As the saying goes, it’s better to aim high and miss than to aim low and hit.
While Clean Up Peterborough didn’t meet the ambitious goal for its month-long Writing Instrument Challenge in June of collecting 50,000 used writing instruments from across the city and county of Peterborough, it still collected an astonishing 26,772 of them — including pens, markers, highlighters, and mechanical pencils.
What’s more, according to the grassroots environmental initiative’s founder Steve Paul, the challenge raised awareness that plastic-based writing tools are too small and complex for standard municipal recycling systems and often end up in landfills.
“Our original target was 50,000, but the true goal was always to spark a wider conversation about waste diversion and community action,” says Paul, who organized the challenge, in a media release. “In just one month, we reached thousands of people, saw 92 collection points established, and inspired many partners to continue collecting year-round. That impact far exceeded our expectations.”
According to Paul, the 26,772 writing instruments filled 18 bags and one box, representing 158.11 kilograms of waste that will be diverted from landfills and instead recycled into new plastic products through TerraCycle’s specialized program.
The top three contributors during the challenge were Lakefield District Public School (collecting 3,542 items), the Douro-Dummer Municipal Office (collecting 1,314 items), and Peterborough’s Avant Garden Shop (collecting 1,138 items).
Lakefield District Public School’s top contribution reflects the fact that 42 schools participated in the challenge, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of all items collected. The challenge even extended beyond schools in Peterborough County, with some schools from the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board in neighbouring areas including Northumberland County and Cobourg also joining in.
Since joining TerraCycle’s program last October, Clean Up Peterborough has now collected a total of 28,805 used writing instruments for recycling. Paul is hoping that the success of the Writing Instrument Challenge will inspire others across the country to launch their own challenges, and he’s even offering to help.
“This isn’t the end — it’s a starting point,” Paul says. “I’m happy to collaborate with any community, school board, or organization across Canada that wants to take on a similar challenge. Imagine the collective impact if this became a national movement.”
Although the June challenge is over, Paul says many of the participating schools, businesses, and organizations have expressed interest in keeping their collections going year-round. He plans to update Clean Up Peterborough’s drop-off map for used writing instruments and continue offering resources for those who want to participate over the long term.
Paul also has a goal of expanding the initiative this September to include all schools in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board, as well as all licensed child care centres across Peterborough County.
“Clean Up Peterborough extends sincere thanks to everyone who made this challenge possible — from the hundreds of students, teachers, and families who collected writing instruments, to the local businesses and community organizations that hosted collection points,” the media release states.
“We are especially grateful to the City of Peterborough, Peterborough County, and the seven participating townships for their support in helping this initiative reach communities across the entire county. Thank you also to CBC Radio, kawarthaNOW, and Global Peterborough for helping spread the word, and to Erika Mark, a teacher at Kaawaate East City Public School, for her invaluable support in reaching fellow educators across the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.”
For more information about Clean Up Peterborough and for updates on upcoming initiatives and events, visit Clean Up Peterborough on Facebook and Instagram or email Steve Paul at cleanuppeterborough@gmail.com.
The original version of this story has been updated with thank yous from Clean Up Peterborough.
