Increase in Curbside Swap participation during global pandemic

Reeti Meenakshi Rohilla - Staff Writer

The Sioux Lookout Municipal Environmental Committee is promoting its Curbside Swap initiative in the community. The latest Curbside Swap was this past weekend.
Joyce Timpson, a member of the Sioux Lookout Municipal Environment Committee said, “Overall it’s an environment protection strategy and also to show people they can actually benefit by good environment practices by saving money and extend the life of our landfill, which is a costly endeavor for the municipality.”
The initiative aims to spread environmental awareness and encourage people to reduce greenhouse gases and unnecessary waste, by reusing, refurbishing and recycling items. Undertaken in 2011, with an initial idea to establish a reused goods center, the environment committee created the Facebook page, SLKT-Curbside Swap.  Proposed by a member of the community, this Facebook Page enables individuals to efficiently connect and post details of reusable items they may have to offer.
Anne Saltel, also a member of the Sioux Lookout Municipal Environment Committee said that the Facebook Page has received an impressive response. “Before COVID-19, we were about 500 members and have increased to more than double recently, with almost 1300 members.” The curbside swap also serves as an activity within social bubbles over the weekend. Saltel added that people from the Northern communities also seem interested, and are requesting to join the group.