Tight regulations have unintended consequences, create waste, retailers and producers say

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."

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 Micheal 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.”

The thrill that comes with dressing up on Halloween and collecting candy in neighbourhoods decked out with glowing jack-o’-lanterns, stringy spiderwebs, spooky gravestones and haunting music makes it one of the most exciting days of the year. But this celebration comes with a scary aftermath as more and more cheaply-made costumes, one-off decorations and candy wrappers are ending up in landfills.   But it doesn’t have to be the case. With a little thought, it’s possible to celebrate more sustainably and avoid or reduce the amount of single-use plastics. Here are a few suggestions.   Get creative with costumes   Buying second-hand costumes from thrift stores, borrowing from friends and neighbours and upcycling items in your closet are ways to reduce the amount of waste going into landfills. But not everyone wants to spend time rummaging through a second-hand store to come up with a costume. After all, the convenience of ready-made costumes is part of the appeal for many. That’s why the increasingly popular costume swaps are a great resource for families.   “A Halloween costume is going to be worn once,” says Amanda Newman, who owns Tokki, a curated shop for preloved kid’s clothes located in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood. “The idea of going out and buying a costume for one use just doesn’t make sense, especially now. I think everyone is trying to make that shift to buying second-hand or not using single-use plastics, it’s really on the top of our minds right now, and every little thing really counts. The costume swap is fun and you’re doing a good thing for the environment.” Newman has hosted a Halloween Costume Swap for the past three years. She started after she realized that kids’ costumes are expensive and are often only worn once. The idea of a swap fit right into the ethos of her shop — providing sustainable fashion choices and offering a meeting place for the community, says Newman.   “People were really happy to just get a costume and donate to a great cause,” says Newman. All proceeds from this season’s costume sales are going to the Native Women’s Resource Centre.   This year’s swap took place on Oct. 5 and the racks were filled with the usual costumes — princess, firefighter, astronaut and cute animals like sharks, butterflies, bumblebees and lions, for kids from infants to about 10 years old. The event continues until Halloween. People can either swap a costume or buy a costume for a minimum $5 donation.   Look for costume swaps on Facebook neighbourhood groups, at local schools and community centres.   Karen Ziegler, who started a costume swap two years ago in Toronto’s east end says the swaps are a great way to bring the community together. She decided to organize a swap when several parents in one of her Facebook groups showed interest.   “I think everyone is at a point where they are feeling anxious and want to feel like they are doing something. It may feel like a small thing, but it’s something,” says Toronto mom Ziegler. “This year my son Jake will dress up in a second-hand Spider-Man costume and my partner and I are going as Thomas the (Tank Engine), made out of painted cardboard boxes.” The Toronto Public Library’s environmentalist in residence Sophi Robertson organized the costume swap at Richview Library in Etobicoke, which takes place Oct. 21 from 5 to 8 p.m., as well as a costume upcycle event on Oct. 26 from 12 to 2 p.m. as part of the library’s Our Fragile Planet program series that provides environmental education and awareness programs.   “It’s a way of reducing waste by not going to purchase something new and keeping those costumes in circulation and providing easy access to them,” she says.   Ditch the plastic — make your own decorations   Halloween has become one of the biggest decorating holidays of the year. It’s fun to get creative rather than rush off to a dollar store. Search your house or visit a thrift store for items to reuse and recycle. And then of course there are pumpkins, which are not just decorations, they are edible too.   Easy home projects include making a front-yard cemetery by turning cardboard boxes into tombstones and scrap pieces of wood into crosses; painting paper or cardboard black and cutting them into bat shapes to suspend from the porch or tree branches or tape to a window. The pumpkin is the classic plastic-free Halloween decor item. Once it’s carved and used as a decoration, why not jump on the pumpkin-spice food trend? Roast the seeds and cut the flesh up to make soups, pies, loaves and cookies. Compost what you can’t eat.   Hand out greener treats and recycle candy wrappers   Halloween is all about the candy. But after the trick-or-treating has ended, the environmental impact of all those plastic wrappers — everything from mini chocolate bars to chips and candies going in the garbage can be huge. “It can be hard to find candy that isn’t wrapped in plastic,” says Ziegler.   Dots, Junior Mints, Mike and Ikes and Milk Duds all come in tiny cardboard boxes, but like the rest of the candy handed out on Halloween these are not recycled through municipal waste management programs. Many of us are under the impression that these treat size-cardboard boxes are recyclable, but according to Solid Waste Management Services for the City of Toronto, only the regular-size candy boxes are acceptable in recycling.   “Small cardboard boxes, like the tiny Smarties boxes, are not likely to be captured into the right material stream due to their size, so these should go in the garbage. Foil wrappers, candy wrappers and chip bags also go in the garbage bin,” says Nadine Kerr, manager of resource recovery, solid waste management for the city. If you are unsure about what goes where you can check the Waste Wizard online or get the TOwaste app.   Nestle Canada, maker of many of the popular Halloween chocolate and confectioneries, including those miniature boxes of Smarties, has acknowledged its waste problem. Its website states the company has committed to making 100 per cent of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. “We are phasing out all plastics that are nonrecyclable or hard to recycle for all our products worldwide by 2025.” Meanwhile, a 2019 Greenpeace brand audit named Nestle the top plastic polluter in Canada.   TerraCycle, a waste management company that specializes in hard-to-recycle materials such as all that Halloween candy packaging, can take up the slack. While some programs are free, such as the Nespresso capsule recycling program, most come at a cost. TerraCycle boxes are sold online and at Staples. The Snack Wrapper Program, a small box (10”x10”x18”) costs $86 and comes with a prepaid shipping label. According to TerraCycle’s website you can send them any brand and size of snack wrappers. This includes individual candy wrappers, cookie wrappers, snack bags, multi-pack snack bags, and family-size snack bags. The plastics are separated, melted down and turned into small pellets that can be moulded into new shapes and products.   Robertson, the library’s environmentalist in residence suggests handing out pencils and erasers, which she notes are also safe for kids with food allergies.        

