The No Wasted Words Writing Contest is having some amazing changes this year!

For 2026, Raven ReCentre’s Zero Waste team and Yukon Conservation Society are both partnering up with Association Franco-Yukonnaise to host the competition! This means we will now accept French Submissions and have a French version of the competition (Pas de Mots Gaspillés)! Additionally, we’ve expanded our age groups for the categories (see below) so that more people can enter and win.

Submit a short work of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry with a zero waste or conservation theme and get the chance to share your work at our Earth Day event and win a prize!

Submission Deadline: Monday, March 29th, 2026 at midnight.

Age Categories: Junior (10 years old and under), Senior (11 years old to 18 years old) & Adult (19 years old and over)

Accepted Themes: Zero Waste, Sustainability, or Nature Conservation.

Word Limit: 1,000 words
Submissions over the word limit will not be considered.

Format: typed or legible printing (no cursive).

Please include in Submission: Name, Age Category (Youth or Adult), Phone Number, Email Address, Word Count, Community of Residence.

Electronic Submission to: zwassistant@ravenrecentre.org. (Please put Earth Month Writing Contest in the subject line)

OR

Hard-Copy Submission Drop-Off Locations: 

• Yukon Conservation Society Office (302 Hawkins St.) 

• Raven ReCentre (100 Galena Rd.)

Submit and you could win a prize!*

A selection of submissions will get the opportunity to share their work at our Earth Month event at chosen venue (to be announced!), 6:30pm on Tuesday, April 22nd! Read your work in front of a live audience. A selection of submissions will also be published in Raven ReCentre’s Newsletter, Yukon Conservation Society’s Tread Lightly e-newsletter and blog.

*Please note that while employees and board members of Raven, YCS and AFY are welcome to submit and read their work at our awards event, they are not eligible to receive prizes.