Look, I know composting isn’t always easy, I sympathize as I have a hard time doing it myself, but the campus is trying to make it easier on you and all of us to do our part. Having an institution like uOttawa that has initiatives and programs in place saves a lot of organic matter from going to waste. Let’s start by talking about the rules/guidelines. What uOttawa does is extremely similar to the city of Ottawa’s guidelines, so they are very strong. They are so similar because we send our compost to the same facility as them. You’re likely recycling or throwing out numerous things that can actually go to compost! Here are all the things you should put in compost: All food scraps (fruits and vegetables, snack foods, nuts and shells, eggs, breads, meat and fish – including bones, salad dressing and sauces); Coffee grounds and tea bags; Disposable paper coffee cups (NO lids); Pizza boxes and other soiled paper-based take-out containers; Paper towels and tissues; Pet and human hair. ...

If there is one thing I've learned as a recycling coordinator at uOttawa is that when it comes to waste, the learning curve is very very steep. If for me, whose work involves going through garbage daily, correctly triaging my waste seems complicated, what about a student? As I yelled a curse-word at yet another mis-triaged bin, I started to wonder. Was the system too complicated or the people not informed as they should be? Or, do they just not care? My answer is “they do” seem to care...as long as the process is not so complex as to requiring them holding three masters degrees to understand it or taking an hour of their time to sort one item. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a system is “a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized framework or method”. The only drawback with this definition is that there is no indication to the amount of complexity people can handle. But, to no surprise, the more options you have, the more likel...

‘Starting March 2010, SunChips® bags will be made from more than 90% renewable, plant-based materials – allowing it to completely break down in a hot, active compost pile in about 14 weeks.’ About the bag It is about time! There’s way too much packaging waste that comes with the foods we eat, and most of the time this packaging is not reusable, not recyclable nor compostable. These new bags are certified through the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), which means that they can be composted in many waste management programs (such as the Green Bin Program). I am not sure of the City of Ottawa will accept them; information will surely become available soon. I am going to be piloting a few in our new electric composter in the next couple of weeks. The organic waste spends about six to eight weeks in our machine, and then four to six weeks maturing in a pile. According to the information on their website, the bags should be gone by the 14th week. We will keep you posted on the developm...

‘À compter de mars 2010, les sacs SunChips® seront fabriqués avec plus de 90 % de matières végétale renouvelable. Ils pourront ainsi se décomposer entièrement en plus ou moins 14 semaines lorsque placés dans un tas de compost actif à « chaud ».’ À propos du sac Je crois que c’est à peu près temps! Il y a beaucoup trop d’emballages non-réutilisable, ni recyclable ou biodégradable (compostable) qui accompagnent notre nourriture. Ces nouveaux sacs sont certifiés par le BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute), ce qui signifie que ces sacs de croustilles peuvent être récupérés aux fins de compostage dans le cadre de nombreux programmes de gestion des déchets (tels que le programme de Bac Vert). Je ne suis pas certaine si la ville d’Ottawa acceptera ces sacs dans leur nouveau système – à suivre. Je vais bientôt faire un essai (projet pilote) avec notre propre composteur électrique. Les déchets organiques passent six à huit semaines dans la machine et un autre quatre à six semaines dans une p...