Here are a few tips to help you reduce, repair, reuse, and recycle in Saskatchewan.
Reduce
1. Pause before you buy to avoid purchases you’ll later regret.
2. Get the most out of what you buy by checking for reliability and repairability.
3. Buy in bulk or buy products with less packaging.
4. Take advantage of or initiate a library of things that loans infrequently used objects at little or no charge (e.g. Library of Things YXE).
5. Take advantage of Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore (Regina, Saskatoon) to purchase used home furnishings and construction materials.
6. Obtain garden seeds from a seed library (Prince Albert, Saskatoon), at a Seedy Saturday event, or a garden exchange.
Advocacy
1. Write a letter to a manufacturer expressing your concern about the overpackaging of their products.
2. Let your local member of parliament know that you believe manufacturers should be held physically and financially responsible for collecting, processing, and repurposing their materials after they’ve been used by consumers (additional information).
Repair
1. Take advantage of local repair cafés when they are open (Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Swift Current). The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council has been offering virtual repair cafés during the Covid-19 pandemic.
2. iFixit provides step-by-step guides for fixing just about anything.
Advocacy
1. Push for right-to-repair legislation in Canada so that consumers can fix and modify their gadgets, appliances, and vehicles.
Reuse
1. Pass along your old stuff (e.g. phone, tablet). It might be out-of-date for you but perfectly fine for someone else.
2. Food banks and thrift stores will often accept used clothing, kitchenware, and household furnishings.
3. Hold a yard sale.
4. Take advantage of a Little Free Library near you.
4. Upcycle fabric and art supplies (e.g. Regina's Art Supply Exchange, Yorkton's Art and Craft Supplies Exchange, Saskatoon's Nefilibata Arts and Crafts).
Recycle
1. The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council maintains a database listing what can be recycled and where for communities in Saskatchewan.
2. Loraas provides a list of what can be recycled in Saskatoon. Here is what can be recycled in Lloydminster, Regina, and Swift Current.
3. London Drugs accepts items (e.g. batteries, light bulbs, ink cartridges) that have been purchased at their stores.
4. Staples accepts items such as ink and toner cartridges, rechargeable batteries, and electronics.
5. SARCAN operates recycling depots in a number of Saskatchewan communities and accepts beverage containers, electronics, household paint, and batteries.
6. BN Steel & Metals, Saskatoon, and TruGreen Metal Recycling, Regina, are two of the SK businesses recycling scrap metal.
Warning: Recycling information changes frequently. Check with local businesses for the most up-to-date information
Advocacy
1. Encourage your municipality to start or expand an organics recycling program.
Additional Resources
Waste Not yxe on Facebook
Waste Not yqr on Facebook
Green Living (SWRC blog)
January 14, 2021
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