Canadians sure create a lot of garbage...

[codyandrew77]

http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/business/canadians-piling-up-more-garbage-than-ever-before-as-disposables-rule-1.3248949

Decent article about how we tend to use products of convenience without considering the ramifications to the environment and our bank accounts. Not bad CBC. Not bad.

[TGod]

Not bad CBC. Not bad

Just to interject some politics into this...Unfortunately if Big Steve gets elected again, the TPP will get pushed through and  the CBC not be able to report on this type of thing because a) the TPP will most likely carry some weird clause that prevents any Canadian media from trash talking (no pun intended there...but done well if I do say so myself) disposable products made in partner countries...ahem...China and b) the CBC will need to exist solely for profit which means, no CBC, just a Canadian version of Fox.

[scottish]

That would be bad.   But how do you know what's actually in the TPP?  I thought it was all done in secret?

[Cathy]

Unfortunately if Big Steve gets elected again, the TPP will get pushed through and  the CBC not be able to report on this type of thing because a) the TPP will most likely carry some weird clause that prevents any Canadian media from trash talking (no pun intended there...but done well if I do say so myself) disposable products made in partner countries...ahem...China and b) the CBC will need to exist solely for profit which means, no CBC, just a Canadian version of Fox.

I assume the initialism "TPP" refers to the "Trans-Pacific Partnership", a proposed treaty or international agreement.

One interesting fact is that in Canada, treaties do not have the force of law. In order for a treaty be part of Canadian law, a legislature must incorporate its terms into a statute. Baker v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1999] 2 SCR 817, 1999 CanLII 699, ¶ 69. Any proposed or actual restrictions on freedom of speech would come from the statute, not directly from the treaty itself.

As far as content-based restrictions on the speech of "any Canadian media", Canada does have a constitutional guarantee of "freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication". Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Part I of Constitution Act, 1982), § 2(b). Of course, I express no view on whether the alleged TPP restrictions would be constitutional, as the details of them are unknown.

[tardis]

I'm always surprised that people actually need to take their garbage out every week.  Between composting and recycling, there's usually only a few things like cheese packaging or dead pens in there, and it's nothing that won't keep a month.

[music lover]

Not bad CBC. Not bad

Just to interject some politics into this...Unfortunately if Big Steve gets elected again, the TPP will get pushed through and  the CBC not be able to report on this type of thing because a) the TPP will most likely carry some weird clause that prevents any Canadian media from trash talking (no pun intended there...but done well if I do say so myself) disposable products made in partner countries...ahem...China and b) the CBC will need to exist solely for profit which means, no CBC, just a Canadian version of Fox.

I think it's time to make a new tin foil hat... :)

[YK-Phil]

Not bad CBC. Not bad

Just to interject some politics into this...Unfortunately if Big Steve gets elected again, the TPP will get pushed through and  the CBC not be able to report on this type of thing because a) the TPP will most likely carry some weird clause that prevents any Canadian media from trash talking (no pun intended there...but done well if I do say so myself) disposable products made in partner countries...ahem...China and b) the CBC will need to exist solely for profit which means, no CBC, just a Canadian version of Fox.

I think it's time to make a new tin foil hat... :)

Even with the addition of the cute smiley at the end, you comment has no place here.

[music lover]

Not bad CBC. Not bad

Just to interject some politics into this...Unfortunately if Big Steve gets elected again, the TPP will get pushed through and  the CBC not be able to report on this type of thing because a) the TPP will most likely carry some weird clause that prevents any Canadian media from trash talking (no pun intended there...but done well if I do say so myself) disposable products made in partner countries...ahem...China and b) the CBC will need to exist solely for profit which means, no CBC, just a Canadian version of Fox.

I think it's time to make a new tin foil hat... :)

Even with the addition of the cute smiley at the end, you comment has no place here.

Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't realize that only Harper hating, CBC loving comments were allowed.

[daverobev]

Not bad CBC. Not bad

Just to interject some politics into this...Unfortunately if Big Steve gets elected again, the TPP will get pushed through and  the CBC not be able to report on this type of thing because a) the TPP will most likely carry some weird clause that prevents any Canadian media from trash talking (no pun intended there...but done well if I do say so myself) disposable products made in partner countries...ahem...China and b) the CBC will need to exist solely for profit which means, no CBC, just a Canadian version of Fox.

I think it's time to make a new tin foil hat... :)

Even with the addition of the cute smiley at the end, you comment has no place here.

Not really sure the comment about TPP had any real link to the original story either, TBH, and Music Lover is kind've right - it's very tin foil hattish to say TPP + Conservatives = TEOTWAWKI.

Personally I'd like an opening of dairy, closed systems mostly benefit the incumbent producers, certainly not the consumer.

As to the Conservatives... It'd be nice for the Greens to get in, Libs would probably be ok, I'm split on the NDP - some stuff I like a lot, some I loathe... but I'm not going to be *too* upset if the Cons stay, especially as a minority.

Which is, of course, all even more off topic.

[YK-Phil]

Not bad CBC. Not bad

Just to interject some politics into this...Unfortunately if Big Steve gets elected again, the TPP will get pushed through and  the CBC not be able to report on this type of thing because a) the TPP will most likely carry some weird clause that prevents any Canadian media from trash talking (no pun intended there...but done well if I do say so myself) disposable products made in partner countries...ahem...China and b) the CBC will need to exist solely for profit which means, no CBC, just a Canadian version of Fox.

I think it's time to make a new tin foil hat... :)

Even with the addition of the cute smiley at the end, you comment has no place here.

Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't realize that only Harper hating, CBC loving comments were allowed.

You really don't get it, do you? You insulted someone with the "tinfoil hat" meme, without bringing any valid argument to refute what the person stated. That's what is not acceptable here.

[music lover]

Not bad CBC. Not bad

Just to interject some politics into this...Unfortunately if Big Steve gets elected again, the TPP will get pushed through and  the CBC not be able to report on this type of thing because a) the TPP will most likely carry some weird clause that prevents any Canadian media from trash talking (no pun intended there...but done well if I do say so myself) disposable products made in partner countries...ahem...China and b) the CBC will need to exist solely for profit which means, no CBC, just a Canadian version of Fox.

I think it's time to make a new tin foil hat... :)

Even with the addition of the cute smiley at the end, you comment has no place here.

Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't realize that only Harper hating, CBC loving comments were allowed.

You really don't get it, do you? You insulted someone with the "tinfoil hat" meme, without bringing any valid argument to refute what the person stated. That's what is not acceptable here.

Oh, I do get it, but obviously you don't.

If someone thinks it's okay to make ridiculous accusations about a politician throttling a national media giant, then I have every right to suggest that they are wearing a tin foil hat.

Why did the person who changed from the subject of garbage to insulting a politician managed to escape your criticism?? Shall we all assume it's due to your political leaning?

[codyandrew77]

I would just like to clarify that there was no political agenda behind this post.

[daverobev]

I would just like to clarify that there was no political agenda behind this post.

Ya thread got derailed.

I think the take-home to everyone is to try and use fewer consumables, and use more reusables.

We have cloth nappies/diapers but use disposables too - for night time, for her daycare, and for when I really don't want to deal with a dirty nappy for a while (and this last one is where I must resist). Thankfully she's in the process of potty training.

No coffee in disposable cups, no fucking devil Keurig device. I must reduce my electronics consumption, even though a good amount is second hand.

We all need to try harder.

[tthree]

We all need to try harder.

Agreed.  Most people just don't give an fuck.  "It's garbage.  Who cares!"

We rent out of basement, so we share our garbage bin with our tenants.  Our last tenants made SO MUCH GARBAGE.  It was disgusting.  I don't understand how they could have made that much waste.  Fast forward to new tenant and the weekly garbage barely covers the bottom of the bin (and half of what is there is cat litter).  While we are far from perfect, I wish every family of four in Canada made as much garbage as us!

[Kitsune]

We all need to try harder.

Agreed.  Most people just don't give an fuck.  "It's garbage.  Who cares!"

We rent out of basement, so we share our garbage bin with our tenants.  Our last tenants made SO MUCH GARBAGE.  It was disgusting.  I don't understand how they could have made that much waste.  Fast forward to new tenant and the weekly garbage barely covers the bottom of the bin (and half of what is there is cat litter).  While we are far from perfect, I wish every family of four in Canada made as much garbage as us!

Just wanna point out that a lot of litter is compostable!

I used to live in a city that didn't do composting, and I was in an apartment, so no go in keeping my own composter. My family filled an (outdoor-sized) garbage can every 2 weeks (including diapers). With composting? A bag of diapers, and a grocery-sized bag of everything else, every 2 weeks. It'd basically take a few months to fill that garbage can. Composting makes a HUGE difference....

[TGod]

As the person who added the politics to this thread...my apologies, I fully admit to thread hijacking for political purposes. We have a tight 3-way race here...it's getting heated, I couldn't help myself.

