By Regional Recycling

5 easy ways to help your community by recycling

Nov 27, 2018 | 9:44 AM

NANAIMO — We’ve all heard it and seen it: British Columbia, and the rest of the world for that matter, is dealing with a big crisis in the form of marine plastic pollution.

But now, you can help in a big way by simply recycling and cashing in your empties or by donating your deposit beverage containers with the Empties 4 Food program through Regional Recycling.

This simple task will help ensure more of Nanaimo has access to healthy, nutritious food.

All you have to do is follow these five easy steps and 100 per cent of the proceeds from your empties will go to benefit the Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank.

Here’s how you can do your part to help your community and the environment:

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1. Find the Empties 4 Food recycling bin nearest you

With 20 bins throughout Nanaimo, Lantzville, Cedar, and Cassidy, you’ll be sure to find something close by. Here’s a handy map and index so you can pick the closest bin to you.

1. Nanaimo and Area Landfill: 1105 Cedar Rd
2. Real Canadian Superstore: 6435 Metral Dr
3. Triple T Party Rentals: 3251 Shenton Rd
4. 7-Eleven: 477 Terminal Ave N. (Located around the back near the dumpsters)
5. 7-Eleven: 6201 Blueback Rd
6. 7-Eleven: 2875 Departure Bay Rd
7. Delicado’s Restaurant (Downtown): 358 Wesley St
8. VIU North AND South Student Residences: 4 University Cres
9. Loaves and Fishes Warehouse: 210 Fry St
10. Neighbourhood Church: 4951 Rutherford Rd
11. Maranatha Foursquare Gospel Church: 6553 Portsmouth Rd (Located in the back parking lot)
12. Christ Community Church: 2221 Bowen Rd
13. Oceanside Church: 2304 Jingle Pot Rd
14. Saint Philips Anglican Church: 1797 Cedar Rd
15. Alliance Church: 1609 Meredith Rd
16. Hammond Bay Baptist Church: 4960 Hammond Bay Rd
17. Generations Church: 1300 Princess Royal Ave
18. Milner Group PCWM Recycling Facility: 4299 Biggs Rd
19. Lantzville: 7187 Lantzville Rd
20. Cassidy Farm Market and Deli: 3251 Island Hwy, Cassidy

2. Pack your deposit beverage containers in a clear bag (deposit glass included)

Seriously, that’s it. Pack up your bottles & cans, load them in your vehicle and drive to your nearest location. You won’t have to sort anything, just bag it up.

3. Drop it off

Bin locations always have plenty of space for you to park and do the drop-off. Just grab the bag, put it in the bin, and you’re done. I know you keep waiting for a catch, but that’s it!

4. Pat yourself on the back

Thanks to you, 100 per cent of all proceeds from your empties are going to the Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank.

For every single dollar they collect through deposit refunds, they provide $5.98 worth of food to those who need it most.

But that’s not the only way you are helping Nanaimo!

Did you know that when you put your empties in your curbside recycling, the recycling gets shipped to the Lower Mainland, and all the deposit refunds stay on the mainland?

When you recycle through the Empties 4 Food bins, your empties will be heading to Regional Recycling, a locally owned business here in Nanaimo therefore creating local employment and keeping the deposit refunds within our community.

Of course, you’re also helping the environment by keeping those empties from ending up in landfills and the waterways.

So truly, you deserve three pats on the back!

5. Set a reminder!

It’s so easy, it’s so fast, and it helps the community and the environment.  Set a reminder on your phone, calendar, day-timer or whatever you use and make a habit of recycling and helping your community one empty at a time.

Learn more about how you can make an impact with the Empties 4 Food program and get more handy recycling tips by visiting Regional Recycling’s website here: