As published in the Lafayette Today newspaper.
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Summer is upon us, but maybe there’s still some spring-cleaning going on around your house. As a nation, we are so used to throwing unwanted items away without a second thought and it all adds up (over 1600 pounds per person per year). But the majority of items can be REUSED in some way instead of going to the dreaded landfill.
A classic book titled “Choose to Reuse” explains how to reuse just about anything you can imagine – over 250 product categories - from bedding to doormats, to garden hoses, to sports equipment. By reusing products, we extend their life, and cut down on all the garbage we produce.
It makes sense to think of REUSE even before buying something. Is the item reusable or recyclable? Try to think ahead and buy things that won’t turn into garbage when you’re done with it.
For old items that you don’t need or want anymore, consider the following ideas before throwing it in the garbage.
Can it be repaired? A broken bike and hundreds of other things can be repaired and then re-used. As long as it works, someone will probably want it.
Can it be refreshed? A chair that’s gone out of style can be re-upholstered or re-stained or painted.
Can it be sold?: One person’s junk can be someone else’s treasure. Hold a garage sale, use Craigslist or eBay to sell stuff that you don’t want anymore.
Can it be donated? Take your unwanted items to the nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army, or see if they can be utilized by a local school or other community organization.
Can it be given away? Give things away to friends and family. Post something in the “free” section of stuff for sale on Craigslist.org. Or just try putting stuff out on the curb over a weekend with a “Free” sign on it.
Save it for Cleanup Day - Fortunately in Lamorinda we have the bi-annual “Cleanup Day” which is a wonderful opportunity to put stuff out for re-use the day before junk is picked up.
Resources:
Recycling and Reuse options in Contra Costa County.
http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/depart/cd/recycle/options/all.htm
New Online Services – New online services like freecycle.org and gigoit.org allow you to donate and receive reusable items in your community.
Green Hauling Services – There are now green hauling services like Eco Haul. They will drop off anything that can be recycled or re-used before going to the dump.
Urban Ore in Berkeley – They will come pick up old stuff, especially from remodeling, like sinks, tubs, granite, lights, fans, and hundreds of other things that can be used in other homes.
link to PDF of Lafayette Today that
included article on page 16