Other Ways to Help
thINK FOOD
The thINK FOOD program is a venture that allows Hamiltonians to help the hungry in their community and help the environment simply by recycling their used ink jet cartridges.
Launched in Toronto in 2001, the project expanded through Ontario for community food banks that are members of the Ontario Association of Food Banks. It is currently in the process of expanding through Canada for the food banks that are members of the Canadian Association of Food Banks.
From Inkjet to Food
The idea for this project is simple: turn used inkjet and laser cartridges into food by providing used cartridges to the remanufacturing industry which in turn provides proceeds for Hamilton Food Share's Food Recovery Program. Over 7,500 children access a food bank every month. The funds ($3.00) raised from one inkjet cartridge can feed one child for three days.
Types of Cartridges Collected
You can collect any kind of inkjet cartridge for the thINK FOOD project. Inkjet cartridges are the computer printer cartridges that fit in the palm of your hand.
The other common type of printer cartridge is the laser or toner cartridge. These are the larger cartridges (about the size of a shoe box) that are found in laser printers, some fax machines and some photocopiers.
Collection Sites
There are both public and internal collection sites. The public drop off locations in Hamilton include:
- The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, 555 Bay Street North, Hamilton, ON
- City Hall, 71 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON
- Ancaster Municipal Service Centre, 300 Wilson St. East, Hamilton, ON
- Dundas Municipal Service Centre, 60 Main St., Dundas, ON
- Flamborough Municipal Centre, 163 Dundas St. East, Hwy 5, Waterdown, ON
- Glanbrook Municipal Service Centre, 4280 Binbrook Road, Binbrook, ON
- Stoney Creek Municipal Centre, Stoney Creek, ON
- Waterdown Municipal Centre, Waterdown, ON
- Hamilton Community Net, 55 York Blvd. - 1st floor, Central Library, Hamilton, ON
- Olivet United Church, 40 Empress Ave., Hamilton, ON
The internal collection sites are a vast array of businesses and organizations that are interested in recycling their own cartridges but are not a drop off location for the general public.
To find out how you can get your organization participating in thINK-FOOD you can visit the website at www.think-food.com or call 1-888-271-3641.
Each year approximately 30 million cartridges are used in Canada and only 5% are currently being recycled.
For more information contact:
Hamilton Food Share
Rachel D.B. O'Reilly
Resource / Development Director
339 Barton Street
Stoney Creek, ON L8E 2L2
Tel: (905) 664-9065
Fax: (905) 664-2108
