An environmental organization is asking the Municipality of Kincardine to make changes focusing on additional waste diversion policies.
During Wednesday’s council meeting, representatives from the Kincardine Environmental Action Network (KEAN) shared recent successes of the municipality’s environmental pilot projects, and are requesting more permanent solutions come to fruition.
KEAN Representatives Amanda Saxton and Kim Armitage started by sharing part of their organization’s experience in helping drive a more environmentally-friendly approach to public events within the municipality.
“Over the past couple of years, KEAN members have spent several weekends helping event organizers with waste diversion at community events. We spend a surprising amount of time pointing people to the “other” bin. Someone holding a pop can might find a recycling bin, but then no garbage. Or, far more often, be surrounded by garbage cans with no recycling bin anywhere in sight,” she said. “People quickly give up in that situation and toss their recyclables in the trash,” said Saxton.
She continued by saying that Kincardine doesn’t have a waste management problem, but rather an infrastructure consistency problem.
“When the system is consistent and convenient, people almost always make the right choice.”
Saxton also thanked the municipality’s Tourism and Strategic Initiatives team for the efforts made so far, highlighting the introduction of the mobile green station, and having water available for anyone who brought their own water bottle to the Canada Day events this year.
The department has also been working on a social media campaign, encouraging visitors and residents to carpool or use active transportation when taking part in community events.
“That’s genuine leadership coming from them and it proves that Kincardine can do this,” said Saxton. “However, a few isolated pilot wins aren’t enough anymore. Our current special events policy treats recycling as a voluntary suggestion, with zero defined expectations. We need an overall mindset shift, moving away from looking at sustainability as a ‘nice-to-have’ volunteer effort, and turning it into a standard operating procedure.”
The presentation wrapped up by Armitage requesting that council direct staff to put together a comprehensive report on current environmental practices, and establish an operational baseline.
Councillor Beth Blackwell put forward a motion to have staff complete a report on their experience with implementing some sustainable initiatives and event planning, with recommendations for future years, and suggestions that could be part of the 2027 municipal budget discussions.