A local business is being recognized by the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (SWRC) for its commitment to a greener province.

Since setting up shop here in Moose Jaw, the Wandering Market has made it a policy to use reusable containers for their produce. Co-owner Nadine LeBean explains more. 

"So, people bring back their egg cartons, because for a farmer to buy a new carton it costs about $0.50. There are lots of jars that customers bring back. We also reuse a lot of boxes and crates that go back to producers as well as bags for things like onions and potatoes."

In addition to reusing shipping containers and composting, the market helps prolong the life of household items through their Repair Cafés. LeBean says the concept of a Repair Café is fairly simple. 

"The idea of a Repair Café is that a bunch of people get together and they bring in things that need fixing. The collection of people all have different skills and knowledge like sewing, or electronics, or woodworking. It's a great opportunity for people to get together in the community, get to know one another, and just fix stuff. There's been a lot of stuff that didn't end up in the landfill because it was a simple fix."

While the pandemic has put a hold on the gatherings for now, LeBean is excited to get them going once again, as soon as it is possible.

The SWRC says that the Wandering Market has gone above and beyond to reduce their own waste, and in doing so, are an inspiration to others.