Five Reasons the OLG is Committed to Keeping our Waterways Clean
Written By OLG
Keeping our waterways clean – this is a call to action Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) employees have been proudly answering for six consecutive years. And we did it again this past September; with our sleeves rolled up, we got down to the business of cleaning up shorelines across Ontario. After eight days, more than 350 OLG employees from our headquarters in Sault Ste. Marie and Corporate offices in Toronto, OLG distribution centres and 18 gaming sites across the province collected more than 2,700 pounds of garbage for WWF-Canada and Vancouver Aquarium’s Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. OLG entered into this partnership with WWF in 2009 as part of OLG’s enterprise-wide sustainability program, Bet on Green.
So, why do we keep participating in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup?
We turned to the real experts, our Bet on Green Team Leads from our gaming sites, for the answer to this question. Here’s what they had to say about why OLG employees are taking on the challenge of keeping Ontario waterways clean!
We do it because we feel a heightened sense of responsibility for the well-being of our waterways.
“Participating in these events is an eye opener and an education for all about the importance of respecting our waterways and the species that inhabit these areas.”
We do it because we care about future generations.
“Cleaning up the shoreline gives you a real sense of the natural beauty in these areas and a very clear understanding of the importance of ensuring we continue this practice so future generations can enjoy the waterways too!”
We do it because it brings our community together.
“I believe being involved in the cleanup opens dialogue among participants with their family and friends, and helps spread the word about what they witness, how it makes them feel, and the difference they make by taking part.”
“On a couple of occasions, people who were not part of our group joined in and helped out.”
“The cleanup seems to have raised awareness in the community about keeping our waterways clean. We feel that every year, less and less garbage is collected.”
We do it because it feels good.
“It is so fulfilling when pedestrians who are using the walking paths we clean stop by to say, ‘thank you,’ and express their gratitude to our team for caring about the environment and for taking on the cleanup.”
“What a great feeling it is when cars are driving by and honking, waving and shouting ‘Great job!’, showing their appreciation for what we are doing.”
We do it because it’s always fun.
“Staff who support this event are always very enthusiastic about cleaning up the area as the results are always obvious. They feel a great sense of accomplishment.”
“Our team enjoys lots of laughter while we are doing the cleanup. The jokes and funny comments keep us all entertained and amused while we clear away the litter.”
About OLG’s Bet on Green Program
OLG’s Bet on Green sustainability program aims to lessen the environmental impact of OLG’s operations, promote environmental awareness to employees, increase green awareness among customers and become a global leader in energy-efficient gaming.
To date, OLG employees have reduced their use of letter sized paper by over 8 million pieces, helping to save 1,900 trees. They have also reduced their workplace energy consumption by over 3.5 million kilowatt hours which is equivalent to taking 219 vehicles off the road.
At OLG, we recognize that our employees are an integral part of the transformation towards sustainability and are a proud partner of WWF’s Living Planet @ Work employee engagement program.
We believe our partnership with WWF, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup and Living Planet @ Work brings us closer to our goal of leading an environmentally friendly and responsible life at work and at home.
