WHISTLER2020
Whistler 2020 Strategy: Materials & Solid Waste
Whistler 2020 Priority: Protecting the Environment

Material Use

Why monitor this indicator?

Offering visitor services and maintaining resident lifestyles and needs currently requires significant quantities of various materials. Waste is generally produced and energy generally used (embodied) in all stages of extracting, making, packaging, transporting, using and finally disposing of products and residuals. Currently, all of these lifecycle stages have potential negative environmental impacts which are measured using the proxy total material use in Whistler. Managing material use is important and can contribute to a reduction of overall material flows.

What does this indicator measure?

This indicator totals the weight of solid material disposed, recycled or composted through data captured by Carney's Waste Services at the landfill transfer station and materials dropped at the Whistler Re-Use It Centre. The measurement does not include biosolids from the waste water treatment plant. * Approximately 900 tonnes of materials combined from the Bottle Depots are not included in these results. While most demolition waste is included in the measure, some demolition waste skips Whistler's transfer station and as a result is not captured in this measure.
Indicator DefinitionTotal materials landfilled, recycled or composted
CalculationSum the weight of solid materials collected by all waste service providers from landfilling, recycling, and composting as well as materials collected at Whistler's Re-Use it Centre.
Time PeriodYear
Collection FrequencyMonthly
SourceCarney's
1 year trend
Up away from vision
3 year average trend
Up away from vision
Latest Analysis

  • In 2008, 26,470 tonnes of materials (just over one tonne per person) were used then landfilled, reused, composted or recycled.

  • The three year average amount of materials being used in Whistler has increased (4%) on an absolute basis to 2008 and increased slightly on a percapita basis to 2008.

  • Contributing to this rising three year average trend was the increase all types of materials from all sources (Commercial/Institutional, Construction, Residential).

  • The year to year results increased slightly due to more construction waste and more recyclable/compost material.

What You Can Do

At Home

  • Reduce and Reuse as much as possible. Think twice before discarding / recycling
    something, and think twice about buying something new. Fact: Whistler’s Re-Use-It Centre, located at Function Junction, accepts and sells all sorts of used quality items.
  • Replace toxic cleaning products with natural, non-hazardous, biodegradable alternatives.
 
At Work
  • Replace toxic cleaning products with natural, non-hazardous, biodegradable alternatives. Avoid products that contain phosphates and chlorine, and those with warning labels such as "danger", "caution", "poison", etc
  • Encourage suppliers to provide products in bulk, reduce packaging and ship in containers that can be recycled/reused locally.
  • Use organic food ingredients whenever possible. Choosing local organic foods helps reduce air and water pollution, and conserves energy.
Links to Related Priorities
Links to Whistler's Sustainability Objectives:
(click on icon to find out more)
1. To reduce and eventually eliminate our contribution to ongoing build-up of substances taken from the earth's crust (e.g. renewable energy)2. To reduce and eventually eliminate our contribution to ongoing build-up of substances produced by society (e.g. non-toxic, biodegradable materials)3. To reduce and eventually eliminate our contribution to ongoing degradation of natural systems by physical means (e.g. sustainably harvested fish)4. To reduce and eventually eliminate our contribution to undermining the ability of other people to meet their needs (e.g. providing fair wages, access to information etc)
Document Downloads

Check out the 2020explorer

Whistler 2020 explorer