Pretty soon the snow will be melting, flowers will be blooming and the birds will be chirping. Spring is nearly here! While spring brings the promise of brighter days and many exciting activities, there is always that pesky task we like to call Spring Cleaning.
Not to worry though, The Green Initiatives Committee is here to help by sharing some green and sustainable spring-cleaning tips.
Did you know that it’s pretty easy to use some common household products to create natural cleaners? Ingredients as basic as vinegar and baking soda can do wonders around the house. You can even add in a few drops of your favorite essential oils to get that fresh clean scent in the air. Search up “natural cleaner” recipes online and you are sure to get endless options.
If you are not into making your own cleaners, consider purchasing green natural cleaners from your local shop (make sure to thoroughly read through the ingredients and packaging as green labels can be deceptive). Better yet – visit a local zero waste refill store to stock up and refill all those empty jars/containers you have sitting around. While visiting one of these stores, make sure to grab some sustainable and zero waste cleaning supplies as well! Ditch the single use paper towels or sponges.
Before tossing away unwanted goods, check out The City of Calgary for all their different recycling options. From your blue cart, to community recycling depots and even electronic recycling, there are many options. More details can be found at https://www.calgary.ca/categories/subcategory-recyclinginfo-grid.html
And if the City does not have a recycle option that suits your needs, check out other programs that might just be able to be a better option then throwing out. One company that comes to mind is Terra Cycle – https://www.terracycle.com/en-CA.
Once all that cleaning and organizing is done – you might just feel like your place needs a fresh look. Remember to keep sustainable buying in mind. Instead of going on a new shopping spree, think about shopping second hand or even arranging a swap with friends and family to change things up.
Last but not least keep an eye out for our community clean up event (Covid pending) this May! This clean up event will provide great opportunities to easily clean up and recycle all those big unwanted items. Details to be announced.
If you want to get involved and be a part of making Mount Pleasant a greener community, we would love to have you join the committee. Please email green@mpca.ca for more information or if you have any questions. As well please check out our Mount Pleasant Green Initiative Group on Facebook! You can find us on the Mount Pleasant Community Association page.
Happy Cleaning,
The MPCA Green Initiatives Committee