I think it's time to make a new tin foil hat... :)

Anyway just to put this to bed so this thread can continue on it's appropriate anti-consumerism/stop throwing away so much shit way....I didn't take any offense to the above comment suggesting that I was crazy for disliking our current party in power. I thought the smiley face was some sort of encouragement. Isn't sarcasm usually depicted by a winky face? Anyway  I actually took his advice at face value and went out and bought the family (and the dogs) "tin foil hats". I actually believe Harper is capable of reading my mind. Perhaps he's tracking me on this blog right NOW!!!.....:)

But in the spirit of acknowledging that us Canadians do throw a lot of garbage out, I did my best on this recent purchase and instead of disposable tin foil hats, we went for the reusable aluminum alloy metal hats. Eventually a new party will be elected, unless we turn into a dictatorship, and I won't need my metal hat anymore, and I can recycle it into something like a bread pan, or a pie plate.

In all seriousness, my neighbours regularly throw out 3 large containers of garbage, on a weekly basis, for 2 people!!! We throw out 1 bin of regular household waste every 2 weeks and that's with 2 adults and 2 kids.  Even then I wonder where it all came from. Sometimes I'm tempted to go "dumpster" diving  next door to see what goodies they are tossing (wearing my aluminum alloy hat obviously). They also like to burn plastic in their back yard, which blows my mind. I thought kind of craziness went out with the 80's.

[tthree]

I used to live in a city that didn't do composting, and I was in an apartment, so no go in keeping my own composter. My family filled an (outdoor-sized) garbage can every 2 weeks (including diapers). With composting? A bag of diapers, and a grocery-sized bag of everything else, every 2 weeks. It'd basically take a few months to fill that garbage can. Composting makes a HUGE difference....

Currently, our city does not have a composting program.  But we compost in our backyard in a sweet composter DH made a few years ago.  We use the compost in our garden so I am not putting cat litter in there!

[Prairie Stash]

Is it always bad to throw compost in the garbage? I was recently at our local landfill working on the gas to energy facility. Basically compost turns into fuel to run 2 cummins generators to power up part of the city. With the piled up garbage there's a 50 year lifespan on the power plant which is offsetting coal power from farther out. Its the same as running a bio digester to create green energy; green energy is a good thing. At the local Compost depot the garbage still decomposes but gases are not captured, its all released as anthropogenic emissions. I'm waiting on the final report to quantify the total gain/loss for atmospheric emissions before I decide what's best, it might be it reduces GHG emissions when you account for the offset coal emissions and include the methane gas released from the compost in backyards (difficult to quantify but there are ways, I tried it once at home). Different places have different results of course, its not a one size fits all strategy.

I still promote recycling, that's separate than compost. For the record I compost but I do it for the soil, I'm too cheap to buy soil to boost my gardens output.

[Lady Fordragon]

I'm always surprised that people actually need to take their garbage out every week.  Between composting and recycling, there's usually only a few things like cheese packaging or dead pens in there, and it's nothing that won't keep a month.

Agreed! 

[Gerard]

I'm happy to see stories like this -- well, happy to see this reported, not to see that it exists.

I think we Canadians often assume we're somehow virtuous and European-ish on environmental issues, because we are (well, compared to the US) on some other hot-button political topics.

But in a lot of ways we aren't. We're energy hogs, which we try to wriggle out of by claiming it's due to our cold winters (it's not... we're actually worse than the US on energy consumption, even when you control for temperature). It's a little harder to wriggle out of this one. The less we get to be smug, the more we might actually eventually do something!

(FWIW, I have trouble producing more than one bag of garbage every six weeks or so. I do have to put it out more often than that in warm weather though, because flies).

[GuitarStv]

I'm always surprised that people actually need to take their garbage out every week.  Between composting and recycling, there's usually only a few things like cheese packaging or dead pens in there, and it's nothing that won't keep a month.

Agreed!

In Toronto we get garbage picked up once every two weeks (alternates with recycling).  Our garbage can is about the size of a half a black plastic garbage bag.  If you want to get a bigger one, you have to pay more.

Compost is picked up every week.

[Lady Fordragon]

I'm always surprised that people actually need to take their garbage out every week.  Between composting and recycling, there's usually only a few things like cheese packaging or dead pens in there, and it's nothing that won't keep a month.

Agreed!

In Toronto we get garbage picked up once every two weeks (alternates with recycling).  Our garbage can is about the size of a half a black plastic garbage bag.  If you want to get a bigger one, you have to pay more.

Compost is picked up every week.

That's awesome!

[jambongris]

Zero Waste Girl.

Two years of her trash fits inside a mason jar. Made me feel pretty wasteful.