Making choices to keep the Earth clean doesn't have to be massive changes, it can be as simple as switching to silicone bags for the kids' sandwiches for lunch. 

Green Action Centre works in the areas of green commuting, composting and waste reduction, sustainable living and resource conservation, and the Compost Program Coordinator, Kristen Malec, has shared some ways that people can make green choices in their day-to-day lives. 

Malec starts off by saying the goal is to reduce the amount of garbage communities create because even though our trash gets sent to the landfill, it doesn't have the proper environment for the decomposition process to take place. 

"If you have organic materials such as food scraps, meat, items that can decompose and rot, they rot very slowly in our landfills and they actually create a greenhouse gas called methane, which contributes to climate change." 

In order for the decomposition to begin, it needs the proper organisms to be present for it to happen and just like most organisms, they need food, air and water to thrive. Malec says that since those requirements are hard to find in a landfill, a bacteria can grow called anaerobic bacteria, and while it eats away at the garbage it creates that greenhouse gas. 

Here are three easy tips Malec gives for going green at home: 

  1. Composting. For those who have a yard, they can simply chuck leftover food into a compost bin and for those who don't have much of a yard, vermicomposting might be for you. It's a way to compost within your home with a certain type of worm, putting them with your compost in a Rubbermaid container. There's also the option of dropping off your compost at one of the depots in Steinbach. Bring your leaves, grass, and other garden clippings to Steinbach’s Community Compost Depots, open every Saturday, 9am–3pm, from May 6 to October 14, 2023. Compost can also be dropped off at the Steinbach Landfill, year-round. 

  1. Reuseable Containers. Instead of using single-use plastics such as ziploc bags, people can switch over to silicone reusable bags, carry a water bottle around rather than purchasing a plastic bottle, and swap saran wrap for beeswax wraps. 

  1. Alternative Transportation. Rather than driving to work every day, try riding a bike, walking, or carpooling. There's an app Manitobans can use called GoManitoba which helps people to find others to carpool to work with. The City of Steinbach has three types of bicycle signage on our streets, as part of its “Active Transportation Route” program. One of the signs is “Share the Road”, yellow signs along McKenzie Avenue and Loewen Boulevard - this signage alerts motorists to the presence of bicyclists and encourages cooperative behaviour. There are sharrow symbols painted on streets - this is a road lane marking that shows a stencil of a bicycle with two chevron markings above it, indicating the direction in which bicycle traffic should ride. Designated bike lane symbols can be found painted on Hespeler Street N. - this decal indicates a designated lane for bicycles. 

"I think every day should be Earth Day,” says Malec. “But Earth Day is a great reminder for all of us to stop and think about our impact on the planet and our climate. Small acts, when multiplied by millions, can transform the world. So, we can all adopt small changes into our lives to make a big difference."

-With files from Judy Peters.

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