Good Choice Initiative

As a new snowstorm is upon us, the thought of settling down into a coffee shop for a warm beverage to escape the cold can be comforting. Over the last few weeks, I have been exploring several coffee places across the city, with a particular interest in their 'bring your own mug/cup' policy (for research, you know). Below is the list of all the places that I found accept customers bringing their own, some of which even provide a discount or incentive for doing so. Not only can you feel good about bringing your own mug instead of using a takeaway for your coffee, but you can be rewarded for your efforts to be more sustainable! Read on to find out which coffee places recognize consumers that do their part for the environment... 1. Bridgehead Several locations across Ottawa. One of the original local coffee shops that serves Fairtrade coffee, they accept any mug (travel or ceramic) and give a $0.27 discount per drink purchase. I love this place because they serve delici...

Ever wondered how to turn your food waste away from landfills and into healthy soil for your houseplants and/or garden? Look no further. This week, Good Choice Initiative met with Akil, Founder of The Box of Life , who explains the benefits of using vermicomposting in your home. What is vermicomposting and who is The Box of Life? We've all been there...a smelly or leaky garbage bin, that sometimes attracts flies, that your cat often knocks over, and that you have to take out to the kerb at -20 C in the winter, when you'd rather be doing anything else. This is how Akil, Founder of The Box of Life, felt a few years ago when he first started composting at home. He then decided to design a system for homes and businesses to help them transition towards zero waste while building healthy soil from their food waste. Akil admits that the reason he started composting was because he felt guilty that he couldn't compost, since where he was living in the U.S. didn't have ...