After becoming homeless, Ryan Thomas had to weigh the few income-earning options available to those in his situation.

He always had an interest in environmental pursuits, spurred in part by Michael Jackson songs highlighting the ailing Earth, so deciding to start collecting refundable recyclables just clicked in his mind.

含羞草研究社淚t was a no brainer to pick it up,含羞草研究社� Thomas said.

He then jumped on the chance to join the upstart Diverters含羞草研究社� Foundation, a Victoria group that creates economic opportunities for recyclable collectors through a number of programs that ensure materials stay out of the landfill.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 life changing, I含羞草研究社檓 hoping it含羞草研究社檚 going to give me the opportunity to get sustainable income and do something for society that I含羞草研究社檓 proud of,含羞草研究社� Thomas 含羞草研究社� who has now been with the Diverters for several years 含羞草研究社� said at the University of Victoria含羞草研究社檚 library on Wednesday (March 27).

He was there for a roundtable discussion where the Diverters shared its waste-cutting initiatives and experiences with students and faculty members.

One of the foundation含羞草研究社檚 programs coordinates with business and residents to arrange scheduled bottle and can pick-ups. It含羞草研究社檚 seen results such as two residential buildings cutting their waste in half, but also aims to build relationships that reduce the stigma tied to diverting.

Jutta Gutberlet, a UVic geography professor who含羞草研究社檚 been with the Diverters含羞草研究社� board since its inception, has had the group含羞草研究社檚 members speak to her classes about their work, its environmental impact and how it supports collectors含羞草研究社� livelihoods.

One of her students teamed up with the group on its Coffee Cup Revolution, which raised awareness about the quantity of disposable coffee cups being used in B.C. and how they lack a refund system.

The Diverters campaigned against Victoria含羞草研究社檚 ultimately shelved fee for disposable cups as it said a 25-cent levy was too small to thwart customers from getting a cup and the money was just going back to shops. The society of 含羞草研究社渂inners含羞草研究社� has instead been advocating for a system mirroring their pilot initiative, where coffee cups would have a refund like cans or bottles so diverters can financially benefit, and ensure cups get recycled as intended.

Another of Gutberlet含羞草研究社檚 students is teaming with the group on a project where diverters would pick up perfectly good food that was set to be thrown out and take it to organizations who can distribute it to those in need.

含羞草研究社淭hey could be an important piece in transporting the food from one place to another where it含羞草研究社檚 needed,含羞草研究社� the UVic professor said.

Greater Victoria含羞草研究社檚 100 binners pales in comparison to countries like Brazil, where Gutberlet said such waste-sorting programs are much more widespread and up to 800,000 diverters there are keeping those recycling systems going.

含羞草研究社淲ithout them, there would be no recycling, so they are fundamental actors in the waste management system,含羞草研究社� she said.

In partnering with local events, the Diverters have provided recyclables sorting at Victoria含羞草研究社檚 Canada Day festivities and showed attendees of the annual Moss Street Paint-In how to properly dispose of their waste in the corresponding bins.

Those events also provided interaction and connection with the wider commnuity at a time Gutberlet said the stigma associated with diverting remains one of the largest barriers to the work. She hopes more events and festivals team up with the foundation so dialogue between binners and the public can flourish.

含羞草研究社淚t just just dignifies their life so much more because they are environmental stewards.含羞草研究社�

For Thomas, the Diverters gave him a career he loves and he hopes to segway into the restoration and salvation business by finding creative uses for scrapped material. During the hours he spends diverting every day, he sees tossed items that can be reused or are still working.

含羞草研究社淲e have a beautiful playground out there (in the environment) and we含羞草研究社檙e just throwing it all away,含羞草研究社� Thomas said.

含羞草研究社淚 want to find a way to do my part.含羞草研究社�

READ: