Before any bigger purchase ask your self “how often am I really going to use this table saw, wheelbarrow or folding table?” If the answer is “not a lot”, consider borrowing instead. Especially if you are great at making thank-you cookies.

BORROW – Start by reaching out to see if anyone else already has what you need by checking in with the neighbour, Whistler’s Tool Lending Library, Pemberton Tool Library or with Facebook groups such as Free Whistler or Borrow a Dress in the Sea to Sky.

RENT -If your search turns up empty, consider renting items from a local shop such as Sabre Rentals. Rental companies in town supply everything such as power tools to wedding bells.

BUY – If borrowing simply won’t cut it, and buying is the only way to go, start your search in one of Whistler’s second-hand stores, including the Re-Build-It Centre and the Re-Use-It Centre. or Facebook pages such as Whistler Buy and Sell.

No matter how environmentally responsible a company is, the manufacturing process involved in creating a new product still uses natural resources and emits pollutants. So opt for lightly-loved instead of brand new. Follow these tips to reduce your consumption, save money and watch your carbon footprint shrink.

“As people’s access to the internet grows we’re seeing the sharing economy boom – I think our obsession with ownership is at a tipping point and the sharing economy is part of the antidote for that.”

– Richard Branson

Do you have any other great resources to share? Post in the comments below.

Photos by Andi Wardop, and Lauren Fleischmann and Alexandru G. STAVRICĂ on Unsplash