Disposability was sold as a convenience in the post-war years of the 1950s, but it’s become a plague of plastic and nonrecyclable trash that now pollutes every corner of the world. It’s enough to make one nostalgic for the milkman—that reliable delivery person who not only dropped off milk in convenient glass bottles, but also picked them up again to be refilled and reused. Ah, those were the days… and we may see those days again. Loop—an online “circular shopping platform”—aims to revive the image and model of the milkman on a larger scale, offering customers door-to-door delivery of brand-name grocery store products in durable packaging that Loop will collect and use again.

Reusability: Back to the future

“Loop is a very utopian idea,” says Tony Rossi, Loop’s Philadelphia-based vice president of business development. “About three years ago, our CEO challenged us and himself to really solve the idea of waste at its core.” For Loop, this means enabling brands and retailers—the heart of our “take, make, dispose” linear economy—to move away from single-use packaging into durable, multiuse containers. Ultimately, the idea is to spark a wider movement to a circular economy, an economic model based on getting us much use out of the products and resources that are already in circulation, and thereby reducing both consumption and waste. The image of the milkman is a perfect embodiment of the circular economy. “One of the things that we found with the milkman model was that the milk bottle was an asset that was owned by the milk company,” Rossi explained. This made it desirable for the milk company to invest more in its milk bottles, to ensure that they would be long-lasting and durable.

