Next time you’re at the coffee shop, you could be a winner if you’re “caught” separating your coffee cup and lid into the proper bins.
Island Waste Management Corporation (IWMC) launched the CAUGHT YA!... doin’ it RIGHT!! program this summer as a thank-you to Islanders and visitors for making Prince Edward Island an international leader in waste management.
“Waste Watch has become part of Island life so we don’t often stop to think about how impressive it is that 65 per cent of garbage is being composted and recycled,” said Gerry Moore, IWMC CEO. “That figure could not be reached without the excellent cooperation of Islanders who properly sort their trash – both when they are at home and out in the community. CAUGHT YA!... doin’ it RIGHT!! is a way to thank Islanders for making Waste Watch such a success.”
Island student Karen Hickey has the unique summer job of “catching” people who properly sort their trash at fast food restaurants in Charlottetown and Summerside. She rewards them with coupons for free product at the restaurant and a ballot to enter a draw for a cash prize.
Mr. Moore said CAUGHT YA!... doin’ it RIGHT!! has received tremendous support from the municipalities and the business community who have provided a total of more than $1,000 worth of prizes. He thanked program sponsors: the City of Charlottetown, City of Summerside, Burger King, Dairy Queen, McDonalds, Subway and Tim Hortons.
Funding for Miss Hickey’s position was provided by the Employment Development Agency’s Jobs for Youth Program. The summer job was created at the recommendation of the PEI Litter Awareness Committee which includes representatives from industry sectors, municipal and provincial government, and other interested groups such as the Federated Women’s Institute. In addition to the CAUGHT YA!... doin’ it RIGHT!! program, Miss Hickey is working on a litter prevention strategy aimed at young people.
Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry Jamie Ballem commended the Litter Awareness Committee for its ongoing efforts to encourage Islanders and visitors to Keep the Island clean. Put litter in its place. He added that IWMC’s CAUGHT YA!... doin’ it RIGHT!! program reinforces the litter prevention message.
“Roadside litter surveys have shown that take-out food containers are the most common items found in Island ditches. Through enforcement efforts, we try to catch those people who throw trash out the window. But it’s also important to reward the vast majority of people who properly dispose of trash so that it doesn’t end up as roadside litter. That, in turn, encourages others to do the right thing,” said Minister Ballem.
The CAUGHT YA!... doin’ it RIGHT!! program will continue until late August. Watch for Miss Hickey at any of the sponsoring restaurants. For more information on Waste Watch, visit the website at www.iwmc.pe.ca For information on the PEI Litter Awareness Committee, visit www.gov.pe.ca/litter