-proof and tamper-evident.   It has motivated at least two companies, Canopy Growth and High Tide, to create their own recycling system, in partnership with recycling company TerraCycle.   High Tide installed receptacles in its 25 Canna Cabana stores to collect empty packages, said chief operating officer Alex Mackay. Every Canna Cabana store in Alberta participates in the recycling program offered by its parent company, High Tide. (Josee St-Onge/CBC) Customers have embraced the program, Mackay said, returning about 210,000 pieces of recycling as of September.   “With what’s going on with climate change, and awareness around the environment, people are really trying to have an impact at the grassroots level.”   Restrictions around marketing are also perceived as excessive within the industry, said Battley. Producers and retailers are not currently allowed to advertise or promote their products.   He hopes Health Canada will loosen its rules over time to reflect the public’s acceptance of legal cannabis.   “Cannabis has become mainstream, quite normal, and that’s a healthy thing,” Battley said.   “You’re going to see that trend continue and that will be reflected, I believe, in the regulations surrounding cannabis in the future.”

Awareness of good management and waste reduction in Manicouagan will be in the foreground from October 19 to 27 on the occasion of the Quebec Waste Reduction Week (SQRD), which is held on the theme "I can, You can, We must, Together Reduce".   As usual, the Manicouagan Residual Materials Management Board (RGMRM) will contribute to the theme week. This year, it will take the form of two days of activities offered to the population.   Considered as a unique model of reduction, reuse and recovery both in the immediate region and throughout Québec, through its Phase 2 re-use store, the RGMRM will open the doors of its ecocentre on October 25 to a guided tour that will start on the stroke of 10 am.   This visit will include the transfer center where the recycled materials are compacted and the workshop where a second life is given to certain objects. As places are limited, you must book.   "The goal is to raise awareness about good consumption habits and raise awareness about the cycle of the object, which too often is directed too early to burial," said the organization in a statement.   Zero waste   In addition, the Phase 2 re-use store will be distributing zero-waste samples free of charge on October 22, a way for it to promote its Zero Waste section and its suppliers, including some of the Manicouagan such as Cadelli beauty products. natural and artisanal.   Three local companies are also becoming ambassadors for the cause by launching the first TerraCycle Zero Waste Boxes. Tim Hortons, Provigo and the Côté Goulet Lamarche Dental Clinic are providing the citizens with boxes to collect what can not go in the blue bin. These include coffee pouches, baby food bags and toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and dental floss containers.   Other initiatives are included in the programming of the Quebec Week for Waste Reduction. Cynthia Lebel, owner of Cadelli, a zero-waste company, will offer visitors free coffee and a demonstration of soap making with coffee residue from October 22-25 in the afternoon.   Serge-Bouchard High School, an institution recognized for its achievements in the management of residual materials, will send students to the re-employment store at 1:30 pm on October 22 to inform and educate visitors about good recycling and composting practices using a quiz. Prizes will be at stake.   Finally representatives of the project MAVIE will also be on hand at the same time to address a section of the circular economy with the manufacture of biscuits for dogs that they make from the recovery of the drought resulting from the manufacturing activities of beer from the microbrewery St-Pancrace. A box for recovering baby food bags is available at Provigo. We can see here his director, Luc Thibault, director at Provigo.

The Body SHop has spent two years building a solid supply chainwith Plastics for Change in India to source Fair Trade recycled plastic and plans to integrate these materials across its global recycled plastics portfoolio within three years.