With Okanagan residents producing more garbage (91 kilograms more) than the B.C. average, a challenge is underway to curb what鈥檚 wasted.

A project aimed at growing zero or low-waste living has launched in the valley, running until March 15.

The Great Okanagan Waste Reduction Challenge (GOWRC) looks to reduce the approximately 590 kilograms of waste each resident produces each year.

The waste communities generate ends up in landfills, which in turn produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas that significantly contributes to climate change.

Landfills have a limited capacity and it makes sense to avoid the need for new landfills in the future.

The goal of the GOWRC is to inform and guide residents, businesses, schools and other organizations on their waste reduction journey. As well as helping participants to understand and measure how much waste they are currently generating, and then challenging them to reduce their baseline waste line.

The website is now live and open for registration at .

鈥淲e鈥檙e inviting the community to join hands and participate in this vital initiative,鈥� says Rosalind Warner, GOWRC Coordinator. 鈥淏y sharing our attached Instagram and Facebook posts using the hashtag #GOWRC and displaying our poster, you鈥檙e contributing significantly to this movement and to keeping our Okanagan Valley beautiful.鈥�

Three grand prizes of Lomi Home Composters will be awarded to the top waste reducers, along with weekly draw prizes for eligible participants, for the duration of the event.

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