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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle — And “Listen to BTS!”
Hind Lawrence is passionate about K-pop stars BTS, paddling and the planet.
The ReCollect Waste Reduction and Recycling Specialist spends her days pressed to the pulse of the waste and recycling industry so she can “see where ReCollect can be helpful for municipalities, cities or waste haulers,” she says.
It’s hard to believe that her career in recycling and waste management began as a sort of fluke.
“I got into waste management by coincidence,” Hind says.
While attending Seneca College in Toronto, Hind focused on project management. One day, two speakers visited — including one who had interned at a private waste management company. She googled the company to learn more, and ended up interning there for three months.
“I started learning about waste management and that there’s so much to improve and so much to work on,” Hind says.
“I was like, maybe this could be my career path.”
Then, her internship with Niagara Region sealed the deal.
“I loved that internship,” she says. “OK, I’m sticking with waste management.”
Hind first learned about ReCollect while interning with Niagara. In 2019, a coworker told her about a job opening where a previous Niagara Region intern, Kelly Millman, worked. Hind was still under contract, but she reached out to Kelly, a Customer Success Manager at ReCollect, to learn more about the company. Kelly sang ReCollect’s praises, and Hind filed away that information until 2021, when she was job searching and found an opening at the company.
At the time, Hind was more concerned about the work she would be doing rather than the company she would be working for. She knew ReCollect was big into waste management and the environment, but she didn’t know a whole lot about the tools it offered.
“For me, as long as (a potential position) was environmental, waste management, trying to help the world reduce waste — I was all for it,” she says.
She saw that a former coworker had also interned at ReCollect, and had nothing but great things to say about the company. “(I) trusted that this place was a good place to go for, and so I didn’t have any hesitation.”
And since September 2021, she’s been an integral part of the team.
As she carries out her day-to-day tasks, her path continues to cross with several fellow former interns who now work for a variety of area municipalities as they download ReCollect’s Fact Sheet in search of digital solutions for solid waste and recycling programs.
In addition to her role in caring for the planet, Hind’s favorite part about her job is her team. ReCollect is full of “great people,” she says. Everyone is so down-to-earth.
When she isn’t hard at work, you can probably find Hind working out at the gym, or out on the water, paddling a dragon boat with her teammates.
6 Fast Facts about Hind
What is your favorite music? K-pop and BTS!
If you were hot sauce, what level would you rate yourself from a 1-10, and why? Spicy? I don’t think I’m spicy. … But I could be spicy? I’ll say 10 — just ‘cause.
What gets you through a hard day? Knowing that I’m going to be at the gym later or at practice with my teammates. I think that gets me through it. And then just talking to friends. … Oh, and BTS music!
If you had superpowers, what would they be? Teleportation or super strength. Teleportation, right? It just saves time, and then I get to travel anywhere and go wherever I want and just come back in, like, a second.
I think people on Planet Earth should: Be nicer.
The world could do without: Stuff. There’s so much stuff in the world (including packaging and bags). It’s a lot of unnecessary waste.♻️