After months of receiving applications and evaluating projects, the 2020 recipients of the RDNO’s new Rethinking and Reducing Waste grant program were named at the February 19, 2020, Board of Director’s meeting. Eight projects were approved to receive funding for a portion of the project cost, totalling over $21,000, and include:
- The City of Vernon: Compost Bin Pilot Project
- Crafting a Change: Making reusable bags from recycled fabrics
- Green Okanagan: Zero Waste Education Workshops
- Habitat for Humanity: Salvaging kitchen fixtures for reuse
- Okanagan Landing Elementary: Program to educate students on reducing garbage
- IPE: Waste Reduction Program
- Greater Vernon Museum & Archives: Green Initiative
- Repair Café Vernon
The intent of the new grant program was to support groups and organizations that align with the RDNO’s goal of encouraging people to rethink their consumption, and therefore not create unnecessary garbage, and to reduce waste.
“We want to divert as much material as possible from ending up in our landfill, and we can’t do it alone,” said Mike Fox, General Manager, Community Services. “The grant was designed to encourage innovation and to support a wide variety of initiatives, and we are happy that we received multiple qualified applications.”
While 2021 may seem far away, the RDNO is encouraging individuals and organizations to begin thinking about rethinking as the grant program will run again next year to support the development and implementation of programs, projects, events, processes, technologies, arts and culture displays and/or methods that contribute to the reduction of waste generated in the North Okanagan. The application for next year will be available later in 2020.