In September 2021, Green Pages awarded La Boite à Grains an eco-responsible distinction for the year 2021-2022. Our four stores have achieved an eco-responsible rating of 73%, in recognition of all the actions we have taken to reduce our company's ecological footprint.

This includes all our initiatives in terms of local purchasing, recycling, composting, community actions... but also, of course, the promotion of organic, GMO-free and biodegradable products.

Proud of this distinction, our team intends to redouble its efforts to improve our score in 2022-2023.

Several initiatives have been taken in recent years to limit our ecological impact. We are continuing in this direction, and would like to announce the end of paper distribution for our Flyer from January 2021. This represents a saving of around 10,000 kg of paper every year (or 132 trees saved)!

Don't panic, it will be very easy to consult ourFlyer and follow our promotions. Just visit our website www.laboiteagrains.com/Flyer and thanks to the Reebee application, you'll have access at all times to the digital version of our Flyer.

2020

ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS AT THE SAINT-JOSEPH STORE

During the summer of 2020, renovation work was carried out at our Saint-Joseph Boulevard branch on the facade, roof and electrical network, among other things. These improvements will help reduce the building's ecological footprint.

• Replacement of old lighting fixtures with energy-efficient ones.
• Redesign of the exterior facade using eco-responsible materials (local wherever possible) offering improved energy efficiency.
• Updating our mobile library to protect it from breakage and the elements.
• Improvements to the heating and air-conditioning system for better energy efficiency.
• Reuse/recycle old materials wherever possible.
• E.g. Reuse of lighting fixtures in partnership with 3R Québec.

2019

ELIMINATION OF SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAGS

To reduce our environmental footprint and encourage a healthy lifestyle, La Boite à Grains is committed to phasing out plastic, starting with single-use plastic bags.

We give a second life to our cardboard boxes for packaging your purchases: approximately 586,000 boxes are reused in this way before being recycled!

Since the 1st^st January 2019, La Boite à Grains no longer offers single-use plastic bags.

From 1^st July 2018 to December 31, 2018, in order to make a gradual transition in our customers' shopping habits, we continued to offer plastic bags at a cost of $0.25 instead of $0.05.

The profit generated by the sale of these bags was donated to the association Enviro Éduc-ActionEnviro Éduc-Action, a local organization whose mission is to promote eco-citizenship in order to contribute to the health of the environment and the citizens of the Outaouais region. More specifically, this benefit will enable Enviro Éduc-Action to provide sweaters for volunteers and other team members.

Plastic bag ban

In Canada, 18 cities have so far banned plastic bags. Since the beginning of 2018, a dozen Canadian cities have joined the movement. Notably Montreal, which has been making a lot of noise about the issue. Indeed, the city has taken the ban a step further given that even biodegradable bags are banned. The use of these bags is just as problematic.

«These bags are made from plastic and starch. The starch gets eaten, but all the little bits of plastic stay around for 400 years..»

To cite another example, there's Portland, in the northwest of the United States, whose ban has reduced the quantity of bags by over 300% and increased the use of paper bags by almost 500%.

On the other hand, other cities such as Gatineau and Vancouver are only considering it for the time being.

Why ban single-use plastic bags?

Perhaps we could have chosen an alternative to plastic bags, replacing them with something that's supposedly "less bad" for the environment. However, half-measures are not part of our approach. Therefore, we chose to ban in the hope of setting an example for our citizens and having a greater impact.

Which plastic bags are disposed of at La Boite à Grains?

Plastic bags with a thickness of less than 50 microns, i.e. traditional shopping bags, are eliminated.

Bags that degrade under heat (oxodegradable) are disposed of.oxofragmentable and biodegradable) are also eliminated. disposed ofwhatever their thickness.

For hygienic reasons, small plastic bags may be used to pack fruit and vegetables. You can also bring your own reusable fruit and vegetable bags to the store.

OTHER ACTIONS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Do you offer bulk product options?

La Boite à Grains is pleased to announce the arrival of bulk foods in its establishments. As of today, we offer over 125 ORGANIC BULK options! And more to come soon. Bring your own containers, or get Mason jars!

We'll soon have reusable fabric bulk bags.

Did you know that when we opened in 1980, La Boite à Grains offered a variety of bulk foods? Needless to say, its founders were already predicting the minimalist, natural turn we're taking today, 38 years later.

The advantages of bulk are many:

• Control over our quantities: just because we try a new recipe doesn't mean we have to buy 1 kilo of the product! Bulk allows you to choose;
• The opportunity to try new foods, such as a variety of nuts, chocolate candies or sweet fruit. Bulk allows you to spoil yourself;
• The chance to take another step towards a Zero Waste strategy: it goes without saying that it's increasingly important to be concerned about the well-being of our planet. Bulk packaging helps limit pollution. Don't forget to bring your own containers!

Available in all our stores. 

What is an ElectroBac?

La Boite à Grains is pursuing its sustainability objectives with the implementation of an electronic appliance recovery program.

La Boite à Grains is proud to announce the introduction of an Électrobac bin where you can drop off your obsolete or non-functional electronic equipment. As an official ARPE-Québec drop-off point, we can assure you that all electronic products collected will be sent to approved companies that comply with current Canadian standards, to be recycled in a safe, secure and environmentally-friendly manner.

We have a bin at our Plateau store and one at our Gréber store.

The bin recovers a wide variety of small electronics, including cell phones, chargers of all kinds, cameras, MP3 players, ink cartridges, peripherals and more. To see the complete list, please refer to the www.electrobac.com.

And the complete elimination of plastic?

La Boite à Grains is to reduce its environmental footprint as much as possible, without reducing the services it offers. To this end, we have decided that this project will be the first in a long line. We hope that this decision will resonate in the minds of citizens and merchants alike. Everyone has a role to play, and we need to get involved in whatever way we can. 

In addition, for our e-commerce deliveries we are changing our packaging to 100% recyclable and compostable (0 plastic, including tape). We are in the process of evaluating alternatives to plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables in our stores, and are working with our suppliers to avoid plastic packaging as much as possible.

We are well aware that, as a company, we have a responsibility and a big impact on the environment, and we would like to reassure you that the process of transitioning to a greener, healthier supermarket is well underway.

Find out how to reduce your ecological footprint here!

Find out how to recycle your small electronics in our stores, here!