From laundry detergent to ice cream

Häagen-Dazs container Much more than milk, you can buy a grocery list of goods from Loop: tea, laundry detergent, shampoo, even ice cream, all in reusable containers. Loop is working with some of the world’s biggest brands to test this back-to-the-future idea of selling products in reusable containers. The list Rossi gave of some of Loop’s early partners was impressive: Procter and Gamble, Unilever, Nestle, Clorox, Mars, and Danone, to name a few. The containers Loop uses to ship these products aren’t your run-of-the-mill Ziplocs or Tupperware containers. Just as the milkman model would suggest, there is significant investment in high-quality, durably designed containers for Loop’s products. “For me one of the most innovative and kind of jaw-dropping products so far has been the Häagen-Dazs ice cream container,” says Rossi. “It’s double-walled.” Loop’s Häagen-Dazs container is not only designed to have the longest lifespan possible—it is also designed to keep your ice cream deliciously frozen, all the way from the Loop warehouse to your door. But Loop’s containers aren’t just utilitarian; they are also beautifully designed. “There is a counter- or shelf-worthiness to the package, where you as a consumer are proud to put that on your counter,” said Rossi. Loop is trying to make sustainability “irresistible.”

How it works

Loop has no storefront. Instead, customers visit loopstore.com and place an online order, which Loop ships to their door via courier. When they are done with their products, customers can schedule a Loop courier to come pick up the empty containers. Loop has even designed a reusable shipping tote to be used for both delivery and pick-up, thus avoiding the Styrofoam and bubble wrap waste nightmare of most online purchases. Loop works on a deposit system, in which customers pay a deposit on the packaging of the products they order. You would, for instance, be required to pay a five-dollar deposit on your Häagen-Dazs ice cream container on top of the cost of the ice cream itself. Once you return the empty container, however, you would be reimbursed for the amount of the deposit.

Coming soon!

Before you get too excited, note that Loop is currently in its pilot phase, with test markets operating in the eastern United States and in Paris, France. Each test market has 5,000 participating households, but demand is high. There are currently waiting lists in these markets, with people itching to give Loop a try. With so much demand, Loop is working on launching the platform directly through retailers, as well as expanding the platform globally. Loop plans to launch new markets in the western United States, Germany, Japan, and Australia next year. Canada can expect to see Loop in the Greater Toronto Area in fall 2020. A sampling of Loop products in reusable containers.

Better for the environment?

While Loop’s circular economy model does a tremendous job of reducing packaging waste, the shipping and the materials used to make their new, durable containers must still be taken into account. According to Rossi, Loop has done multiple life cycle analyses of the impact of its reuse model as compared to that of single-use models. These analyses take into account eight different environmental factors, including carbon emissions, water usage, and impact on air and water quality—and reuse consistently comes out on top. “On average, it takes about three reuses of that durable package to have the same environmental footprint as three single-use packages,” Rossi explained. If a package is used between three and seven times, it performs 51 per cent better than single-use packaging in terms of environmental impact. If used more than seven times, this improvement increases to 70 per cent.

Waste not! Change is coming

Waste and other environmental issues are all over the news and social media these days, whether it be microplastics, plastic bags, or Greta Thunberg’s climate strikes. For Rossi, this increase in public attention and awareness of the environmental impact of our current lifestyles can mean only one thing: change is coming. “People aren’t content with the way that things are today. And everybody acknowledges the fact that we need to change. And I think that’s a powerful message. And that is forcing the hands of anybody who makes products, or is in business, to think about their environmental footprint.” Indeed, change is desperately needed. As Rossi said, “We realistically can’t fast forward 30 years into the future and continue to behave the way we’re behaving today.” He hopes Loop can play a role in spreading the gospel of the waste-not circular economy. Loop is a company owned and operated by TerraCycle, a social enterprise based in the United States that specializes in collecting and repurposing hard-to-recycle waste and operates in 20 countries. We interviewed Rossi after he presented on Loop at the Recycling Council of Alberta Sea Change conference held in Jasper, Alberta, October 2–4, 2019.

