It’s about 7:30 this Monday morning when, during my “morning scrolling” (bad habit), I come across a short video that says “in Quebec, 13 million tonnes of residual materials are produced every year, the equivalent of a 25-tonne truckload of waste every minute. That’s huge!”

So yes… it’s huge, so huge I can hardly imagine it.

A few minutes later, over lunch, I said to myself: “I’ve decided to reduce my waste this week”.

This week I’m reducing my waste:

It all starts with my coffee addiction. This Monday morning, I take my reusable thermos. The result? I’ve saved a few dollars, but more importantly, I’ve done away with the disposable cup. As I walk to work, I look around me and realize the astronomical quantity of cups used in our daily lives.

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Tuesday morning, gourd in hand, I realize that advertising is everywhere: it’s impossible not to be inundated with it in town. It encourages us to buy things we clearly don’t need. (And generally, no room to store them). Back home, I install a little ad-blocking software on my phone and stick a nice sticker on my mailbox.

Mathis 1 – Advertising 0

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This Thursday, I sorted through my clothes. Instead of throwing them out, I’m giving them to the thrift store around the corner. They’re still in great condition, I’m giving them a second life and helping someone in need. Glancing through the shelves, I come across lots of little massage jars in excellent condition. They end up in my bag (reusable of course), which is perfect timing as I was planning to buy in bulk tomorrow.

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Friday, coffee over, as agreed, I go to the local zero-waste grocery store. There really is a lot of choice. I buy everything in bulk: rice, nuts, spices… Result? There’s no unnecessary packaging that ends up in the garbage can or recycling. I also pay less for certain products, since the cost of packaging is eliminated.

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This weekend, I’m meeting some friends on the other side of town. I have two options: my bike or my car. I realize that up until now I’ve only focused on what I could see, i.e. physical waste (cardboard cups, paper ads, plastic packaging, etc.), but I hadn’t thought about the unseen “greenhouse gases” (notably Co2) that are generated by each of our decisions. With that in mind, I decide to get on my bike. It’s a good thing the weather’s fine and it’ll be my sport for the day.

You’re not alone:

I had a big realization this week, I realized how simple habits can generate a considerable amount of waste, visible or not, and how small everyday gestures can have a significant impact on the environment. Whether it’s reducing packaging, avoiding waste or adopting more sustainable means of transport, every action counts. The good news is that you’re not alone!

We’re in the midst of Semaine québécoise de réduction des déchets (SQRD), which offers a multitude of resources to help everyone go even further. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore other ways of reducing your ecological footprint, whether through workshops or practical tools like CODE Z.)

The SQRD website offers a wealth of information for all those who want to consume differently and make a real difference.

Are you tempted? I’d love to!

Waste Management, Advisor

Mathis Gobin

Some people find waste disgusting, Mathis loves it (even if he thinks we produce too much of it). A fan of “our garbage is worth its weight in gold”, he dreams of the day when resources will be used intelligently while respecting the earth and its inhabitants. He will need his daily dose of sunshine to shine at his favorite activity: strategy board games.

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