We often feel overwhelmed by the scale of environmental challenges, unsure where to begin making a difference. But what if a notable reduction in household waste was achievable, not through radical lifestyle upheaval, but through a guided, supportive process? That’s precisely what the city of Sherbrooke is offering, and the results are inspiring.

One participant, a mother of two young children, discovered the city’s “Zero waste Citizen Challenge” on the radio and saw it as the impetus she needed to turn good intentions into tangible action. She already had ideas for a more eco-friendly home, but struggled with implementation. The challenge provided the structure and encouragement to finally make those changes.

The conversion was remarkable. This family, like many others, embraced a range of enduring swaps. They moved to reusable diapers and wipes, installed a bidet and switched to washable hygiene products for the entire family, began shopping in bulk, and opted for solid bar shampoos and cleaning products.The impact was immediate and measurable.

“Before the challenge, we were emptying a 40-liter trash can roughly every two weeks,” she shared.”Now, we barely fill a bread bag each week.” This isn’t an isolated success story. Last year, families participating in the challenge collectively reduced their residual waste by an average of 20%, equating to approximately 23 kilograms less trash per household annually. Participants also successfully eliminated an average of five single-use items per person, per week.