Earth Day is April 22, and there is no better time to remind BC Liquor Store customers of our commitment to supporting the environment.

In 2018 BC Liquor Stores recycled more than 2,800 tonnes of cardboard, paper and soft plastic; approximately the weight of 2 million full bottles of wine.

BC Liquor Stores believe in responsible container recycling. Every year, our customers return around 93 million empty beverage alcohol containers for recycling.

BC Liquor Stores is power smart. High efficiency LED lighting is standard for all new and remodeled stores.

BC Liquor Stores is carbon neutral. We have invested in 28,569 tonnes of BC carbon offset since 2010 – equivalent to a passenger vehicle driving around the earth 2,805 times!

BC Liquor Stores’ paper bags are 97% post-consumer recycled content and our new plastic bags are made in BC from 20% recycled bottles.

Our social responsibility message for March features our Dry Grad campaign. A Dry Grad provides students with a safe, fun, drug- and alcohol-free environment to celebrate their graduation.

From March 3 to March 31, all BC Liquor Stores across the province will be accepting donations of $1 or more to raise funds for Dry Grad celebrations in cooperation with the local school districts. Customers will receive a bright, fun “thumbs up” sticker as a token to write their name on and place on a poster in the store (or they can take it home with them).

100% of all funds raised stays in the local community. All donations are given to the local school district in which the store is located, to be distributed to public high schools (and participating independent schools) who are planning alcohol-free graduation activities. The contributions by customers top up the funds raised by parents, students and teachers who work all year round to raise funds for dry grad after-grad activities.

Now in its 19th year, the Dry Grad campaign has been an integral part of BC Liquor Stores’ efforts to reduce underage drinking and promote zero consumption by minors. With your help, the campaign has raised more than $6.8 million since it began in 2001.

This year we have 55 school districts participating and again the Federation of Independent schools will participate in some areas of the province which includes 66 private schools.

So drop by your nearest BC Liquor Store and support the youth and your local schools by donating a dollar or more for their Dry Grad celebrations.

Our social responsibility message for February encourages parents to start the conversation with their children about underage drinking.

Communication is key. And it has to start at home. Parents need to talk to their kids about the dangers of alcohol consumption. Kids must realize the risks and consequences of underage drinking to their health and safety. Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in Canada and there are various reasons why the youth consume alcohol, including peer pressure, stress, etc. Starting the conversation and keeping communication lines open with your children will help them make the right choices in life.

CounterAttack road checks across the province start on December 1 to raise awareness and help reduce injuries and fatalities caused by impaired driving. Our campaign is to raise awareness of the road checks and to remind everyone to make the smart choice.

IMPAIRED DRIVING TRENDS IN BC:

Impaired driving continues to take a deadly toll on our roads. In an average year: **

• 258 people die in motor vehicle crashes. 31% of those fatalities in 2015 involved impaired driving.
• Impairment remains in the top three contributing factors for fatal car crashes.

Other impaired driving stats to keep in mind:

• Most impaired-related crashes (60 percent) occur on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
• Almost half (46 percent) take place between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
• Sixteen- to 25-year-olds account for the highest number of impaired drivers (34 percent).
• Males account for 74 percent of all impaired drivers

Make a smart choice. If you’re going to be drinking, make sure you have a sober designated driver, money for transit or taxi, a place to stay overnight, or a friend you can call for a ride. 

** Police-reported five-year average from 2011 to 2015.

Our social responsibility message for October is a joint campaign with Molson Coors Canada reminding everyone to plan a safe ride home for their Halloween revelry.

With Halloween just around the corner, BC Liquor Stores is partnering up with Molson Coors Canada to drive awareness about responsible drinking and fighting against drunk driving. In its 11th year, teams of Molson Super Heroes will be at select BC Liquor Stores on October 26th giving out a total of 3,000 Compass cards to customers (while supplies last, passes allocated based on anticipated traffic).

With so many trick-or-treaters out on the streets, we are encouraging people to take transit and plan ahead for a safe ride home after a fun night out.

If you are at any of these BC Liquor Stores on October 26th for Halloween, watch out for the Molson Super Heroes:

• 39th & Cambie
• Alberni & Bute
• UBC
• SFU
• Richmond Ironwood
• Richmond Brighouse
• Langley
• Westwood Centre
• Fleetwood

Our social responsibility message for November is a joint campaign with Preventable.ca. The anti-binge drinking message reminds people that a few too many can lead to memory loss and impaired judgement. 

It's back to school and as we all know, this also means get-togethers with friends, college and university parties, and fun nights out. As is in every social gathering involving alcohol, you have to know when you've had enough. Binge drinking does not make the night memorable -- it's being able to get home safely injury-free and remembering the fun night you had the next day.

According to research, alcohol remains to be the #1 risk factor associated with injury in BC.* Excessive consumption of alcohol can dramatically impair one’s judgement and coordination, thus increasing the risk of injury – not just for yourself, but for others too. Moderation is key.

This campaign will be supported by a social media campaign sponsored by Preventable.ca.

*Preventable.ca (Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. “Alcohol consumption greatly increases serious injury risk for heavy and moderate drinkers.” ScienceDaily)

 Our social responsibility message for September reminds everyone that alcohol and pregnancy don't mix. Healthy mothers and babies need everyone's support

Our social responsibility message for August focuses on summer driving, reminding customers to plan a safe way home before starting to drink.

According to ICBC, impaired driving is the leading cause of car crash fatalities in BC. Almost half of those fatal crashes happen during the summer season. Statistics show that 57% of these impaired driving crashes occur on the weekend and 39% occur between 9 in the evening and 3 in the morning – mostly the time where people are out partying.

In Canada, our province has the strictest drinking and driving laws with penalties ranging from fines, insurance premiums, driving suspension, vehicle impoundment, jail time, rehabilitation, and even an installation of an ignition interlock (requiring the driver to provide a breath sample before starting the car).

If drinking is part of your summer activities, don't include driving in your plans. Think of alternative ways on how to get home safe. Driving while being under the influence of alcohol not only puts your own life at risk, but also the lives of other road users. Arrive Alive by assigning a designated driver, calling a cab, or taking transit.

Don't ruin the summer fun. Stay safe on the road this season. Arrive Alive by not drinking and driving.

Our social responsibility message for June addresses the issue of binge drinking, reminding customers to drink in moderation, and enjoy responsibly.

Alcohol can impair brain function and reaction time. Consuming large amounts of it in a relatively short period of time can be harmful to you and the people around you. Binge drinking is associated with many serious consequences such as car crashes, falls, burns, drowning, gunshot wounds, sexual assault, and domestic violence, as well as serious health problems over time. You can avoid these by drinking in moderation and enjoying responsibly.

Our social responsibility message for May focuses on underage drinking and its consequences. The campaign reminds everyone that drinking can be devastating for teens.

The legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19 so here are BC Liquor Stores, our responsibility is to ensure that alcohol is kept out of the hands of minors. We strongly discourage our customers from making alcohol available to minors as drinking at a young age can have a negative impact on a kid’s life. We should keep kids safe and let them be kids by not buying alcohol for minors.