By: ISABELLE BARELLI   Landish is a young Montreal-based company dedicated to improving the nutritional health and fitness of people swept away by the whirlwind of long working hours, where poor nutrition, lack of energy and good nutrients sneak into the agenda. . Its name comes from outlandish (strange, unknown) and which, unlike the latter, would mean "familiar, not so strange as that".   This name perfectly describes the brand new Landish products coming on the market, namely protein bars and powders, a range of natural products, nutrient dense and containing beneficial ingredients such as insects, algae and certain varieties of mushrooms. as many high-performance foods that have been consumed for ages in many parts of the world. That's how six bars and five protein powders are offered to meet the needs of people in a hurry and overworked, whether for a quick breakfast, the small cravings in the middle of the day when the energy is on the decline, when traveling between two appointments, and even before or after training. In fact, all the reasons are good to eat with a Landish product, especially when the snack is both good for the taste and for health! A question of balance and well-being at work ... The Landish team is made up of dynamic and dedicated people, who are very aware of the importance of maintaining a good balance between a healthy and varied diet and physical exercise, despite the heavy workload in the office. With this in mind, they organize a series of outdoor activities every month that they offer to various businesses in downtown Montreal with the goal of getting their employees moving. Landish is also sensitive to the future of our planet and is constantly looking for solutions to reduce its environmental impacts. The young company relies heavily on responsible food and sustainable development. And it makes it a priority! It has therefore decided to tackle two problems: food packaging waste and deforestation. The company spares no effort to reduce the impact of its bar wraps, which are made of rolled aluminum to maximize the freshness of the product, like most of these products on the market. Recycling of this type of packaging is not offered by municipalities. Landish has partnered with Terra Cycle, a company specializing in the recycling of "non-recyclable". The latter transforms difficult to recycle materials and makes them park benches, garbage cans, chairs, etc. To find out how to participate in this eco-responsible movement, simply register on the Landish site.   In addition, for each online order made on the Landish site from Quebec, the company planted a tree in the province, in partnership with the organization One Tree Planted.   We encourage you to discover the range of products of this avant-garde company that we particularly appreciated.   www.landish.com

