PITCH-IN CANADA
How Business and Industry can help Clean Up Canada

Every member of the community can make a valuable contribution to keeping the environment clean. Here are some suggestions. Encourage your employer to "pitch-in" or, if you own your company, incorporate some or all of these into your role as a good corporate citizen within your community.

• 1.	Reduce and recycle your waste and keep your premises clean...and remind others to keep them that way! Make sure that you are part of the solution, not the problem. Review how your company purchases its own supplies. Are you buying in bulk to reduce packaging waste? How do you package/distribute the products which your company produces or sells? Does your company use recycled products made from post-consumer waste (toilet paper, hand towels, paper, envelopes, printer cartridges etc...)? Can any of your company's waste be reused by others, such as schools, community groups, youth groups, etc...Does your company participate in a recycling program? If not, examine the feasibility of doing so - in many cases it reduces the cost of waste collection. Many large companies have, in order to reduce costs associated with waste disposal and to assist in community waste reduction/recycling programs, conducted a "waste audit" of their operations. Has your company thought about doing this? Check to see that you have sufficient litter containers for employees and customers. Include parking lots in your review. Make sure that you offer "public ashtrays" outside your building if local bylaws prohibit smoking inside. Check out your loading dock If your company has loading docks then examine how waste is disposed/contained. In many communities, commercial loading operations are a major source of waste. Ensure that you have sufficient dumpster capacity to handle your waste. Overloaded or broken dumpsters whose lid cannot be closed are another major source of waste. Always make sure that your dumpster's lid is closed so that waste cannot blow out into your community. It's not a good way to advertise! Now that you are part of the solution, help make sure your customers and employees know that they can help keep your community clean as well. Provide them with some educational/motivational materials to encourage positive action. For example, put posters on employee notice boards and in service areas, provide car litterbags to employees and customers, place PITCH-IN decals on litter containers to encourage their use. These materials are available from PITCH-IN CANADA. Click here for information about materials you can purchase.
  2.	Support local beautification Projects Many communities initiate beautification projects which frequently involve businesses in painting/fixing-up their buildings, planting/maintaining flowers and sponsoring public litter containers on sidewalks, etc... If your community does not have such as a program then discuss it with your corporate "neighbours" or bring it up at your next Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Kinsmen or Lions meeting. Civic Pride starts with one person or business .....and that person can be you. Now that is good advertising!
  3.	Sponsor local clean-ups by voluntary groups or schools Scouts, Guides, 4-H, local schools and many other groups participate in PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK, volunteering their time to clean-up your community. Consider supporting their voluntary efforts by hosting a barbeque, providing free drinks on clean-up day, offering discount coupons for products (especially great for restaurants).
  4.	Provide Materials/Assistance/Equipment Volunteers sometimes need help with their community improvement project. Some things your business can help with are: equipment (trucks, rakes, etc....) manpower (drivers to haul away litter, etc...) garbage bags imprinted with the PITCH-IN logo; Volunteers like using the specially imprinted bags available from PITCH-IN CANADA, for information click here recognition of the volunteers; this could include a "thank you" advertisement in your local newspaper, free product from your company to participants, a PITCH-IN recognition item, etc... PITCH-IN CANADA has various recognition items available. Click below for information about: Registration Form and Certificate of Participation Materials you can purchase. Imprinted garbage bags
  5.	Make free educational materials available to your local schools as a community service or get your Chamber of Commerce or local service Club to take this action Many schools do not have the resources to help educate students about litter-prevention and other programs to encourage students to "pitch-in". Click below for information about: Video Materials Providing these relatively inexpensive items, as a local business, will show you care about your community.
  6.	Support local government in programs to encourage Civic Pride Local governments are, increasingly, entering into private sector partnerships in order to provide services to the community and to encourage civic pride. Offer to sponsor local litter containers, with each donated container imprinted with the donor's name. Now that's another good example of advertising!
  7.	Support PITCH-IN CANADA If you appreciate the information and service we provide then become a financial supporter of PITCH-IN CANADA. We are a national, non-profit, charitable organization. We rely on your support to continue our programs. It's easy to delay your support....but please don't....become a supporter or Patron. For information about sponsorship opportunities and how you can make a contribution (any amount is appreciated), please contact our Executive Director by clicking here.