Community jar programs and why they rock my socks off

I initially published this post — about a community jar program I recently participated in — on Instagram. Right after posting it, I realized I should have just written a dang post for my website, argh. I actually wrote that at the bottom of the caption! (see below)

There is some real irony here – my day job is, in large part, about publishing things on websites for other people, prioritizing publishing on the web as the first task, before posting to social. Web-first publishing, as we call it, is good for so many reasons, not the least of which includes owning your content! Part of my job is gently reminding clients to publish to their websites first, and then put it in their newsletters or on Instagram…but getting that message across is not always easy.

So, yeah, ironic – I didn’t follow my own rules! *smacks forehead*

A-n-y-wayyy…the original post on Instagram was all about community jar programs, and that’s what we’re gonna talk about today. And, as a little treat for you, dear readers of mine, I’m going to do a follow-up that is not on Instagram!

OK, to the image that started things off.

Unplanned and unprepared

I took this photo in late October 2025, as I was hurtling toward the finish line of a major house reno and move with my partner, Jan. When I say major, I mean, like, I’ve never experienced a move like it (and I’ve moved a lot). It was so intense!

But, back to the refills. I hadn’t planned on doing a refill on the day I dropped into FILL, so I walked into the store empty-handed. As it turns out, I really did need some fills (cleaning supplies for sprucing up the rental we were moving out of, house essentials for the new place). Plus, a few fun extras, just because.

Coming into a refill shop without things to refill is, um, a tad problematic and sort of misses the point about “refilling,” LOL. I was maybe a little sheepish. Except, wait! The community jar program, to the rescue!

Thank gourd for free jars 

All the containers you see in the photo above, except for the itty bitty bubble bath and the giant lip chap (yes, it’s that really that big), were donated by other refillers so that if someone forgets jars or doesn’t have any, desperate refillers like me, who walk in with zero jars, have options.

It’s the best. Like, truly, such a simple yet elegant example of circularity. Community jar programs are what this world needs. And, bonus! Both of the refill stores in my ‘hood offer them (FILL and Chickpeace Zero Waste, and I still can’t believe there are TWO in this city! Whaaat!).

I’ve shared many a jar and container with the programs at both these stores over the years. It is endlessly satisfying to see them end up on a shelf for someone else to fill with their favourite items.

A short note about recycling

Don’t get me wrong: the alternative to reusing jars is to recycle the glass, which is definitely better than throwing glass in the garbage (which you should never do. You don’t do that, do you?) Here in BC, recycled glass jars go in one of two directions: crushed as an ingredient in concrete, or crushed and turned into new glass. But to me, it’s way more fun to have a jar be reused! (Glass jar recycling is a topic of conversation for another post…I have a lot to say about this!)

Sheepish but mollified

All that being said, it was really comforting on this day in late October to walk into FILL empty-handed and sheepish, and to be on the other end of this whole thing – in need of some jars. Voilà, I ended up with exactly what I needed. Not to mention that Jill at FILL 🤩 helped me find jars that pretty much exactly filled (har har har) my volumetric requirements.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I L O V E refilling, and I will never shut up about it. 

(PS, this should have been a blog post. 🔖)

Postscript

Here’s the part that is fresh for you lovely readers o’ mine – what happened after the fills!

It’s not super earth-shattering, but it is super satisfying. I returned the jars to FILL for them to be used again. Yep, that’s it! It’s a small thing, but in many ways, it’s pretty big if you think about it. After refilling my home jars with the products I had carefully carted home in the community jars, I simply washed those out and returned them to FILL. Presto, change-o, back into circulation they go-o. Hopefully these jars are out there somewhere, helping someone else get the refills they need.

And there you have it folks: circularity for the win! If you have a community jar program in your neighbourhood, I’d love to hear about it.