Waste

Because the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol instructs organizations like ours not to include emissions from waste in our GHG footprint, we don't. But we do generate waste as an organization and we do know that this creates CO₂, so we do make an effort to reduce the amount of junk that we send to landfills.

What are we doing to reduce waste?

• Extensive recycling program
  Though what can be recycled varies by facility, at Vancity we recycle the following materials: glass, metal, plastics, cardboard, paper, toner cartridges, computers, monitors, batteries, milk cartons, and coffee cups. In 2010 we increased our efforts in recycling and introduced composting and paper towel recycling programs at some locations.
• Tiny trash bins
  Staff garbage cans are the size of a softball, and hook on to the side of recycling bins to encourage recycling.
• Reusable mugs
  We've issued reusable mugs to our staff so that there's no need to get a paper cup when they go out for coffee. And for staff that slip up and bring a paper cup into the building, we offer coffee cup recycling so that the mistake doesn't lead to more landfill.
• Cradle-to-grave thinking in our purchasing
  We seek to maximize the recycled content of the materials we purchase and seek only to purchase goods that can be recycled when we're finished with them.
• Waste audits
  We 'dumpster dive' from time to time to see what's going in the trash. We analyze the results to design new programs to further reduce our waste.
  

How are we doing?

Since 2007, we have reduced the waste we generate per employee by 42%.