App helps people ‘make memories, not garbage’
A new Metro Vancouver app will do your Christmas shopping for you.
Well, not really, but the regional government’s Merry Memory Maker app is bursting with dozens of creative ideas that could prevent you from wandering the malls in search of something special. The ideas for experienced-based or long-lasting gifts are designed to reduce waste and garbage.
“Christmas is a busy time, and many of us tend to make a to-do list and get it done. We don’t always take the time to think about finding a gift that lasts more than a few weeks,” Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore said Saturday at the Hyde Creek Recreation Centre, where he was trying out several programs and activities that could make good gifts.
For the past 10 years, Metro Vancouver has run a campaign encouraging people to “make memories, not garbage” over the holidays. Year after year, municipalities have recorded a six per cent reduction in garbage tonnage in January.
The new app and website include dozens of truly thoughtful gift ideas and experiences, as well as tips on wrapping, feasting and decorating without unnecessary waste.
Cast-iron cookware, camping equipment and a good quality safety razor feature prominently on the gift list, as do experiences such as cooking a meal for friends, making a cookbook of favourite recipes or taking up a new hobby.
Parents are encouraged to create a GPS treasure hunt for their kids, while book-lovers are prompted to pass along an old favourite to a friend rather than buying another copy.
The app also features a handy option to search by price range.
In the $0 to $15 range, it suggests gifts such as a reusable water bottle, pet-sitting for a pal’s animal or organizing a family bowling night. On the other end of the scale, in the gifts above $250 category, it recommends skydiving, a hammock or artwork. A variety of other high-quality, long-lasting gifts and enjoyable experiences round out the other price categories.