Ahead of the last week’s Marketing Evolution: C-Suite Summit, Strategy welcomed several MES advisory board members for a roundtable dinner to discuss and reflect on the changing role of the CMO and how to future-proof their brands.   At the roundtable were advisory board chair Deborah Neff, VP of marketing at Sephora Canada; board members David Bigioni, chief commercial officer at Canopy Growth, and Antoinette Benoit, SVP and CMO at McDonald’s Canada; as well as Axel Schwan, global CMO at Tim Hortons and Judy Davey, VP of media policy and marketing capabilities at the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA).     Tim Hortons’ Axel Schwan: For us, it’s sustainability across the board. When it comes to food, where does the food come from? If it’s beef, how was the cattle raised? For packaging, what are you doing to reduce your impact on the planet? You really need to have an answer to these questions. You won’t get away with saying, ‘We’ll care about this [issue] in the future.’ We have to do things now. As we speak, we are rolling out a lid for our cold cups that doesn’t use a straw anymore. It sounds so simple, but it will help take 120 million straws out of this world per year.   Canopy Growth’s Dave Bigioni: I’d categorize it as consumers need to see behind the brand. No longer is what you say that’s important, it’s how you act and behave. [Consumers are] looking for that transparency. You have to be able to deliver that. In the cannabis industry, I would say 80% of the brands were invented for legalization a year ago. Brands need to have a face, place and story. They need to have values and elements that sit behind that. Not just in what you say, but in what you do.   The environment and recycling is an area that we tackled head on, because there’s a lot of packaging in cannabis, and it’s a big concern for consumers. A lot of it is mandated [in] the regulatory framework that exists. So we initiated a program with TerraCycle. As part of that program, we’ve now distributed TerraCycle boxes to around 400 dispensaries across the country, depots where consumers can bring back their cannabis packaging for it to be recycled and turned into other products. We’ve had buy-in from government boards, we’ve had buy-in from third-party retailers, and our salesforce is distributing these across the country. I think we’re at over a million units of recycled and returned [packaging] through the first ten months.   Sephora’s Deborah Neff: We see a different shift in consumers, because we’re on the retail side of it. Obviously, Sephora has to play a role. But the pressure is on our brands, and our brands are prestige, so you’re paying a lot of money. The shift for us has been convenience, which has changed the whole landscape of retail. Because you can order online, it’s [about] bringing that experience to your stores for [customers] to want to come shop with you. How do we still make our stores relevant in an age when you can compare or shop online while you’re in the store? How do we meet that demand and still make it a valuable proposition? McDonald’s Antoinette Benoit: Food delivery is going to completely change things, and convenience will come before price. The way everybody has Netflix today, tomorrow consumers will have a subscription to get delivery whenever they want. If you think of the competition between Tim Hortons and McDonald’s – Tim Hortons has always a had huge advantage in terms of number of outlets, [with] three times as many stores as McDonald’s. But now, we have an app, so you don’t need your brand to be close to where you are. Food service is growing twice as quickly as QSR, and little brands and restaurants, they are competing with you at the same level now. For us, that’s going to be a huge change in the market. Price is [going to come] second.   Bigioni: For us, there’s a tension between convenience and privacy. Before legalization, [we] assumed that 20 to 30% of consumers would purchase online, because it would be more private. What we’ve seen is online only represents 2% to 4% of Canadian purchases. And I think a lot of that has to do with privacy and people’s concerns around data. At the same time, some consumers are prepared [for] the Uber weed of delivery – can have you have it here in 12 minutes? The majority [of purchases are] in store, but there’s still that tension between consumer convenience and education – it’s a seven to eight minute sales cycle – for those that just want to come in and out.     Benoit: People are still selfish, even on sustainability. What we see, for example, is that when people say they’re going to eat less beef, the first reason is my health. It’s not because it’s bad for the planet. They [eventually] come to that point. But the first point is always them. Otherwise, we would not be in this situation. It’s also difficult to get true answers from consumers on these topics.   Bigioni: Their beliefs don’t always follow their actions. They may believe in environmentally friendly brands, but they don’t always act if it’s not convenient.   Axel: That’s a little bit what we’ve observed. You have to give it all. The lid [I mentioned earlier], for example, is A, better for the environment, B, doesn’t cost more, and C, delivers an equal experience. If we had to raise prices because of the lid, acceptance of it would be very different. You have to find [solutions] that are ideally cost-neutral, are better for the environment, and don’t hurt the taste or the experience. Taste is still the number one driver. Taste also means the shape of the lid and [its impact on] the whole sensory experience. When it’s a win on all fronts, that’s what people embrace generally. If you have to raise prices, it’s a very different discussion.   This story is from Strategy C-Suite, a weekly email briefing on how Canada’s brand leaders are responding to market challenges and acting on new opportunities. Sign-up for the newsletter here to receive the latest stories directly to your inbox every Tuesday.

Three fashion brands here are tackling the problem of plastic waste!

Plastic pollution is a major global problem. 8.8 million tonnes of plastic are dumped into our oceans each year. A plastic bottle can take up to 400 years to break down. A tragic fact.   Initiatives are proliferating and we must encourage them to reflect these three Canadian fashion brands, which manufacture their models from recycled plastic.  

Norden, functionality and concern for the future 

Norden has the credo of wanting to rewrite the end of life in the history of plastic with functional outerwear, to withstand cold to -40 , all made from recycled plastic bottles. The products are designed in Montreal and created by a Chinese manufacturer certified according to WRAP and BSCI standards; Norden is certified by PETA and BCorporation.   More generally, every aspect of the company's business is focused on environmental well-being, with a tangible awareness from beginning to end. When you no longer need your coat, the end-of-life program ensures that it is repaired and resold or given to a person in need. If the garment is damaged irreparably, it will be sent to partners at TerraCycle , where it will be 100% recycled.   "Beyond changing our consumption habits, we must bring real solutions to existing waste. We are passionate about people, the planet and we value style, "says Mayer Vafi, co-founder and creative director of Norden. "We are at the intersection of fashion, performance, sustainability and trends. " Rose Buddha is Madeleine, Maxime and Benoit. All three decided to create clothes with the primary objective, not profit, but the respect of nature and people. The next question prompted them to take action: "How to sleep at night thinking that a mother on the other side of the Earth leaves her infant 15 hours a day on the floor next to her, because she has to sew our leggings? We could never do it. "   Since November 1, 2016, the brand has made its leggings with 79% recycled plastic (10 bottles per legging). Each piece is assembled with care, the seams are inspected and the fabrics carefully chosen to ensure a long life. In addition, the proximity of (local) production makes it possible to follow each step and ensure its quality. Recently, the company even offers a collection of jewelry made from their scraps. One more step towards zero waste! Also note that the company supports Tree Canada's mission :  to help strengthen Canada's urban forests and inspire people to participate and mobilize for community greening. Since 2018, the company has taken a green turn , manufacturing (100%) the outside of its bags with recycled bottles. But that's not all, Parkland leather diamonds are now also made from apples. A unique manufacturing process combines apple, solvent and polyurethane waste to form apple leather, 100% vegan, with the same qualities as animal leather. Side figures: It takes 12 plastic bottles to make a backpack Kingston Parkland, and more than 3.5 million plastic bottles that have been transformed into bags and accessories.

