Spring Cleaning With U/D

Spring is in the air and for many, now is the perfect time for a little refresh. We recently hosted our annual U/D Community Cleanup event to help keep our community tidy! Here’s a full recap:

On April 23, we hosted our Community Cleanup event in alignment with Earth Day. We’re proud to share that our community rallied together in an impressive way, with more than 70 community members, GDI, Graham and Foothills Landscaping teams and UCPG staff participating and more than 32 large bags of waste collected. We also partnered with Goodwill and Staples to maximize our efforts. Goodwill Ambassadors were on-site to collect goods and donations with proceeds supporting the enhancement of the lives of persons with disabilities. Staples offered an e-waste recycling program to safely dispose of items like batteries and electronics in their store located at 3909 University Ave NW.

The event ended with complimentary food and drinks from U/D retailers Save-On-Foods, The Canadian Brewhouse and Village Ice Cream. A special thanks for ensuring everyone who came out to help enjoyed a wrap up lunch. Everyone’s hard work and participation is a clear testament to the University District Community’s dedication to maintaining a clean and sustainable environment and it’s a shared success that we can all be proud of!

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated and helped make this Community Cleanup a resounding success.

The Community Cleanup may have inspired us all to do a refresh of our personal residential spaces too. Here’s a “how-to” for adequately disposing of everyday household items as you get a head start on your spring cleaning:

Small household items

Small household items that are ready to be thrown out, such as door mats, lamps and lampshades, flashlights and scissors, can be discarded in your black bin. If the items are sharp or made from glass, place them into a plastic container,  pail or tub or double wrap them in paper and place them into a garbage bag labelled “sharps” before putting them into your black bin. 

If any items are still in good condition, consider giving them to a friend or donating them to an organization like Goodwill, the Calgary Drop-In Centre or the Women In Needs Society (WINS). The WINS Bowness location is conveniently positioned near U/D, situated at 6432 Bowness Rd NW, or to make spring cleaning even easier, University District Dental is accepting donations for WINS throughout April; all you have to do is drop them off at U/D Dental located at 3107 Thirsk St NW. For more information, visit @universitydistrictdental on Instagram. 

Non-rechargeable batteries

Batteries are one of those items we know need to be disposed of in a certain way—we just don’t always remember how or where. 

All non-rechargeable batteries can be taken to participating retailers for free recycling. Save-on-Foods and Staples, both on University Avenue, are two convenient recycling retailers in U/D. To see more locations in the area, visit the Call2Recycle battery recycling website.

Electronics 

If your electronics aren’t suitable for donation, they can be recycled at various locations around Calgary. All acceptable electronic items can be recycled at any City of Calgary landfill or the Vecova Bottle Depot, just a four-minute drive from U/D. For more information about recycling your used electronics, visit Electronics Recycling for Residents. 

Hazardous waste 

Hazardous waste, such as paint, cleaning supplies and other chemicals, can be discarded at any household hazardous waste drop-off location around the city if stored, labelled and sealed correctly. The Bowness Fire Station at 6328 35 Avenue NW, is U/D’s nearest household hazardous waste drop-off location.

It is important to note that radioactive, asbestos, biomedical waste, compressed gas cylinders, glass, old drugs and medications are not accepted at any household hazardous waste drop-off location. For more information about where to dispose of waste, See What Goes Where.

Now that we’ve discarded all the waste, the proper spring cleaning can truly begin. Check out this spring cleaning checklist for all things and places you may have missed: 

• Baseboards
• Window screens
• Defrost and clean the freezer
• Discard expired cosmetics
• Update the first aid kit and check expiration dates
• Deep clean your mattress
• Organize files (physical and digital)

For more spring-cleaning inspiration, follow Calgary-local cleaning legend Sarah McAllister on Instagram at @gocleanco for tips and tutorials or to participate in her Spring Cleaning Challenge!