Strathcona County celebrates Organic Waste Diversion pilot with ‘Catch the Cow’ campaign

As the Commercial Food Rescue and Organic Waste pilot is moving towards its close at the end of November, Strathcona County is recognizing the participants with a campaign called ‘Catch the Cow’.

To draw attention to the project participants, a life-sized cow statute colourfully painted with food imagery will be displayed at various locations near businesses participating in the pilot until the end of November 2024.

“We wanted to highlight these pilot project businesses and the work they are doing to move Strathcona County towards a more circular economy,” says Jennine Pedersen, Commercial Waste Diversion Specialist. “The cow symbolizes the circular process of organic waste as food waste from the businesses is composted and used to fertilize crops which then feed livestock on local farms.”

Residents are encouraged to ‘Catch the Cow’ by taking a photo with the cow and posting it to Instagram using the hashtag #CatchTheCowSHPK for a chance to win a $20 gift card from various pilot project businesses. 

The organics waste diversion pilot project, led by the Circular Innovation Council, was intended to explore waste management barriers, motivations and cost considerations for businesses, and allow them to influence the development of future diversion strategies, incentives and regulatory requirements for the commercial sector in Strathcona County.

As part of its 10-year Waste Roadmap, Strathcona County is committed to exploring options to expand the Circular Economy, particularly to industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) organizations. 

Businesses participating in the pilot are A&W Baseline Road, Cena Catering, Everyday Food Co., Fortis Alberta, Joeys Seafood, Rosies in the Park, Roasti Coffee, Sherwood Park Mall, Sobeys Nottingham, Soup and Sandwich Co., Strathcona Food Bank, Troika Foods Ltd. and TreeTime.

For more information on the pilot program visit https://circularinnovation.ca/foodwastepilotwestlockstrathcona/.

More information about the cow and the contest can be found at strathcona.ca/CatchTheCow.

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Contact: Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595