Posts

Earth Day

/in /by

Earth day is coming April 22 and amid all the chaos of the past few years we wanted to put the focus back on the future of our families and our community here at Medicine Hat Storage. After all the way we treat the environment now will affect future generations. 

 

A planet that is growing warmer each year isn’t good for any living thing. We can’t become complacent to this threat to the world, so Medicine Hat Storage has focused on offering only moving boxes made from recycled material and going paperless in our office. Below are just a few positive effects this action has on our community and the world.

 

Protects trees (our shield against CO2)

Trees are considered carbon sinks. Trees lock away carbon dioxide in the wood, roots, and leaves. “This locking-up process ‘stores’ carbon as wood and not as an available ‘greenhouse’ gas. Trees are imperative to earths survival so it is beneficial to protect them as best we can.” Steve Nix forestry expert on  .

 

Reduces paper waste

According to , in 2022, paper mills will produce about 500 million tons of paper and cardboard. Paper waste produces pollution which is toxic to air, water, and soil. Paper is produced by using chlorine-based bleaches so when paper rots in the landfill Methane gas gets released. This gas is worse than CO2. Using products made with recycled products and going paperless significantly reduces paper waste and in turn reduces the amount of toxic gasses entering our atmosphere.

 

Saves water

The amount of water used to produce one piece of paper is 10 litres. The less paper we use in our office, the less of the life-giving resource is wasted.

 

How is your family or business being environmentally conscious? We’d love to hear your ideas so that we all can do a little better to help our home — planet Earth.

Porch Pirates, Are They Real?

/in /by

Keep Your Packages Safe
Pirates have always been something that appears in story books. But lately piracy has become
very real for a lot of online holiday shoppers. The name Porch Pirates sounds cute and maybe
you’re thinking of all the kiddies showing up on your doorstep at Halloween, but these are not
your neighbor’s children in costume. Porch Pirates steal packages from door steps and porches.
Sometimes these thieves will even follow a delivery vehicle and scoop the package right after
it’s been dropped on the doorstep.

As of Sept of this year, nearly one quarter of online shoppers have felt the sting of porch piracy.
The average value a stolen package is about $113.

Some shoppers that have fallen victim to Porch Piracy before have taken it upon themselves to
fight back. People are putting out boxes full of glitter, dog poo or the cat litter to “be taken.”
While we admire people’s creativity why even give thieves a chance?

Between 2010 to 2017, there was a 581% rise in reports of packages stolen off doorsteps. With
porch piracy on the rise, we’d like to offer a solution for keeping your packages safe.
Our office is insured to receive your online orders and we offer this service free of charge to
everyone on our community. It’s our way of helping you have a happy holiday season. You can check out our Facebook page for other ideas and community happenings: https://www.facebook.com/MedicineHatStorage/

How Do You Use This Free Service?

Step 1
When you are online shopping use our office address as the shipping address for your package:
Medicine Hat Storage: 3183 Gershaw Dr SW, Medicine Hat, AB T1B 3N1

Step 2
Call our office and let us know your name, your phone number and when the package is
expected.
Medicine Hat: 403-529-2646

Step 3
When the package arrives, our office will text you a pic of the package, text back a day and
time when you can pick it up.
Need to keep the package away from prying eyes? No problem, we can hold the package until
you need it. Just let us know how long you need us to hold it. (Please keep in mind our holiday hours)

If you could use other hacks and ideas for Christmas, head over to our other Christmas blog: 

Ways You Can Support Your Local Businesses During A Pandemic

/in /by

Why the pandemic means we need to support local businesses more than ever.

Everywhere we look big brands and big box stores are on display. While these large companies have the money to buy online ads or billboards it’s small businesses that most impact on our local community. And it’s small business that has been mostly impacted by the pandemic.

Small businesses color and enrich local shopping by providing unique products and services that make our local communities great places to live. No one wants to live in a neighborhood where unique local stores are replaced with For Lease signs. These small businesses also provide the lions share of employment and often employ people we know. These are our neighbors, friends, and family so it makes sense to support them, and during the pandemic, it’s more important than ever that these businesses survive for the health of our communities.

