Banff Isn’t Disposable Pilot Project
Banff Isn’t Disposable (BID) was a pilot reusable container program that was created in order to address a specific issue written in Banff’s Environmental Master Plan: “how might we eliminate single-use items and plastics from the townsite?” Spearheaded by University of Waterloo student Luna Kawano, the goal of the program was to reduce the amount of single-use container waste and to validate a reusable container scheme for Banff in the long run.
With support from the university and Town of Banff, as well as from locals and 8 Banff businesses, over 500 takeout containers were diverted from landfill through reuse in summer 2021.
Beyond the Pilot - Community Engagement
In summer 2022, the Biosphere Institute took on the project to research ways to scale the program across the Bow Valley. Our volunteers and staff engaged with residents at the Banff Farmer’s Market in summer and fall 2022 to promote the program.
On January 16, 2023, Biosphere Institute held a workshop in partnership with the Town of Banff and with support from Banff Lake Louise Hospitality Association and Banff Lake Louise Tourism at the Moose Hotel in Banff. After 5 short presentations, 46 people representing 30 businesses participated in focus groups. View our “What We Heard” document by clicking the button below.
Participants watch a presentation at the 2023 Commercial Insights session.
Share, Repair, Reuse
There is a growing culture of sharing, repairing and reusing in the Bow Valley. The is a fantastic way to save money, connect with others and help the environment. Here are a few resources to help you get started:
On April 17th 2023 Melissa Tomaszewski gave a presentation titled “Why we should talk more about garbage” at Biosphere’s Earth Talks. Her slides provide some amazing insights into where our clothes end up, and how we can keep more clothing out of landfill. She also provided a handout with some easy tips to reduce the impact your clothing choices have on the environment.
This project is supported by the Town of Banff Community Grant: