Becoming a zero waste building takes many big and small efforts that add up over time. An action plan can help focus your efforts and resources on just one or two things at a time to move quickly and build momentum.
Use TEA’s Zero Waste High-Rise Action Plan tool to develop a plan that outlines your goals, timelines, action steps, and provides clarity for your whole team.
What gap or opportunity do you want to address?
To create your action plan, you'll need to decide what gap or opportunity you want to address first. The Zero Waste High-Rise Project's online pathway includes tools to identify barriers and opportunities in Stage Two - Finding Opportunities. Complete the Waste Collection Assessment and Community Strengths forms to document what gaps currently exist. Review the barriers and opportunities you outlined in those forms (a copy of your answers is emailed to you on completion).
Where to start?
You may want to consider what issue is most important to you, or that you can tackle within your timeline, or with your current team. You can also think about simple or urgent things you can do now that will build support among staff and residents for bigger projects in the long term.
After outlining the gaps and barriers, and where you want to start, the Action Plan form will guide you identify solutions and plan your next steps.
- Current Situation - Describe the situation in your building - how does it look or function now? What is it about the current gap that leads to waste? What isn't working?
- Future Situation - Describe what you want to see in your building - imagine that you've found a solution to this problem. What does it look like now? How is it leading to zero waste?
- Action Steps - What steps are needed to move from your current situation to the future you want to see? Think about the steps that you or others need to take. This section can be as detailed or simple as you need to help you move forward.
- Project Team - Who needs to be involved in making your plan successful? Working as a team can help move things much faster! Think about building staff and residents who need to, or can be, a part of this project.
- Timeline - Are there any deadlines, or major milestones for certain steps in the project?
- Track Progress - What results can show that you are making progress in implementing your action plan? How will you measure the impact of the project when it's complete? Think about your goals and what you can easily measure.
- Communication Plan - What do residents need to know about the project - e.g. Is communication central to the action steps? Or do residents only need to know at the start or completion of the project? What communication methods will you use? How will you share the impact and positive results?
See these Sample Action Plans for ideas and inspiration on how to complete the form:
TEA’s Action Plan form in the Zero Waste High-Rise Project pathway will guide your team in making a plan to get to zero waste for your building.
Find it here: https://www.torontoenvironment.org/taking_action_action_plan