Staples Canada has teamed up with EcoKids and Earth Day Canada for the 10th annual Superpower your School Contest. Elementary and Secondary schools across Canada are invited to enter the contest for a chance to win one of 10 prizes of $20,000 in new technology from Staples.       From now until January 31, 2020, schools can share their eco-initiatives that have positively impacted their school and community and submit their entries on the contest website, staples.ca/PowerEco.   "Each year, the Superpower your School Contest recognizes schools and students that have implemented exceptional eco-initiatives to help their communities and the environment," said David Boone, Chief Executive Officer of Staples Canada. "We are happy to continue empowering these students by rewarding them with the latest technology to support them as they continue to build their awareness, consciousness and understanding of the environment."   To date, the contest has awarded 90 environmentally conscious schools with the latest technology to empower students to continue learning and developing their passion and awareness for the environment. Each year, the contest receives hundreds of entries from schools across Canada, sharing inspiring stories of what their teachers and students are doing to create a more sustainable future in their community.   To help schools prepare entries, Staples Canada, EcoKids and Earth Day Canada have assembled a series of resources, including:  

• A step-by-step entry guide
• Eligibility and entry criteria
• A set of frequently asked questions
• Rules and regulations
• Excerpts from past winning school entries

  The contest is held in collaboration with national charities, EcoKids and Earth Day Canada. EcoKids offers programs and resources for children, parents, educators, and communities in Canada to engage in environmental education. Earth Day Canada helps people and organizations reduce their environmental impact.   "We are thrilled to be working with Staples Canada again to celebrate the inspiring environmental initiatives taking place in schools across the country," said Cristina Greco, Interim Executive Director of EcoKids. "We are proud to support innovative approaches to stewardship and reward the valuable environmental work of Canadian schools and their communities."   Staples Canada helps schools make a difference Staples Canada is committed to helping schools do their part to save the environment by offering several recycling programs:  

• School Ink Recycling : Every year 300 million ink cartridges end up in North American landfills. Schools across the country can participate in this program by signing up to receive a free ink cartridge collection bin. For details and to register for a free ink bin visit canadaschoolrecycling.ca.
• Battery Recycling : Staples Canada partners with Call2Recycle to collect used batteries (rechargeable and alkaline) from all store locations and its Home Office for recycling. The partnership began in 2004 and to date over 1 million kilograms of used household batteries have been collected and safely recycled through the program.
• Writing Instruments: In 2012, Staples Canada launched a writing instrument recycling program in partnership with TerraCycle®. The program encourages customers to drop off used writing instruments, such as pens, pencils, markets and highlighters at local stores, which are then shipped to TerraCycle for recycling.
• Electronics Recycling : Staples Canada and its national electronics recycling partner eCycle Solutions take back end-of-life electronics at almost all of its retail locations (excluding stores in Calgary, Alberta). Recyclable items accepted include cell phones, computers, computer parts and more. To date, Staples Canada has collected 20.5 million kilograms of e-waste for recycling through its electronics recycling program.

Join the Conversation Follow Staples Canada on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and join the conversation using #PowerEco.

Staples Canada has teamed up with EcoKids and Earth Day Canada for the 10th annual Superpower your School Contest. Elementary and Secondary schools across Canada are invited to enter the contest for a chance to win one of 10 prizes of $20,000 in new technology from Staples.       From now until January 31, 2020, schools can share their eco-initiatives that have positively impacted their school and community and submit their entries on the contest website, staples.ca/PowerEco.   "Each year, the Superpower your School Contest recognizes schools and students that have implemented exceptional eco-initiatives to help their communities and the environment," said David Boone, Chief Executive Officer of Staples Canada. "We are happy to continue empowering these students by rewarding them with the latest technology to support them as they continue to build their awareness, consciousness and understanding of the environment."   To date, the contest has awarded 90 environmentally conscious schools with the latest technology to empower students to continue learning and developing their passion and awareness for the environment. Each year, the contest receives hundreds of entries from schools across Canada, sharing inspiring stories of what their teachers and students are doing to create a more sustainable future in their community.   To help schools prepare entries, Staples Canada, EcoKids and Earth Day Canada have assembled a series of resources, including:  

• A step-by-step entry guide
• Eligibility and entry criteria
• A set of frequently asked questions
• Rules and regulations
• Excerpts from past winning school entries

  The contest is held in collaboration with national charities, EcoKids and Earth Day Canada. EcoKids offers programs and resources for children, parents, educators, and communities in Canada to engage in environmental education. Earth Day Canada helps people and organizations reduce their environmental impact.   "We are thrilled to be working with Staples Canada again to celebrate the inspiring environmental initiatives taking place in schools across the country," said Cristina Greco, Interim Executive Director of EcoKids. "We are proud to support innovative approaches to stewardship and reward the valuable environmental work of Canadian schools and their communities."   Staples Canada helps schools make a difference Staples Canada is committed to helping schools do their part to save the environment by offering several recycling programs:  

• School Ink Recycling : Every year 300 million ink cartridges end up in North American landfills. Schools across the country can participate in this program by signing up to receive a free ink cartridge collection bin. For details and to register for a free ink bin visit canadaschoolrecycling.ca.
• Battery Recycling : Staples Canada partners with Call2Recycle to collect used batteries (rechargeable and alkaline) from all store locations and its Home Office for recycling. The partnership began in 2004 and to date over 1 million kilograms of used household batteries have been collected and safely recycled through the program.
• Writing Instruments: In 2012, Staples Canada launched a writing instrument recycling program in partnership with TerraCycle®. The program encourages customers to drop off used writing instruments, such as pens, pencils, markets and highlighters at local stores, which are then shipped to TerraCycle for recycling.
• Electronics Recycling : Staples Canada and its national electronics recycling partner eCycle Solutions take back end-of-life electronics at almost all of its retail locations (excluding stores in Calgary, Alberta). Recyclable items accepted include cell phones, computers, computer parts and more. To date, Staples Canada has collected 20.5 million kilograms of e-waste for recycling through its electronics recycling program.

