October 16 to 22 is Waste Reduction week in Canada! Waste Reduction Week in Canada is a national environmental campaign that builds awareness around issues of sustainable living, responsible consumption, and the conservation of our natural resources. It’s not hard, nor expensive to live a sustainable lifestyle. Guided by the Sustainability Charter, The City of Surrey leads in sustainability and has created a 50- year vision for such a community. Our Surrey’s Sustainability Charter has eight overlapping themes such as:

 

  • Inclusion: A caring community that encourages a sense of belonging and access to opportunity for all Surrey residents to realize their full potential.
  • Built environment and neighbourhoods: A beautiful, accessible and well-connected city of distinct and complete neighbourhoods that are walkable, engaging and resilient.
  • Public Safety: A city in which all people live, work and play in a safe and engaging environment.
  • Economic Prosperity and Livelihoods: Continued prosperity and thriving livelihoods and a strong, equitable and diverse economy.
  • Ecosystems: Healthy, protected and well-maintained ecosystems and biodiversity.
  • Education and Culture: Access to diverse, high quality learning opportunities, and vibrant arts, heritage and cultural experiences for all Surrey residents.
  • Health and Wellness: A community in which all residents are healthy, active and connected.
  • Infrastructure: Effective infrastructure and services that meet the current and future needs of the city, while protecting the natural environment and supporting urban growth.

 

There’s a lot that you can do to enhance the Surrey Newton environment. Start with small changes. Supporting, buy, and share your locally. Surrey is home to over 475 farms, making it easy to have access to locally grown, fresh, healthy and affordable foods.

 

In honour of October as World Sustainability Month, let’s celebrate and show mother nature some love by focusing on making our cities and communities a sustainable living space. Focusing on the “3 R’s” – Reducing, reusing, and recycling helps to minimize the amount of waste in our landfills. We have compiled a list of shops and tips to help the city of Surrey and Newton become a more sustainable community!

 

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Shop locally at the Organic Grocer and Fruiticana to create a circular, sustainable economy
Organic Grocer is a proudly BC owned and Operated since 1993. Taking locally grown produce and health supplements to help reduce the harmful affects of global warming chemicals. Many of the pre- made or pre- packaged foods are organically produced, vegan non- GMO or gluten free to further help reduce the harmful affects on our environment.

 

Fruiticana, a household name in South Asian communities have been serving fresh fruits, vegetables, and spices at 17 locations across British Columbia and Alberta since 1994. Fruiticana promises to bring the freshness from the farm directly to their Fruiticana locations within 12-24 hours you to enjoy the best farm to table experience.

 

Buy bulk at Costco to reduce packaging waste
Buying in bulk can greatly reduce the amount of packaging and waste we use in our daily lives. It isn’t always the best solution, but small steps like these could greatly help reduce waste packaging! What better place to buy in bulk than at our local Costco? Getting items in bulk such as cleaning supplies (laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, etc.) personal items such as tooth brushes, office supplies, or even vitamins in large quantities will allow you to buy these products a less amount of times throughout the year, resulting in less packaging waste.

 

Buying Second Hand at Community Thrift Store and Salvation Army to Reduce Waste
Reduce and Reuse! Fast fashion clothing is one largest detriments to our environment. The making and dyeing of the clothes are polluting the earth and we are constantly putting money into pieces of clothing that will barely last! Buying second hand and re-using pre-loved items will greatly help reduce waste! Upcycling fashion items could save the earth and save yourself some money! Stop by our local thrift shops such as the Community Thrift Store or the Salvation Army to find yourself some hidden gems and to help a good cause.

 

Meatless Mondays at Madras Club House and Scott Hill Pizza
Animal farming and meat production is another major pollutant of our environment. Cutting out meat and dairy from your diet is no easy feat, but why make Meatless Mondays a habit! The concept of Meatless Mondays is to cut back on the amount of meat we consume one day a week to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental pollutants. Did you know that consuming a meat heavy diet could also lead to health issues such as heart disease and stroke? So help yourself and help the planet! Try out one of our local restaurants with a great selection of vegetarian dishes.

 

Palak Paneer Pizza? Yes Please. Scott Hill Pizza offers the best of both worlds, pizza as well as Indian cuisine. A large portion of their Indian cuisine menu is vegetarian, with options such as: Channa Masala, Chilli Paneer, and Veggie Manchurian.

 

Madras Club House offers Authentic Indian Food with an extremely extension list of vegetarian options! Stop by to try one of their many options for dosas or one of their vegetable curries to keep warm.

 

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Tips from the BIA

  • Use up all the food you buy
  • Keep it local!
  • Use reusable produce as well as grocery bags
  • Bring reusable containers for your take- out meals
  • Try out Meatless Mondays!
  • Make use of your compost and recycling bin
  • Be mindful of the waste you are producing

 

Check out this list for a list the city’s resources to make sustainable living a breeze!

 

For more information, check out the Waste Reduction Week in Canada website, or the City of Surrey’s database for more information on the city’s plans for a sustainable community.