“Council 799 recognizes that the owners want to be consistent with the move Mount Washington is making,” says Bruce Storry, Chair of the Alpine Village (Strata 799). “We thought we should follow suit.”
Another incentive for recycling was the news that the Regional District of Comox-Strathcona was going to start penalizing owners heavily if there were recyclables in their garbage. The Village has devised a “three can” plan for their rubbish and recycling: garbage, recycling and returnables. There are bins throughout the Village for people’s convenience. The Strata is encouraging owners in the Village to donate their bottles and other returnables to the Mount Washington Ski Club. Viken Services has the contract to haul recyclables away from the village, Storry said.
So far recycling is up 15 to 20 per cent over last year, Storry said. “We’re still in an educating mode.” The Strata has developed a plasticized card outlining their recycling practices that will be hung up in each rental unit. This will help renters to know what they can and cannot recycle.
The Strata has tried to make the recycling as easy as possible for renters: any plastic, cardboard or paper are put into blue recycling bags that are provided. “We’re not separating it at the unit,” Storry said. The recycling is going well, Storry said. “It’s going to take some time. “The programs are being met with encouraging success – more than we had anticipated. It will take a couple of years to get to full speed.
“On the positive side, a lot of people (who rent) are out of Victoria and Nanaimo, and they know a lot about recycling.”