Five waste reduction projects have been awarded a total of $5,000 through the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) Waste Reduction Initiatives Program (WRIP) in an effort to divert materials from the landfill.
The WRIP was started in 2015 as a way to enable community groups, non-profits, charities and school groups to access funding for projects that contribute to waste reduction on the Coast.
Groups had between Oct. 1 and Nov. 13 to apply for funding. Five community organizations submitted applications, said Andrew Bridle, zero waste coordinator, at a Dec. 17 corporate and administrative services committee meeting.
Each group that applied was allotted funding as follows:
• Coast Canning Cooperative: $1,940 to establish a community canning kitchen.
• One Straw Society: $1,290 for the group’s annual fruit tree harvesting program.
• Roberts Creek Community Association: $200 to improve existing waste separation bins at Roberts Creek library and hall.
• Sargeant Bay Society: $1,120 to start a Green Cone (special composter) food scrap digester pilot program.
• Transition Sunshine Coast Canada: $450 to host an education and awareness-raising event to address green waste dumping in Langdale.
SCRD directors were updated on the program’s funding allotments during a Dec. 17 committee meeting where West Howe Sound director Ian Winn asked if staff were satisfied with the response to the WRIP’s call for proposals this year.
“Being the first year, seeing five applications, but also the diversity of the programs and projects that were listed, I think are quite good,” said Robyn Cooper, manager of waste reduction and recovery.
Roberts Creek director Mark Lebbell said, “I think we’re looking at five worthy organizations here, and capitalizing on some of the capacity in our community in terms of partnerships.”
