Sydney Raison’s passion for recycling began when she was just a child. Her grandmother, who made recycling a household priority, ultimately influenced her master’s research years later.

Already environmentally minded when she completed her bachelor’s degree at UFV in geography and environmental science in 2017, Sydney worked in environmental consulting before joining the City of Prince George’s Environmental Services Department.

“The recycling in Prince George was very minimal compared to what I saw in the Fraser Valley,” says Sydney. “It was done biweekly, and participation was low.”

The gaps in Prince George’s recycling program gave Sydney a clear direction for her master’s research. She enrolled with the University of Northern BC, where she completed a Master of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies in 2022.

For her master’s research, she studied recycling behaviours in Chilliwack and through her research discovered that a lack of education was the biggest barrier to increasing awareness and participation.

“When people are describing why they don’t recycle, it’s because they misidentify where an item belongs (in the trash, recycling, or otherwise), or they don’t know,” Sydney explains.

Through her survey, she learned that convenience also played a big part in whether a person recycled.  Some items that can be recycled, for example, must be delivered to a recycling depot rather than being dropped curbside, which frequently leads to those items ending up in the trash.

Today, Sydney balances two roles: she manages waste policies for the City of Chilliwack’s Environmental Services department and teaches environmental science at UFV.

In her role with the city, she helps to shape waste management policy; in the classroom, she inspires the next generation of environmental advocates.

“I really like teaching,” says Sydney. “It’s bringing that knowledge and passion to the next generation, which I think is really cool.”

To Sydney, it’s the perfect crossover of education and industry. Allowing her to bring real-world experience into the classroom. She brings learning to life through field trips, taking students to processing facilities throughout the Fraser Valley. Her students have visited sites such as the Chilliwack landfill, a biogas processing facility, the composting facility in Abbotsford, and a wastewater treatment plant — allowing them to see, firsthand, how various types of waste are managed.

In the future, Sydney hopes to take students to the plastic processing facility in Delta, where recycled plastics are broken down into pellets for resale to manufacturers.

“It’s cool for the students to see where their waste goes because it’s more applicable for them,” says Sydney.

Many of Sydney’s students are already thinking about their global footprint, which is often why they end up in an environmental studies classroom. However, she has advice for anyone wanting to learn how to shrink their own impact.

“I think that the first thing would just be to keep track of your waste,” says Sydney. “Look at what waste you are producing. Reflect on what your current waste footprint is and adjust.”