Reuse

What You Should Know
The idea of reusing resources may be a new one for those of us who’ve gotten into the habit of tossing the unneeded or unwanted or broken. And in a built-in obsolescence culture, that’s most of us.

The tips listed here are based on the fact that much of what we discard in “auto-dump” mode might be wanted, needed and valued by someone else. Dumpsters only supply the nation’s trash stream.

How You Can Help

• Use reusables, at home and away from home. That includes kitchenware – cups, glasses, plates, chop sticks and other eating utensils and storage containers. It also includes linens, especially napkins and towels.
• Use reusable shopping bags, both for groceries and all other purchases.
• Maintain and repair. This means keeping items, especially those with moving parts, in good working order. It also means repairing things when feasible – shoes and other leather goods, for example.
• Buy refillable pens and rechargeable batteries.
• For personal items, consider Arima FreeCycle and other options for passing along unwanted but reusable items.
• Donate rather than dump. Clothes and accessories, furniture, household items, electronics, eyeglasses, cell phones, books, CDs – all these and more, providing they’re in good condition, have value for someone else.

(Courtesy Columbia University)