GREEN FERNIE
With the climate changing right before our eyes, visitors and locals alike are thinking of ways to travel and live more sustainably. Whether you’re a full on eco-warrior or just like to know that communities are doing their best to be eco-friendly, you’ll be happy to know that Fernie has a plethora of green initiatives throughout town to keep this mountain paradise as natural as possible. Just this year, Fernie instituted a brand new recycling program that complements the existing door to door pickup program. Residents and visitors alike will notice yellow recycling bins placed throughout town as well as blue bins in every driveway. On top of that, the Fernie Transfer Station implemented a further reaching recycling system that accepts 76 additional types of items that the yellow bins do not. The recycling depot is a great place to get rid of all of your recyclable waste, including items like styrofoam, glass, plastic bags and plastic wraps. The transfer station also has a Reuse-It centre that allows residents to drop off items they no longer need and pick up new ones. If an item isn’t accepted at the transfer station, chances are it can be dropped off at the Bottle Depot, which on top of accepting bottle returns, also recycles a variety of electronic devices.
12 Summer 2020 - Thefreepress.ca
The idea of reusing and recycling isn’t unique to waste though. Fernie has several thrift and consignment stores that give shoppers a sustainable approach to fashion. Since the fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to climate change, having secondhand options in town is a huge plus for the planet and for the pocketbook. Check out the Salvation Army Thrift Store located on Second Avenue, for a great selection of lightly used items. Gear Hub also has a consignment section, allowing people to pick up high quality used gear at a reasonable price. If buying secondhand isn’t really your thing, fear not. There are several stores in town that offer eco-conscious brands and products that are brand new. Edge of the World carries the Tentree brand, which uses eco-friendly materials and plants 10 trees for every purchased item. The Green Petal carries a huge selection of eco products ranging from reusable bags to metal straws and lunch kits. Freyja stocks several Canadian brands in their boutique made by manufacturers that are committed to sustainable business practices so you can
