Noteworthy: Don’t miss out on having your say about a food-waste program

By Bruce Penton on January 15, 2025.

The City of Medicine Hat’s food waste management pilot project has been completed and now the city wants citizens’ input to determine the value of the plan and what to do next.

Around 4,000 homes were involved in the project from April through December. Those taking part were asked to place all their food waste into a green organics cart, keeping it separate from the ordinary trash can. Not disposing of food waste into the landfill, the city says, “will help preserve air space, in turn extending the life of the landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Why keep food out of the landfill? Says the city on its website: “When organic matter breaks down in a landfill, where it is compacted and starved of oxygen, it creates harmful gases such as methane which we all know has a detrimental effect on the environment.” By composting food waste, oxygen is added in the decomposition process, significantly reducing the amount of greenhouse gas produced.

Now that the pilot project has been completed, with generally favourable results, the city is asking citizens to complete an online survey on the topic. It can be found on the website shapeyourcity.medicinehat.ca/food-waste-pilot. Those filling out the survey will have their names entered into a draw for a $250 prepaid Visa gift card.

â€¢ We could be watching a local athlete on National Football League games on television next year if the cards fall properly for Hat native Elic Ayomanor, a wide receiver who starred at Stanford and recently declared himself eligible for the NFL draft in April.

Ayomanor was ranked No. 28 among all college prospects by Pro Football Focus (PFF), a highly respected operation that NFL general managers trust for its accuracy of information and rankings. The former Hat High student, who spent a year of high school in New Jersey, was the 2023 winner of the Jon Cornish trophy as the top Canadian player in the NCAA and holds the Stanford record for receiving yards in a game.

In grading Ayomanor, PFF says he has “the frame and willingness to be an effective blocker through the whistle.” They said he was “explosive,” possessed quick acceleration and a good top speed. Ayomanor “showcases high football IQ and awareness.”

Ayomanor in 2024 caught 63 passes for 831 yards and six touchdowns. One was a 60-yard completion.

If he truly is the 28th best prospect and is chosen No. 28, that will mean he’s a first-round pick in the 32-team NFL, and more than a few million dollars in his bank account.

The NFL draft will be held in Green Bay April 24-26.

â€¢ Business question: When a local service station is posting a regular, one-litre price of gas at $1.39.9 and a competitor directly across the street is at $1.44.9, what message is the public receiving from the $1.44.9 guy?

a) Our fuel is of higher quality, so if you want the best, pay a little more at our place.

b) Our fuel supplies are getting low and the truck is not due to show up until next week, so the fewer customers we get, the better.

c) Oops, forgot to change the sign this morning.

d) We refuse to play their silly little pricing games.

e) All this talk about inflation and higher prices is nothing more than media hysteria.

(A PS to the above: The $1.39.9 place bumped itself up to $1.42.9 a couple of days later and then the $1.44.9 location lowered its price to $1.39.9. A good old-fashioned gas price war was happening, but not in the sense of ‘how low can you go?’)

â€¢ Short snappers: Canadians apparently aren’t enamoured with any of their major party political leaders. A recent poll had Jagmeet Singh of the NDP the most popular (or the least unpopular) at 37 per cent, Pierre Poilievre of the Conservatives at 36 per cent and the departing Justin Trudeau of the Liberals in the mid-20s. But in a poll asking who would be the best prime minister, Poilievre is a runaway leader. … The Petro-Can station just north of the Medicine Hat Lodge has been demolished and replaced by a Taco Bell. Kind of coincidental that both places provided a good source of gas. … Had a brain cramp last week and called our Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA ‘Jason’ Wright instead of Justin, so apologies are in order. Hopefully that’s my quota of goofs for January. … Got $350,000 kicking around in your bottom drawer? If so, you could be a candidate for the Liberal Party leadership. …