It is said that one of the first things that you realize when you go on an exchange is the cultural shock. However, they said that Vancouver was a city with similarities to the cities back in Europe so I did not expect much difference.
I have been in Vancouver for almost two months now and I must confess that there is a cultural shock. Nevertheless, it appears with the small things and actions. For example, the society here is much more aware and conscious about recycling. It took me a while to understand and to get used to separate things when you are throwing them away. However, Canadians are used to it and see it as a normal thing to do. I have heard that you can even get a fine if you do not do it correctly! I could not believe it.
I find this cultural difference quite interesting. That is why, when in one of my classes we talked about Urban Impact, I decided to investigate more about this company. For those who might not know it, Urban Impact is a multi-material recycling company in Vancouver. They work with industrial, commercial and government sectors to help them to reduce and manage their waste, teaching them how to go green.
I think that is a really good idea to base an enterprise in helping other companies to improve their recycling practices. Many of these companies do not have “Green” as their key message. In other words, in the Green Marketing Strategy Matrix they are either in the Shaded or in the Defensive Green position. Most of these companies would not spend time or effort to improve their performance in sustainable terms. However, a partnership with Urban Impact can benefit all. In the first place, they would be decreasing the volume of waste that they create and reducing the negative impact in the planet. In addition, the brand image of the companies would also improve.
In conclusion, I believe that Urban Impact’s activity is a very good idea. It is nice that a community can get together and help one to each other in being more sustainable, making this planet a better place for future generations.
http://www.bcbusiness.ca/people/nicole-stefenelli-winner-clean-tech
I am really impressed after having read this article. As you have said, one of the most shocking things when I arrived here was Canadians’ recycling culture. I am not at all used to it, so having someone who could explain me how to recycle would be more than very useful. And I think a lot of companies feel the same. The do not recycle or even make thing in a sustainable way, not because they do not want to, but because they do not know how to. Having this institution partnering with businesses and helping them to behave in a more sustainable way could be the beginning of devoted community helping each other with the same objective: being sustainable to preserve everyone’s Earth.
Good read. I think for me, I experienced some culture shock as well when I visited Japan this past summer. One interesting thing I noted about their culture was that they have almost no public garbage cans and only public recycling and compost bins. You might think that because of this, people will choose to throw their litter on the floor but in reality, Japan is actually an extremely clean society. I think that having no garbage cans actually promotes people to have less waste, because if you have any garbage, you have to carry it around with you.
It’s always cool to see the perspective of someone new to Canada. I’ve been raised here so I’m just so used to recycling that it’s become second nature. The idea of a company that helps other companies become more green or recycle might seem a bit foreign but I feel that this type of thing should become the norm as the world trends towards sustainability more and more.
At the same time though, it would be nice if this kind of company did not have to exist at all because that would mean people and companies are just planning their sustainability practices for the future on their own. But for now, Urban Impact is a good solution to helping us work towards the future.
I can see how exchange students from Europe visiting Vancouver can see this as a culture shock! I just returned to UBC from a semester abroad in Barcelona, Spain. I was there for 4 months and noticed that Europeans are not nearly as educated about recycling and sustainability as Canadians are. I lived in a private apartment in Barcelona so I had to take care of my garbage myself so I did notice the different garbage bins in the streets. The city had separated garbage bins in the streets-there were bins for regular garbage, paper products, plastic products, and glass. I did not see any containers for compost materials or aluminum/cans. I noticed that people were not educated about these bins either because there were countless times that my neighbours would mix together all of their garbage from home and just toss that into a regular garbage bin instead of separating the garbage accordingly. I think that if Europeans were educated from an early age at school or even in their workplaces about the significance of recycling and composting, and how it benefits our environment, then this initiative will strengthen. I think in time, recycling processes in Europe will catch up to how it is done in the American and Canadian society.