Waste disposal for residents without cars was a focus of the session, with attendees brainstorming ideas. Garbage-disposal carpooling, disposing of waste at work, increased composting, larger numbers of household garbage disposal units, educating newcomers and using a bus to access the two compactor sites were suggested.

Many suggestions focused on the convenience of taking garbage on the bus, either by adapting the bus to carry garbage hygienically, or by using a special garbage bus to take residents to compactors.

Garbage is currently not allowed on the bus, but some residents suggested people could carry it discretely, although there were concerns that garbage on the bus would damage Whistler Transit's image.

“We are pushing the community to ride the bus more, and we can't get people to take their garbage on the bus because it's a health hazard,” said Heather Beresford, the municipality's manager of environmental stewardship.

So far this year there have been 800 calls to report bear activity to Conservation Officers, with 185 responses — a much higher number than 2009 due to the poor berry harvest.