One person’s trash is another’s treasure, and treasure hunters will be out in force looking for good finds April 6-7 as the city’s annual Reuse Rendezvous takes place.
The citywide swap meet often features all kinds of good stuff from toys to sporting goods, and furniture to bicycles, as well as other items taken to the curb.
By participating in Reuse Rendezvous, Nanaimo’s longest running reuse event, homeowners can de-clutter their houses while helping the environment by making their discarded items available to others.
Simply set the items out and mark with a ‘free’ tag for others to take. Any items not taken should be removed from the curb by the end of April 7.
In 2012, the event helped Nanaimo households generate an average of 158 kilograms of waste that had to be landfilled, one of the lowest rates among Canadian cities.
Treasure seekers are reminded to drive carefully and respectfully, to park safely, watch for children and pets, and respect private property.
Starting March 27, Canada Post will begin delivering the Spring 2013 Waste Line newsletter to all Nanaimo homes. It provides tips on Reuse Rendezvous and local reuse and recycling resources. The latest issue also has news about yard waste drop-off rate charges at the Nanaimo Recycling Exchange, how food waste collection and curbside recycling is taking a big bite out of household waste, and a new app that provides garbage, green bin and recycling collection day alerts by e-mail.
A digital version of Waste Line can also be downloaded on the city's website at www.nanaimo.ca. Highlight the 'residents' tab, click on 'garbage and recycling' and go to 'publications and forms' to select the preferred edition to download.