Join the Conversation Follow Staples Canada on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and join the conversation using #PowerEco.

1. Tiny toy co.

That little partnerless doll shoe you found in between your couch cushions, or a random piece from a Lego set—basically any small toy or toy debris that can be named is something that this Canadian social enterprise wants. The company, founded by a teacher-librarian, up-cycles these items into educational kits.   Send toys or toy pieces that are no bigger than the palm of your hand to its Etobicoke, Ont., mailing address. Or, if you live in the Greater Toronto Area, you can drop them off at several locations. There are some exceptions to what they’ll accept, like doll clothes, broken plastic pieces and electronic toys, for instance, so it’s best to consult the Tiny Toy Co. website before sending toys in.   Endless scraps of paper, dried-out markers and pens with missing caps don’t have to end up in the landfill.  

2. Staples

Mechanical pencils and used pens, markers, highlighters and their caps, can be returned to Staples Canada to be recycled by TerraCycle (see below) for free.  

3. Crayola

With Crayola’s ColorCycle program, students in participating provinces can collect used Crayola markers in their school, which are then shipped for free to be repurposed or recycled.  

4. Terracycle

This New Jersey-based company, launched by an entrepreneur who grew up in Toronto, specializes in recycling otherwise hard-to-recycle items like electronic toys, action figures, shoes, sippy cups, diaper pails, snack wrappers and baby food pouches. Simply buy a box for the type of item you need to purge, fill it up and send it back. They’ll take care of the rest.       Yep, we see that bucket seat collecting dust under the pile of stuffies in the back corner of your kid’s playroom. Likely the biggest hunk of junk making its way to a landfill near you is your kid’s old car seat. But there’s hope.  

5. ATMO Recycling

This non-profit social enterprise hires people with barriers to employment, such as new immigrants or those with disabilities, to take car seats apart so all the materials can be properly recycled. Operating in Ontario and British Columbia, a recycling fee may apply. ATMO also works with local municipalities and retailers on special days when car seats can be brought in to be recycled.  

6. Clek

Working with ATMO, this Canadian car and booster seat maker will recycle old Clek products for a fee of between $25 and $40, depending on the model.  

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).

Ecole L’Harmonie, a French elementary school in Waterloo under the Viamonde school board, is offering its students and staff with a way to properly dispose of their used toothbrushes and other oral care waste through a company called Terracycle. The company provides the school with Zero Waste boxes, an easy way to recycle waste that is difficult to recycle through our municipal blue bins. These boxes can be purchased in various sizes for nearly any type of waste imaginable. This includes batteries, art supplies, automotive parts, baby food, bath and shower accessories, books and magazines, hair nets, ear plugs, cleaning supplies, coffee capsules and much more

TerraCycle was featured in a 30 minute podcast episode on the Zero Waste Countdown, which can also be downloaded on the Podcast app (AppleCoreMedia), iTunes, Stitcher and Castbox.

Ten environmentally conscious schools across the country will each earn $25,000 worth of new technology from Staples Canada as part of the retailer’s Superpower your School Contest. Schools are invited to enter the contest at Staples.ca/PowerEco and share their eco initiatives for a chance to win. The Superpower your School Contest starts December 1, 2016 and runs until January 31, 2017. “From growing their own food to banning plastic water bottles and even making their own organic lip balm, students and teachers across the country are innovating to make a difference on our environment,” said Mary Sagat, president of Staples Canada. “We call these students and teachers ‘ecovators’ and what better way to reward them than with access to the latest tech to enhance their education programs.” The contest, previously known as the Staples Canada Recycle for Education Computer Lab Contest, is now in its seventh year and has awarded 70 environmentally conscious schools the latest technology to empower students to learn and nurture their passion for the environment. The contest is held in collaboration with Earth Day Canada, a national charity that works directly with thousands of schools to provide environmental resources and support. “We’re thrilled to be working again with Staples Canada to inspire innovative approaches to stewardship and reward the creative initiatives taking place in schools across Canada,” said Deb Doncaster, president of Earth Day Canada. “We’re eager to help ensure the contest reaches as many schools as possible, and provide support throughout the judging process.” Staples Helps Schools Make a Difference Staples is committed to helping schools make a difference by offering several easy recycling programs: · Canada School Recycling Program: Every year 300 million ink cartridges end up in North American landfills. Staples Canada encourages schools across the country to participate in this program by signing up to receive a free ink cartridge collection bin. For details and to register for a free ink bin visit www.canadaschoolrecycling.ca batteries to reduce the amount of electronic waste in landfills. Drop off the batteries collected at any Staples store. · Writing Instruments: Staples stores nationwide have partnered with TerraCycle® to collect and recycle used writing instruments. Schools are encouraged to bring in used writing instruments to any Staples store and help provide a second life to these writing instruments by turning them into upcycled and recycled products such as park benches, waste bins and more.

Staples Canada today released its Q1 sustainability update. Highlights include the launch of an in-store Keurig® brewer recycling program, a 32 percent increase in battery recycling and a 161.8 percent increase in writing instrument recycling.

Staples Canada announced today the winners of the 2016 Superpower Your School Contest. The contest, held in collaboration with Earth Day Canada, was open to publicly-funded elementary and secondary schools across Canada and ran from December 3, 2015 to January 29, 2016. Almost 630 schools submitted entries detailing their environmental initiatives. Ten schools, two from each region, have been selected to receive $25,000 worth of technology products each.