| | Avoid This: | Try This: | Plastic Shopping Bags
| Cloth or Canvas Bags | Plastic Sandwich Bags (Ziploc Bags) | Tupperware Containers | Plastic Wrap
| Beeswax Wraps | Disposal Cups And Bottles | Travel Mugs/ Stainless Steel Water Bottles | Plastic Straws | Metal or Silicone Straws | Styrofoam Take Out Containers | Bring Your Own Reusable Container | Paper Towel | Washable Cloth | Produce Bags | Mesh Bags | Paper Lunch Bags | Cloth Lunch Bag | Baking Parchment | Silicon Baking Mat | Dryer Sheet | Wool Dryer Ball | Tea Bags | Loose Leaf Tea | Paper Napkins
| Cloth Napkins
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| | | | | | Say no to Fast Fashion: Buy high quality clothing built to last
Choose to reuse: Buy second-hand items instead of new Look for sustainable shipping when buying online Shop local when you can
Buy only what you need! Ask yourself: Do I need this? How long will I use it for? Is it worth the environmental impact? Buy refillable products. Many health food stores have refill stations for products such as, shampoo, toothpaste, hair gel, cleaning products and body lotion. BYOB (Bring Your Own Bags!)
| | | Donate or Sell One person's trash is another person's treasure! Gently used items don’t need to be sent to the landfill and can be sold or donated instead. Use the Waste Wizard search tool to find local donation options.
Repair or Mend Look into having an item repaired when it stops working rather than buying new. Click here for a list of local repair shops.
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Rent or Borrow
Often you can rent or borrow items instead of buying new, especially things you may only use once or twice. The Lethbridge Library has a huge variety of books, dvds, cds and more!
Go Digital
Reduce the amount of paper products by trying E-books, E-newspapers, and E-magazines. You can also go electronic for bills and bank statements instead of receiving them in the mail. Click here to switch to City of Lethbridge e-Utility today.
Upcycle
Often things can be used for more than their original design. Upcycling or creative reuse can be a fun way to extend the life of a product and often can be in replace of buying something new.
| | | City of Lethbridge Recycling Programs 
The Curbside Recycling Program is for all your household plastic packages numbered #1-7, paper and cardboard, metal cans & foil and beverage containers.
The City's 3 Recycling Stations accept all regular curbside recyclables and also have special bins for bagged shredded paper, clear glass bottles & jars and soft film plastics.
The Waste & Recycling Centre has special collection areas for recycling things like Household Hazardous Waste, Paint, Electronics, Appliances, Scrap Metal and Appliances, and more!
Ever wonder what your recyclables will be turned into? Here are some examples:
Recyclable Material | New Product | Hard Plastic (such as Shampoo Bottles)
| Plastic Lumber (Picnic Tables, Benches), Recycled Polyester Fleece & Clothing | Metal Cans and Tinfoil
| Bike Parts or More Metal Cans | Paper | Newspaper or Toilet Paper | Cardboard | Egg Cartons, More Cardboard
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When we recycle, we are giving new life to old products. Remember that turning our recyclables into new products requires shipping and manufacturing; all this energy means a bigger carbon footprint. Before you recycle something, think about how you could reuse or repurpose it. Could you replace it with a reusable alternative instead?
| | | | | | The holiday season, celebrations and birthday parties bring traditions, family, fun and surprises, but often they also mean more waste is sent to the landfill. These events don't have to be so wasteful! These hints are from the "Create Memories Not Waste" Christmas campaign but can be applied to other celebrations.
Try fabric gift bags or fabric wrapping.
Gift experiences over things (like a leisure pass, movie ticket, concert, or sporting event)
Give a gift that supports protecting wildlife, natural areas, or other environmentally or socially beneficial programs.
City of Lethbridge Seasonal Programs
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