What is a circular economy?
In our current system, we take materials from the Earth, make products from them, and eventually throw them away as waste – the process is linear.
In a circular economy, we stop waste being produced in the first place and nature is regenerated through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting.
The circular economy is based on three principles, driven by design:
How to participate in a more Circular Bow Valley
There are many ways to participate in a circular economy in the Bow Valley. Here are some examples:
SHARE
Biosphere Institute has a tool lending library including fruit pickers and energy efficient equipment.
Canmore Library of Things: Toys, games, puzzles, kits and more are available to rent through your Canmore Library membership.
Banff Library of Things: Free to all Banff and ID9 residents to borrow a variety of rarely-used, expensive, or hard-to-find items. Open M-F 10am-6pm, weekends 11-5, donations needed.
Banff Sports Equipment Lending Program: Available at the Fenlands for a variety of sports and activities for Banff residents.
REPAIR
The Outdoor Gear Doctor specializes in clothing and gear repair.
Kumpfy Shoes is the Bow Valley's only shoe repair service.
REUSE
Canmore Public Library hosts clothing swap-o-rama events! Check out their events page for details.
See ideas for places to reuse items here.
Curious to learn more? Explore the map below to find more examples of circular economy in the Bow Valley!
Banff’s First Share and Repair Fair
On Sunday, October 20, 2024, the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley and the Town of Banff hosted its first Share and Repair Fair. We convened sixteen local organizations and businesses across the Bow Valley, and over 200+ community member attended to share, connect and learn about how we can all contribute to a circular economy in Banff.
“It was so amazing meeting all the vendors and learning about the great work everyone does! Thank you for putting on such an amazing event.
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“I woke up feeling so bleh that morning and disconnected from my community. At the Share and Repair Fair, I felt re-connected with like-minded people and my community!”
HIGHLIGHT: Banff Borrows Reusable Cup Program
Banff is a National Park community looking to achieve a destination-coordinated approach to reusables. As a Banff resident or visitor, be a part of the solution by participating in our reusable cup program.
Waste is a big issue. Why start with cups?
Did you know…
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Did you know...
☕ Throughout the world, 1 million single-use coffee cups are sent to the landfill every minute?
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☕ In Canada, we discard over 1.5 billion disposable hot drink cups annually.
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☕ In Banff, a 2023 waste audit found 1,000+ coffee cups in the public waste bins within a two block radius of Banff Avenue in high season in one day!
A stainless steel Muuse reusable cup is high quality, sleek and totally free to borrow.
Be a part of the solution.
Banff is trialling a Reuse Platform called Muuse that manages the borrowing and returning of reusable cups. When you sign up your business, customers can borrow a reusable cup program by following these simple steps:
FAQs
Why isn’t compostable food ware the best option?
Municipal compost systems are designed to turn food scraps into usable, high-quality compost – NOT as a means to dispose of single-use take-away items. While fiber-based and plastic certified compostable food ware ARE accepted in both Banff and Canmore’s municipal waste streams, these materials do not add value to compost. Plastic compostable food ware simply breaks down into carbon dioxide and water in the composting process.
Another problem is when people put items in the wrong bins, this causes contamination, which can cause costly problems for waste operations. For instance, compostable plastic is commonly put into the recycling bin but it has to be pulled out on the sort line and thrown away as garbage.
Certified compostable food ware must have one of the two logos to be accepted in Banff and Canmore’s food waste bins. (Beware of materials labelled “biodegradable” or that do not have one of the two logos below - these items belong in the garbage.)
Learn more
To learn more, explore the following helpful resources:
Muuse - Muuse is like the library for reusable packaging - users can borrow items for up to 30 days and return to any participating location.
A Report on Banff’s Reusable Program (Habitus Collective): The purpose of this report is to share key learnings from research and engagements to support a shift towards reusable take-out cups in Banff. It is based on the understanding that any approach to implementing reusable take-out cups in Banff should be appropriate for scaling other single-use food items. Click below to read the full report:
Town of Banff Zero Waste Trail: Banff has a goal to eliminate all waste going to landfill by 2050. We look forward to seeing you on the Zero Waste Trail. Set your household or business waste loss goal for the year and become a Zero Waste Trailblazer! Click below to learn more.
The Reusies: The Reusies Community of the Year award honors community groups, coalitions, student groups, nonprofits, and NGOs working to make reuse a reality in their communities. In 2023, Town of Banff won an award alongside grassroots partners who developed a Single-Use Item Reduction Strategy & Bylaw. Banff aims to be a community where there are “no takeaway only businesses” which they see as a strong message to send to visitors from around the globe. Click below to read more.
Lead Tourism for Good: Together with the wider community, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism and the Town of Banff, in partnership with Parks Canada, have developed a 10-Year Vision for Tourism for the destination. The Vision serves as a guidepost as we collectively develop our approach to tourism in Banff National Park towards 2032 and beyond. The document itself addresses environmental sustainability, community wellbeing, cultural integrity, and economic prosperity. The Vision is intended to complement other long-range plans; such as the Parks Management Plan and municipal plans. Click below to learn more.