By Mike Baker

Haliburton County’s four lower-tier municipalities have been recognized for their environmental outreach and programming throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dysart et al, Algonquin Highlands, Minden Hills and Highlands East were acknowledged at the 2021 Promotion and Education Awards, held by the Municipal Waste Association on June 2.
The quartet, along with the County of Haliburton and the Haliburton County Public Library, took home silver in the Social Media & Online Strategy award for their fall 2020 Waste Reduction Week in Canada social media campaign.
“The partnership between four small municipalities, the county and the library, helped effectively deliver consistent and clear waste diversion messaging to residents,” one of the award’s judges commented.
From Oct. 19 to 25 last year, the local coalition teamed up to provide information on how to reduce the amount of garbage each of us creates. The social media accounts of all of the municipalities and the library offered tips on waste reduction and provided recommendations for themed books that would help individuals improve their environmental footprint.

Together, the group also put together a schedule of online events that local residents could attend virtually, including a collection of ‘Maker Break’ activities, showcasing how people can reuse old materials to create items such as a fabric mache bowl, egg geodes and recycled candles.
Dysart left the event with a second commendation – the Gold Print Tool Award for its children’s activity book ‘Let’s Protect the Environment Together’, which was made available online and for pickup last fall.
“By targeting a specific audience, this activity book was fun and creative, and demonstrated that small municipalities can implement effective promotion and creation,” one of the judges remarked.

The Municipal Waste Association is an incorporated not-for-profit organization formed in 1987 by Ontario municipal waste management professionals to facilitate the sharing of municipal waste reduction and recycling information and experience. The organization’s annual promotion and education awards recognize outstanding achievements by Ontario municipalities for the use of effective waste minimization and diversion communication efforts.