Absence of designated smoking areas, cigarette disposals render the policy inconvenient, creates litter It has been over nine months since U of T’s smoking ban was implemented. Announced in November, and implemented this past January, the ban was introduced with the intention of creating a healthier campus, away from the harmful effects of first and secondhand smoke. While the rule is meant to protect people’s health, it is ineffective as it currently stands.   Designated smoking areas   It would be a good idea to incorporate smoking areas on campus because they encourage people to smoke in a more secluded space, where non-smokers are less likely to inhale harmful smoke.   Unlike the university’s Scarborough and Mississauga campuses, UTSG does not have designated smoking areas. It is likely that administrators believe there is no need for such spaces due to the campus’ proximity to public streets, where people can legally smoke.   According to the campus policy, smokers must walk from their classes to off-campus areas to consume tobacco or marijuana. Most often, they congregate on the sidewalks of notoriously busy public streets such as St. George, Hoskin, and Harbord. These sidewalks are city property and do not fall under the university’s jurisdiction.   This affects all members of the UTSG community, both smokers and non-smokers. Smokers who have classes in locations such as King’s College Circle waste a lot of time getting to an off-campus sidewalk for a smoke break. This could affect their ability to get to class on time if they are scheduled back-to-back.   Students who live in residence may put their safety at risk by going to a public space alone for a smoke at night. Worst of all, because the ban gives smokers no choice but to light up on the street, passersby now routinely inhale more secondhand smoke on their walks between classes.   A solution that would accommodate everyone would be to designate smoking areas on campus, which would encourage smokers to get their fix in a safe and secluded area.   Cigarette disposal receptacles   UTSG used to have ashtrays, but ever since the smoking ban, there has been nowhere for faculty and students to responsibly dispose of their butts. Recently, I noticed that outdoor garbage cans around campus have begun sporting a sticker that suggest that cigarette butts are not permitted in the trash. These garbage cans are the only ones anywhere near campus. If cigarettes cannot be disposed of in the garbage, smokers who consume tobacco on the public streets beside campus are more inclined to throw them on the ground. The lack of places to discard cigarettes at the moment will lead to an eventual build-up of litter on public sidewalks, mere metres away from university buildings.   The university’s Mississauga campus is a prime example of positive change in terms of cigarette littering. Currently, the campus is working with a company called TerraCycle to “recycle waste from outdoor cigarette butt collectors on campus.” The project depends on smokers disposing of their butts in receptacles placed around campus.   TerraCycle receptacles would be useful at the downtown campus, as there needs to be a sustainable way for smokers to dispose of their butts.   This was U of T’s first year banning smoking, so it’s understandable that some of the details surrounding the ban have not been worked out yet. A compromise involving the installation of designated smoking areas and cigarette butt receptacles would benefit everyone. Hopefully, the university will reflect on the way things have unfolded since the ban, and move to accommodate all faculty and students.   Agata Mociani is a second-year English student at New College.

