Stories from the Trails: Banff Borrows—One Year On
What if a simple change — like choosing a reusable cup — could make a big difference for Banff National Park? One year in, “Banff Borrows”, a local reusable cup program is demonstrating how small, collective actions by visitors and residents can support the destination’s vision to Lead Tourism for Good.
During peak season in downtown Banff, more than 1,000 disposable cups are thrown away every day. In a community where nature is a collective value, this reality sparked action — and highlighted an opportunity to raise awareness of visitor impact in ways that inspire more sustainable choices while in the park.
In 2023, local leaders including the Town of Banff, Banff & Lake Louise Hospitality Association, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism, and the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley came together to create a reusable cup program with three goals in mind: lead by example, make reuse the norm, and preserve the pristine beauty of the national park community.
These partners are working together to ensure that tourism creates opportunities for positive impact. By elevating and partnering in initiatives like Banff Borrows, Banff and Lake Louise is positioning itself as a leader in nature-positive tourism.
A year of momentum
Since January 2025, Banff Borrows has recorded 1,453 Borrows from participating cafés, with a remarkable 92% return rate, placing it among the most successful reusable programs anywhere.
The program is powered by Muuse, a service provider that makes borrowing and returning single-use items seamless through its easy-to-use app — making sustainable choices easy, accessible, and increasingly preferential for both visitors and residents — while helping the destination achieve its zero-waste goals. Every borrow and return is tracked digitally, ensuring accountability while keeping the experience simple for users.
Banff Borrows’ most significant milestone came during the Banff Christmas Market, where sustainability was built directly into one of the destination’s busiest Christmas events. Over the course of the market, 37,357 single-use items were diverted from waste, including 5,734 cups, along with plates, sample cups, forks, and spoons. By embedding sustainability into the visitor experience, the initiative raised awareness of collective impact at scale, representing the largest waste diversion Muuse has ever recorded in Western Canada.
Partnerships, culture, and shared responsibility
Banff Borrows is growing through radical collaboration, bringing together businesses, community, and visitors to make sustainable choices easy and visible.
New partners such as Good Earth Coffeehouse and HI Banff have joined the program, while major events like Melissa’s Road Race (where over 5,000 cups were diverted) and the Banff Christmas Market have showcased the program’s reach and impact. The initiative has also attracted national and international attention, with features at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis and coverage from CBC Marketplace and The National, proving that locally led solutions in Banff and Lake Louise can resonate far beyond the park’s boundaries.
“At its core, Banff Borrows is about culture change,” says Kaeleigh Doherty, Project Manager of Banff Borrows. A single-use item may be used for minutes, yet it can remain in a landfill for over 100 years. Cafés that consistently ask the simple question — “Would you like that in a reusable?” — see the highest number of Borrows, demonstrating how aligned communication can directly influence more responsible choices.
“It’s a reminder that leadership doesn’t always look big or bold; often, it shows up in everyday interactions that quietly shift norms and expectations,” she adds. By raising awareness of impact and making the better choice the easier choice, Banff Borrows demonstrates how collective action can shape the culture of an entire community and help the destination Lead Tourism for Good.
What’s next and how to take part
Looking ahead, Banff Borrows will continue to evolve, with plans to introduce reusable food containers, expand partner locations, and increase impact at key visitor hubs across Banff and Lake Louise — further strengthening how visitors engage with the destination in respectful, low-impact ways.
“Getting involved is easy,” says Kaeleigh Doherty. Residents can download the Muuse app and keep it handy at their favourite cafés. Event organizers can work with Banff Borrows to replace single-use items entirely. Visitors can use the app to find participating cafés and convenient drop-off points, making it simple to be part of a destination-wide effort to care for this place.
One year in, Banff Borrows is showing that even small, thoughtful actions — taken together — can create meaningful change.
“It hasn’t been easy, and uptake can be challenging, but the program’s impact is clear,” says Kaeleigh. Seeing the results, especially at events like the Banff Christmas Market, is inspiring: thousands of items diverted from waste and a community coming together to make sustainable choices. It’s the vision for tourism in action — and it’s only the beginning.