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How can this be? Can you say R-U-M-M-A-G-E S-A-L-E or T-H-R-I-F-T S-H-O-P? One persons trash is another persons treasure. OK, youve been a good shopper. Youve purchased durable items that have lasted far longer than you ever anticipated. But do you have to live with these things forever? The answer is no. There is no need to throw away used items that are in good or repairable condition just because you have no further use for them. And they dont have to contribute to your clutter collection, either. When cleaning out a closet or a garage, redecorating or moving, give your unwanted items a second life. Remember, recycling is wonderful. But reducing the amount of goods we have to discard in the first place is even better. Every item reused is one less pound, give or take, for the landfill; the more natural resources saved -- whether wood (for furniture or paper) or cotton (for clothes) or oil (thats the basis for plastics, dont forget) -- the less energy and water used, and the less pollution created in the production process. Turn those old sweaters, record albums or college textbooks into cold, hard cash. Hold a yard sale with your neighbors. Haul out that old couch thats been sitting in the garage for eons. If you are past the deadline for placing a garage sale ad for this weekend, you could check on a too late to classify ad or get one in early for next weekend. Garage, rummage and thrift sales can benefit all of us. They are not only a way to get rid of old items, they also represent a chance to be green shopaholics. Purchasing secondhand items at garage sales or thrift stores reduces waste. At garage sales, its not uncommon to find goods in nearly perfect condition for a fraction of their original price. But please remember that waste prevention also means not acquiring things we dont really need (and which will have to be disposed of later), so consider making a pledge to only buy presents for friends from these outlets. Or just think about what you might need for the Halloween costume or other special events. Do yourself and the environment a favor -- consider reuse FIRST. |
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