Five things you didn't know you can recycle on campus

October 03, 2019   Waste Reduction Week in Canada takes place this October 21 to 27. The annual national campaign increases awareness around sustainable and responsible consumption habits. We’re sharing how you can recycle five commonly-found items with Ryerson’s Facilities Services and Sustainability team in Facilities Management and Development (FMD).   By recycling these items properly, you help to ensure they don’t end up in landfills. In some cases, the items can either be refurbished for reuse or taken apart so its components can be reused in the manufacture of other products.  

Rechargeable and single-use batteries

Batteries contain toxic metals like mercury, lead, cadmium and nickel, so it’s important to recycle them properly to keep them from entering landfills and further harming the environment. Properly recycling batteries allows for the chemicals and metals they are made of to be potentially reused rather than leaching out and contaminating groundwater supply.   Once you’re done with them, bring used batteries to one of the campuses’ battery recycling stations. To find a station near you, visit campus maps and select “Battery recycling stations” from the legend.   If you would like to suggest a location for an additional battery recycling station, please contact the FMD Help Desk.  

Electronic devices with storage systems

For Ryerson-owned electronic devices with storage systems (e.g. computers, smartphones, external harddrive, etc.), faculty and staff are encouraged to contact the Computing and Communications (CCS) Help Desk for guidance wiping confidential information.   Once your device is wiped and ready for disposal, please submit a service request to FMD to arrange for your item’s pickup by a member of the FMD team.   Tip: We ask that you not place electronic devices in hallways or stairwells while waiting for pickup. We find garbage in the wrong place invites more garbage in the wrong place, plus you might be blocking passageways and fire exit pathways.  

Used ink and toner cartridges

Much like batteries, ink and toner cartridges contain toxic chemicals that can harm the environment if they end up in landfills. Follow these steps to correctly dispose of your ink and toner cartridges:  

1. Place the old cartridge in the original plastic bag and box it arrived in, if retained. Otherwise, place the old cartridge in the new cartridge packaging. It’s important that the toner is bagged to prevent leakage.
2. Use the return label provided in the box. If no label is provided or if it has been lost, follow the link for your brand to access the appropriate printable label.

o    Brother: Navigate to the “Brother Canada Cartridge Collection Program” section and enter your cartridge item number to generate the correct label. o    Canon: Complete the form to generate a new label for each cartridge return. o    Hewlett-Packard (HP): Enter your details to print or order postage-paid shipping materials. o    Kyocera: Select “Ontario” to access the correct “Print a Return Label” form. o    Lexmark: You can print this label or you may choose to leave Lexmark cartridge boxes labeless. Shipping and Receiving has labels for Lexmark only.

3. Reseal the box with tape.
4. Bring the sealed, labelled box to Ryerson Central Receiving location at 105 Bond Street, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alternatively, you can request a pickup from the Ryerson mail delivery staff for your area.

  If you are using a printer or fax machine not labelled with a CCS tag, try searching online for the brand and “cartridge recycling” for details. Most companies have free-of-charge recycling programs.  

Pens, markers and other writing utensils

In partnership with Staples Canada and TerraCycle, you can recycle your used writing utensils like pens (including felt tip pens), highlighters, markers, correction fluid pots, correction tapes, mechanical pencils and eraser pens regardless of their brand or composition on campus. What’s more, for every writing instrument recycled, $0.02 will be donated to Earth Day Canada!   Once collected, the writing instruments are separated by material composition, then cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products, including patio furniture. Learn more about the recycling process of writing utensils through this program.   Once you’re done with your writing utensils, follow these steps:   1.    Find a box (e.g. office supplies, shoebox, etc.). 2.    Download the Staples Recycling Accepted Waste Poster and attach it to the box. 3.    Put the box in a common space in your area (e.g. photocopy room, front desk, etc.) and tell your colleagues about it. 4.    When the box is full, seal it with tape and bring it to Ryerson Central Receiving location at 105 Bond Street, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alternatively, you can request a pickup from the Ryerson mail delivery staff for your area. They will return it to Staples for recycling.   Note: Wooden pencils, chalk, glue sticks, erasers, rulers or other cutting objects are not eligible for this program.  

