When we talk about “reusing,” it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve got to be the person finding another use for some item. In fact, you’re probably already familiar with one of the most popular outlets for “reusing” materials—thrift stores. As goes the maxim, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” much of what you might not need anymore could maybe be used by someone else. So whether you’re cleaning out a pickle jar to store your next homemade tomato sauce, or dropping clothes off at Goodwill, there are plenty of ways that you can make sure your waste-that-isn’t-really-waste will find a second (or third, or fourth) life. Here are some other ideas:
Books and current recent issues of magazines are welcomed at many after-school programs, hospitals, nursing homes, and homeless shelters.
Empty glass and plastic jars can be brought to farmers markets or natural foods stores and filled with grains, beans, or whatever dry goods you need from the bulk bins.
Your old sporting goods can find new life in a local after-school sports program.
Extra paint or leftover building supplies can be used by school or community theatre programs. Give the local public school a call to see if they’d appreciate the materials.
Old cell phones and some other electronics are accepted by a number of charitable organizations.
Thrift shops like the Salvation Army and Goodwill accept clothes that are in decent condition, and donate proceeds to charitable causes.
The websites Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org both have free product marketplaces and are great places to find a taker for just about anything in decent condition that you simply don’t want anymore.
