Ian Gartshore

Let’s compare how the corporate non-profit “Regional Recycling” (RR, the more recent brand name for the federally incorporated Encorp) and the Nanaimo Recycling Exchange (NRE) go about their "business." Firstly, the local RR depots are privately owned. They are licenced by the federally incorporated not-for-profit Encorp. So how are they funded? Encorp : Especially in the earlier days, when Encorp's “Return-it” was only a bottle depot, they were given the eco-fees generated whenever someone purchased a bottled beverage. They got to keep 100% of those deposits, even when the container was not given to them for a refund. They amassed large sums of our money ($43 million at its peak). They still get to keep these public funds. In the last year they reported (2016) about three-quarters of all of their income came from the eco-fees charged to us. The rest comes from selling the recyclables and other income. Click here for that information. The NRE has very...

With Metro Vancouver threatening our immediate coastal communities with up to 7 garbage incinerators, the international zero waste community is coming to Nanaimo to help us defeat this plan with some sane, sustainable, solutions that create way more jobs, too! International Zero Waste Conference in Nanaimo Oct 2-4, 2014 Next week, starting Thursday the 2nd, over 30 international speakers who know how to put waste materials back into use and create jobs, will be coming to Nanaimo. First time in Canada! They normally meet in major cities. We convinced the host, Zero Waste Canada, to pick us over Toronto and Vancouver! Nanaimo welcomes them! If you care about reducing global warming, increasing local jobs and economic opportunities, and providing a future for our children then do come to one or more events! Pre-conference Monday the 29 th 6:30 p.m. The film Trashed will be shown at the Nanaimo VIU campus, Building 356, Rm. 109. This is a very informative film...