Meet one of the Pointe-Claire families on a mission to reduce their household waste
Karen Robson wants to show people that reducing household waste is possible.
"I want to try to convince my more reluctant friends and neighbours that it's really not that hard."
Robson, her two sons and their dog are one of nine Pointe-Claire households trying to decrease their waste over the next few months.
Families will have to weigh their organic waste, recyclables and household waste from now until December.
Robson's goal is to reduce her household waste — which is already only 750 grams per week — by 20 per cent.
"It sounds like a lot but I thought it was doable with just a few changes," says Robson.
Some of those changes include being more careful about food waste and single-use items.
Robson says snack wrappers are a challenge for her family.
"A lot of our output is chip bags, cookie trays that are unrecyclable," she said. "That's going to be our challenge: reducing the snack garbage waste we produce."
Robson also decided to mulch the leaves on her lawn — that way they won't have to be raked and bagged.
Pandemic not a barrier
The Quebec Zero Waste Association says people who want to reduce their waste shouldn't stop trying because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Volunteer Geneviève Griffin says it's important to think about what you're purchasing, and reduce and reuse where you can.
"Everyone has a different reality. Some people who work in the health sector will not be able to have reusable masks," she said.
"It's really based on your own realities," Griffin continued. "Some people can do more, some people can do less and that's okay."
For Robson, she's sticking to cloth masks and reminding her family that every little bit helps.
"Everybody's small steps cumulatively add up to bigger things."
WATCH | How Robson's family hopes to reduce their household waste:
