05 Sep

One of the biggest challenges we are facing these days is supporting our youth as they step into adulthood and become the next caretakers of this precious planet. Many of our teens are struggling with the blues and anxieties about the state of the environment and their future. Young people need our help to make sense of it, and to show them what can be done at home and out in our communities. I believe the act of recycling holds the key to solving much of what ails us here. Let me explain. So much more can now be diverted from our landfills. At least 80% of our garbage can be recycled, repurposed or composted. For those of us living on Vancouver Island, our Island Return It Centres take much of what isn't picked up at our curbs. Sweet. By expanding our home recycling systems to accommodate these newer items (such as...

09:51 / Recycling with the Whole Family
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22 Jul

We like to keep things light and fun here at Island Return It, giving you tips and tricks for recycling with ease. We love all things recycling, and want to share our passion with you for the good of our planet.  Today however, we'd like to look at why we do what we do, and explore some of the benefits of recycling including some of the consequences of taking the earth for granted. Don’t worry, I promise this will still be light and fun...

04:14 / Recycle Me
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05 Jul

Bottle Drives: A Great Way to Raise Money While Learning About Recycling. At Island Return It, we host dozens of bottle drives every year, with Duncan being the busiest branch averaging 2-3 per week during the peak summer season. Schools and sports teams raise money for gear and trips; charities get out into the community to raise funds and boost awareness; and individuals band together to help someone in need. Running a bottle drive is easy, and the staff at Island Return It are here to support you, especially if it's your first time. Start by picking up our Bottle Drive Guide (at the Duncan branch) and reading it over. Then schedule your fundraiser well in advance, to make sure you get the day you want. There are 3 ways you can hold a bottle drive: 1. Go out into the community and collect (the most effective) 2. Post a collection site and people bring...

07:04 / Community / Local
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05 Apr

This Earth Day, many of you are looking to strengthen what you can do to protect and preserve this planet. Here at Island Return It, we are proud to be a great resource for those of you looking to dramatically lessen what you put in your garbage. We have been around since 1995, and have regularly added to our roster of what we take back to be recycled and repurposed. That’s a bonus for those of you living on Vancouver Island. It will feel good to be utilizing the programs that are doing good work to responsibly recycle and reuse raw materials, that would otherwise end up in the landfill and our oceans. It’s worth mentioning that all items (bottles, cans, batteries, lightbulbs and ink cartridges, etc) can be returned at no cost, which isn’t always the case in other communities; and you get paid to recycle bottles, aluminum cans...

11:38 / Recycle Me
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11 Mar

A good spring cleaning for most of us means deeply scrubbing out our homes, after spending so much time indoors throughout the winter. As we prepare for spring, it just feels right to scour the house from top to bottom. For many of us though, clutter build up gets in the way of doing a good thorough cleanse, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and defeated before we’ve even started. Often, clutter needs to be addressed before we can clean properly. Luckily, so many unused and outdated items can be donated and recycled nowadays, and at Island Return It, we are here to help. Let’s break it down by room: The Bedroom: Washing the curtains and wiping down all surfaces feels great in a bedroom ready to embrace spring. Sifting through our clothing and putting away papers and random items that have built up, are all good starting steps. While sorting, make sure to...

18:37 / Recycling with the Whole Family
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