ABOUT
STOP TRASHING IT
OUR MISSION.
Turning awareness into action when it comes to our waste habits. We focus on cultivating low waste communities by hosting workshops and outreach events, creating engaging social media content, and empowering youth leaders and ambassadors.
WHO WE ARE.
We’re a network of aspiring low waste individuals.
We’re based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with six interdisciplinary directors. Our reach is national and international, with ambassadors across Canada and in the United States.
WHO WE serve.
We serve our surrounding communities. The core team works to help the HRM and Nova Scotia more broadly, while other national and international ambassadors serve their surrounding communities.
what we dO.
We host waste reduction workshops and outreach events, create engaging social media content and run an informative and inspiring blog, all while empowering youth ambassadors.
OCEAN & PLANET CHALLENGES.
Our stOry
The plastic problem is pretty well known. So why aren't we changing our habits to reflect that?
This was driving Alexa, Stop Trashing It's founder bonkers. How could people be aware of the problem and not change their ways? While completing their Masters of Marine Management at Dalhousie University, Alexa took an environmental education course, which sparked the idea for Stop Trashing It. In one class, Alexa had a project to unpack environmental education campaigns put out by large nonprofit organizations, and their group focused on plastic pollution. After looking at different social media campaigns, it became quite evident that there's a lot of awareness around the issue but not a lot of action, and that's where it started.
Alexa decided to challenge classmates to eliminate one single-use item for a year to shift awareness into action. This was inspired by personal efforts to transition to a low-waste lifestyle, which started with removing single-use coffee cups. Alexa held herself accountable to "no reusable coffee cup, then no coffee," and it worked! Stop Trashing It grew from there.
Within the first month, we had 100 people take a pledge to eliminate one single-use item for a year. Simultaneously, a good friend encouraged us to dream big and start a social media campaign to bring others on board, and we haven't looked back since. Across social media platforms, Stop Trashing It has over 1000 followers where we've built a community of folks trying to change their habits. Saving our climate is a community effort! We try to be solutions-focused, sharing tips and tricks to low-waste living. Through social media, outreach events and day-to-day chats, we've engaged with countless people. They are inspired by and motivated to change their waste habits because of Stop Trashing It. Awareness of action is working!
Alexa's best low-waste tip is to question everything. Asking questions like: Do I really need this? How can I get around this plastic? Is there another way? Having these conversations with yourself and others is key to making changes. Behaviour changes start with changing our thought processes, which is a conscious effort. It's not easy, but it's possible.
Weening off single-use items and plastic isn't easy, but it's doable. Start slow and focused, and you'll see the difference!
OUR PARTNERS.
OCEANS SOLUTION HUB
HALIFAX (HRM)
Sustainable Oceans Alliance Partnership
Stop Trashing It is proud to be Oceans Solution Hub as part of the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) - creating solutions to the ocean's largest threats through leadership and innovative technology.
As an Ocean Solutions Hub, we:
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Host awareness-raising events, and organize advocacy campaigns and hands-on initiatives;
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Engage and leverage with SOA’s global network of ocean changemakers to bring awareness and guiding support for hub projects;
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Take the lead in spearheading SOA regional convenings, bringing together key stakeholders to catalyze effective ocean action.
AWARDS & Media AttentiON.
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Green Sprout Award, DUSOS Green Gala Award (2020)
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Founder noted as a Top 25 Canadian Environmentalists Under 25, Starfish Canada (2020)
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Founder noted as Agent of Change in the Chronicle Herald (2019)
FUNDers.
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Green Grant, Dalhousie Student Union Sustainability Office
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Taking It Global
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Oceans Solutions Microgrant, Sustainable Oceans Alliance
