reTHINK Blog

The reFRESH Cowichan Food Recovery Program hit a significant milestone at the end of 2022: Since its inception in 2018, the program had recovered over 1 MILLION pounds of food!Having created an intricate closed loop distribution system, the program not only reduces...

Earth Day serves as an important reminder to appreciate the natural world and all of its gifts and abundance. Beyond that, it’s a reminder of the responsibility we have as stewards of the earth. Appreciating the beauty of the planet is a powerful feeling, especially...

Reducing the amount of waste used is a great way to lessen your negative environmental impact. As people in the world grow increasingly environmentally-conscious, sustainability and zero-waste initiatives have become quite popular, with trendy zero-waste stores and...

Grocery store shoppers have long debated whether paper or plastic is better for the environment, and it’s widely been accepted that paper is the more eco-friendly option, as trees are a renewable resource. However, it turns out it’s not quite that simple! The problem...

In Canada, a lot of perfectly good food gets thrown away. One of the major reasons for this is the ‘best-before’ dates that are written on food labels. It’s a common misconception that these dates mean that the food is spoiled or unsafe to eat. However, this generally...

This Valentine’s Day, show some love for the Earth!  Each year, around one billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent, making it the second biggest card-exchanging holiday, after Christmas. Most of these cards are not recyclable, as they’re often covered in glitter or...

Canada has a major food waste problem. A 2019 report by Second Harvest, a Toronto-based food rescue charity found that a whopping 58% of all food produced in Canada is lost or wasted each year. Meanwhile, 1 in 8 Canadian households experience food insecurity, meaning...

Most of the food that we buy comes in packages – especially processed food. When you look around the grocery store, it’s hard to find items that don’t come wrapped in plastic. While this is largely for convenience and sanitation purposes, it’s having a devastating...

The beginning of the new year is always a great time for reflection and goal setting. At reFRESH Marketplace and Cowichan Green Community, we encourage you to strive for a greener 2022 by mindfully working to reduce your environmental footprint. We also know saving...