Recycling is a growing trend, both worldwide and in Crowsnest Pass, and the Crowsnest Conservation Society is making it easier than ever with the release of a guide to what you can recycle locally –– which includes some items that may surprise you.
Jenice Smith, who developed the guide, says that the number one barrier to recycling is people not knowing what can be recycled and where it can be taken. She says that most people want to do their part by recycling, and this guide can help them do that more easily.
"When I was researching the project, I realized there's a lot of opportunity to recycle," says Smith. "Crowsnest Conservation had a lot of requests. How do we recycle properly in the community?"
Recycling not only helps reduce negative effects on the environment, it also keeps more items out of the local landfill, which extends the landfill's lifetime.
The guide lists local options for recycling newsprint, cardboard, paper, plastic, glass, and other standard containers, all of which can be brought to Pass Beverages. The guide then gets into further items that some people might not know can be recycled in the Pass, such as eyeglasses, medication, plastic bags, printer cartridges, and cell phones, all of which can be brought to certain local businesses and outlets.
The guide suggests recycling clean clothing and household goods by bringing them to Bagatelle or the Women's Resource Centre. It lists local options for recycling car batteries, antifreeze, used oil, paint, televisions, computers, propane tanks, tires, refrigerators, scrap metal, and vehicles.

Smith says that the guide took about half a year to complete, and that most residents should have received them already as part of their municipal utility bill in the mail. The guide comes with a magnet so that it can easily be attached to a fridge.
However, she says that anyone who missed out on the guide or would like one can pick the guide up at the municipal office in Coleman or at the Crowsnest Conservation office on main street Blairmore.
The back of the guide also contains a reminder on how to reduce and reuse, suggesting that consumers consider the amount of packaging on items they are buying, along with buying reusable items and fixing broken things instead of buying something new. "It's important to be an ecological consumer," says Smith.
The guide advises that people should only deliver items to businesses during their hours of operation.
The guide was launched at a recent Conservation Society event that included a viewing of a movie about the clean bin project. This movie is being shown by a group crossing Canada on bicycles. There were 45 people attending the event, which is a larger participation than was seen even in Nelson, B.C., a noted hotspot of eco-friendly activities.
Smith says that it was an entertaining movie, and that people can learn more about it online at www.Cleanbinmovie.com.
For any questions about the recycling guide, contact Crowsnest Conservation at 403-562-8923.