Top 6 Ways to Give Back with Your Returns

Sipping, Sorting, and Summer Cleanups

Summer in Calgary is all about sunshine, patios, and that refreshing clink of bottles after a beautiful backyard hangout. However, once the sipping stops, what happens next? 

Instead of letting all your empties pile up in a corner, why not turn them into something good for your community? That’s where we come in, helping you give back while you clean up. Here are five easy and rewarding ways to make your returns count this summer:

1. Donate to Local Charities – Use your refund to support causes you care about. We partner with several Calgary-based organizations—just let us know where you’d like your refund to go!
2. Host a Bottle Drive – Planning a summer BBQ or block party? Turn it into a mini fundraiser. Gather bottles and cans from friends and neighbours, then bring them to us. It’s a simple way to raise funds for schools, teams, or local shelters.
3. Teach the Kids – Get the little ones involved in sorting and returning bottles, it’s a hands-on way to teach recycling, responsibility, and giving back.
4. Support Community Cleanups – Join or start a neighbourhood cleanup and collect stray bottles along the way. It’s a win for the environment and your refund jar.
5. Save for a Shared Goal – Turn group returns into something bigger, like funding a community garden, sponsoring a family in need, or adding new books to a school library.
6. Reward Volunteers – Use your refund to treat cleanup volunteers to coffee or ice cream, it’s a sweet thank-you for their time and effort.

This summer, sip guilt-free, sort with pride, and know that even small efforts can make a big impact. Bring your returns to us and we’ll help you make all your cleanup efforts count for more than just pocket change. Every bottle makes a difference, trust us, it’s our job to know!