Here tips on how to support local businesses: Read more

Protect Yourself – Fraudster’s Tricks and How To Avoid Them

/in /by

I just received a phone call from Ontario, saying it was Servus Credit Union calling and that my SIN has been compromised and not to hang up as I would end up in JAIL!

I hung up. . .

In this day of heightened cyber crime being aware of how to protect yourself has become critical. Here are some tips to avoid falling into a fraudster’s trap. Read more

Moving During A Pandemic

/in /by

Packing and moving can be difficult at the best of times, but moving during a pandemic creates a whole new set of challenges. If you have to move you and your moving company should put health and safety first. We suggest you call your moving company to discuss your options and they should help you plan as safe (and seamless) a move as possible. This may include: Read more

Camping During Covid-19

/in /by

Now that the weather is finally nice most of us have the itch to get our campers out, spruced up, and on the road to our favorite camping spot so we can enjoy our summer. Well this season it is looking very different thanks to Covid-19.

Provincial campsites will all remain closed until after a government assessment on June 21, 2020. However, the private camp grounds are under county discretion as long as they comply with rules set out by Alberta Health Services. Here’s what to prepare for this Covid camping season:

  • Only Motor Homes and hard sided travel trailers that are completely self contained with an internal water supply, holding tanks and personal washroom will be allowed.
  • All public washrooms and shower facilities will be closed.
  • Campers will need to bring their own water as there will be no access on site.
  • Campground capacity will be limited for purposes of social distancing
  • There must be a minimum space of 30ft between camp sites
  • No group camping and no co-mingling of campers.
  • Campers must disinfect tables upon arrival and departure.
  • No garbage collection. Campers will need to take their garbage with them when they leave.

 

We have found some campgrounds around central and southern Alberta that are following these guidelines and hoping to open to campers June 1.

  • Close Drayton Valley we have Elevated Experience Camping 780-542-5821 and Kay-son RV Park 780-514-5969.
  • Around Edmonton we have Glowing Embers RV Park & Travel Centre 1-877-785-7275.
  • By Rocky Mountain House is Outwest Camping 403-844-3083.
  • In Blackfalds Watipi Campground 780-852-6176.
  • By Okotoks we have Riverbend Campground 403-938-2017.
  • Also, the Hoodoo RV Resort in Drumheller, 403-823-2790. This site is also taking snowbirds and essential workers only until June 1st.
  • In Nanton. the Lions Campground, 403-336-9999 will be open.

Let’s not let this discourage us from enjoying one of our all-time favorite summertime traditions, as with like the rest of our lives this is our new normal until we can get this virus under control. Happy camping!

https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/covid-19-relaunch-guidance-private-and-municipal-campgrounds.pdf

~ Candice Sinclair

Seller’s Remorse

/in /by

Kids, grandma is moving in. It will be so great to have her living here.

Jill speaking to husband – John: What are we going to do with all of mom’s belongings? It won’t fit in the house and she has so much.

John speaking to Mother-in-law – Ethel: Why don’t we have a garage sale before you move. Jill and I can help, and of course Cathy and Cindy being teenagers can also help. This will teach them how to negotiate. Read more

Wrapping, Joyful Or Not

/in /by

With Christmas so close, the wrapping paper starts coming out. Who does the work making these boxes with ribbons and bows look so beautiful? We asked our management team who gets wrapping detail at their home.  Read more

Small Business Profile: Cilantro & Chive

/in /by

Rieley Kay started Cilantro Catering in 2009, doing functions for family and friends. It was always part of their plan to expand into a restaurant as well as catering. An opportunity in Ponoka sped up this part of the plan exponentially.

The first restaurant was in Ponoka. It opened in February 2012, with 5 employees. But within a couple of years the building was sold and Cilantro and Chive’s lease came to an end. Unable to find another suitable location in Ponoka, December 15 2015 they moved to their current location in Lacombe. In the past, this spot has been a bus depot, a bike shop, a train store, antique shop and a general store. Read more

Why It’s Important to Give Back to the Community

/in /by

When a business supports their community, that same community gives back support to the business.

You may not be the only business of your kind in your city or town. Helping in the community helps your business stand out and stay in the minds of the public when they need the products or services your business offers. Read more