WRIP

The Waste Reduction Initiatives Program (WRIP) is back for 2024!

Please feel free to share this with members of your network or community.

What is WRIP?

The Waste Reduction Initiatives Program (WRIP) is in place to provide funding to community groups, non-profit societies, registered charitable organizations and school groups for projects that contribute to waste reduction or that divert materials from the landfill.

What are the requirements to qualify?

Projects must be based in the SCRD's boundaries, serve one or more communities on the Sunshine Coast and include a plan for how the applicant will measure, quantify and report out on the amount of waste the project is expected to reduce and/or divert waste from the landfill.

Project categories include:

• Community reuse and repair
• Composting
• Construction & demolition waste reduction, reuse and recycling
• Food waste reduction
• Green waste reduction
• Organizational recycling and waste reduction programs

For more information including links to the Criteria and Guidelines and Application Forms can be found at https://letstalk.scrd.ca/wrip. Staff are available to ask questions so don’t hesitate to reach out to infrastructure@scrd.ca or 604-885-6806.

The following projects are selected to receive funding in 2023. See past projects in the news feed for information about each project.

The Sunshine Coast Resource Centre's Computer Kindness Corner was designed to increase digital inclusion and reduce e-waste from going to the landfill. Old devices that still function are donated and provided to members of the community. Approximately 28lbs or 40 devices worth of e-waste were diverted from waste streams since the start of this year.

The project will continue to support members of our community and we're happy to share their success.

Learn more about their work at https://resourcecentre.ca/program/computer-kindness-corner/

Reusable plates and cutlery were purchased plates, cups and cutlery for hot lunches and have successfully reduced the need for single use packaging. Since starting diversion in 19kg of of single use materials have been diverted.

The Gibsons Public Art Gallery is now equipped with reusable event ware for monthly exhibition openings and events. WRIP funding directly increases diversion through improved use of the onsite recycling and storage system, arming it with the potential for further growth and partnerships in the community. As a volunteer organization reducing resistance to reducing waste is key to the long term success of use of the event ware.

Learn more about events and the Gibsons Public Art Gallery at https://gpag.ca and sign up for their newsletter.

The Roberts Creek Community Hall has expanded the ways they're reducing waste. Check out the new recycling bins to help prevent plastic bottles and drink cans from going to the garbage. Last year they implemented reusable dishware and now they've expanded their recycling. Events at the community hall can be just as environmentally friendly as they are fun.

Planning an event? Contact the xwesam Roberts Creek Community Association for information on what's available to create a waste free event and visit https://www.scrd.ca/holiday-recycling for tips to create memories and not waste.

The Davis Bay Community Hall has a more environmentally friendly way to support events. Reusable dishware is now washable at the community hall which has helped to reduce the weekly garbage generated from single use paper plates and cups.

Planning on using the hall? Contact the Davis Bay Wilson Creek Selma Park Community Association for information and visit our https://www.scrd.ca/holiday-recycling webpage for tips on planning events that focus on creating memories and not waste.

2023 Recipients were announced in November 2023. Check out this new release and check back here this spring for information about current projects.

>News Release<

In 2022, 6 projects received funding from WRIP.

See short descriptions below about each of these projects.

The Roberts Creek Community Association implemented reusable food service dishware at the Roberts Creek Community Hall to prevent the generation of single use items. This included table ware and servicing dishes for community events, coffee and tea stations. This resource is available to anyone who rents the facility.

Langdale Elementary School now provides hot lunches using reusable dishes thanks to WRIP funding. With the help of parent volunteers, student lunches no longer generate 100s of disposable cups, plates and cutlery.

Gibsons Elementary School and Kinnikinnick Elementary School started paper towel composting projects to prevent compostable paper towels from being thrown in the landfill.

Sunshine Coast Alternative School turned materials that would have go to waste into art to be appreciated in the community. Students learned about rethinking what needs to be waste and shared their creativity and messaging in the community.

Chatelech Secondary School reduced it's reliance on disposable white board markers by investing in reusable, refillable and repairable white board markers.

Sunshine Coast Alternative Schools students repurposed potential waste into Art. Projects included repurposing wood waste from donated pool tables, turning textile scraps into pillows and repurposing recyclables into robots. K - 12 students learned about waste as a potential resources and community members donated items that would have otherwise eventually made their way to the landfill. If you were lucky you got to see this art on display all around the Coast. Thank you to the students for your creativity and your teacher for leading the way. Thank you to the community for your generous donations. From everyone involved in this project, we hope it inspires everyone to rethink about your waste.