Old textbooks and course packs

  On the lower ground floor of the Student Campus Centre (SCC) outside of CopyRITE Printing Service, you will find a “Textbooks for Change” dropbox where you can donate post-secondary textbooks, study guides, course packs, foreign language textbooks and other study materials that are less than 15 years old. This program is made possible by Textbooks for Change and allows for the materials to either be reused by students or recycled efficiently.   Stay tuned for more initiatives as part of Waste Reduction Week in Canada 2019, including catching us at the Environment and Urban Sustainability Students' Association Sustainability Fair on October 25, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Learning Centre (SLC).

A big green wave is breaking in our bathrooms. And it's not just about finding organic formulas. Today, consumers demand a lot more : transparency on the origin of ingredients, respect for harvesters, reduction of the impact on the environment, a recycling program "zero waste" ... All with formulas always more sensory! More than an awareness, a real philosophy now advocated by many brands that multiply commitments for both the well-being of the skin and for that of the planet. Welcome to the era of "Clean Beauty".  

Commitment 1: I offer the best to my skin

  Why ? To bring him maximum benefits with safe formulas.   With natural ingredients Plant oil , butter, essential oils , hydrolats or herbal extracts: the skin loves! And for good reason, they are more in affinity with her than synthetic molecules. Rich in vitamins, nutrients, fatty acids and even minerals, the ingredients from nature are real benefit concentrates . In addition, they are usually integrated into formulas without controversial components such as silicones or some preservatives, that's good!   And what for? For everything ! Today you will find soothing, purifying or anti-aging formulas for body, face and hair.   With simple compositions The trend of formulas that use a limited number of ingredients is gaining ground. The goal: to reduce the risk of intolerance but also to offer maximum transparency by eliminating controversial or superfluous components. Without perfume, without alcohol, without silicone or paraben, these products advocate the return to the essential but especially an effectiveness adapted to all the skins, even sensitive .   And where do I find them? Essentially in face or body care for fragile skin.  

Commitment 2: I preserve nature

  Why ? To limit the consequences of the products I use on the land and oceans.   With respectful solar filters Every year 14,000 tonnes of sunscreens are poured into the oceans *. In order to limit their impact on the aquatic environment and in particular on coral reefs, some brands have decided to develop solar products without using controversial filters such as oxybenzone, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. in the form of nano-particles . These products are also often more resistant to water and have a high biodegradability.   And protection side? No worries, the formulas are just as effective against the sun's rays. They display indices 30 to 50 and UVA protection like the others.   With biodegradable formulas This is the product itself and not the packaging. For the moment, this mainly concerns rinsed formulas such as shower gels , facial cleansers or shampoos . They are said to be "biodegradable" if after their use, they can be transformed naturally by micro-organisms (in CO2 for example).   And for the other types produced? Some brands are already working on biodegradable formulas for body milks, for example, which can also leave residues during the shower.  

Commitment 3: I reduce my impact on the environment

  Why ? To minimize waste and consume more reasonably.   With products made in France The made in France is on the rise and that's good for the environment. Choosing a product manufactured closer to the place where its ingredients are grown, and therefore reduce the transport required for its development, is significantly reduce its carbon footprint. It is also a good way to support local production, sustainable supply chains and the protection of the diversity of flora.   And for me it changes what? Choosing cosmetics made in France is also ensuring the traceability and consistent quality of natural ingredients that contains the formula of your care.   With recyclable packaging Many brands are engaged in this fight. First to reduce waste but also to reduce the consumption of raw material. The aim is to encourage packaging made from recycled materials , to limit their weight or single use parts (spatulas), to replace cellophane with a compostable material. Some brands also participate in programs like TerraCycle. They make it possible to recycle unsupported packaging by conventional channels such as "travel" formats.   And to go further? Visit the Loop Zero Waste eCommerce site which, associated with some brands, offers a new consumer model by offering returnable, reusable or recyclable packaging.