Waste Prevention World

"Around the house" Articles

• Garage sales, rummage sales and thrift shops
• Reuse ethic: repair, donate and buy used
• Reusables: items like bags and boxes
• Don't dump, donate
• Junk mail

Garage sales, rummage sales and thrift shops

Goal: To encourage readers to practice reuse via donations and shopping.

As any weekend garage-saler can attest, there are many prime opportunities for you to prevent waste through the treasured acts of selling and shopping.

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 person's trash is another person's treasure.

OK, you've been a good shopper. You've 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 don't 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 (that's the basis for plastics, don't 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 that's 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, it's 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 don't 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.

Reuse ethic: repair, donate and buy used

Goal: To encourage readers to adopt a reuse ethic.

If you are moving soon, or just finally got around to that spring household cleaning, you should be aware that prime opportunities to be a waste prevention activist loom on the horizon. Whether you repair broken goods, donate items to charitable organizations, or even buy used products, you can help in the fight against unnecessary waste.

Repairing broken, damaged or worn-out possessions is usually preferable to throwing them away or buying new replacements because it saves you money. There are several ways to find a person or shop to repair items. These include checking your telephone directory, newspaper ads and hardware stores, or taking recommendations from friends and acquaintances.

Phone Book -- If you're trying to find out about repairs of durable goods, check the Yellow Pages under "fix-it services" and "home repair and maintenance," or look under the names of particular items you need serviced. Some sample listings are:

• Major Appliances -- dealers and service
• Lawn mowers -- sharpening and repairing
• Shoe repairing
• Upholsterers
• Vacuum cleaners -- repairing and parts
• Video equipment -- service and repair
• Computers -- service and repairs, supplies and parts
• Copying machines and supplies
• Typewriters
• Newspapers -- Check the classified ads for repair services and handypeople. Many newspapers often have separate display advertising sections labeled "Dial-a-Pro" or something similar.
• Hardware Stores -- Look at the business cards displayed on bulletin boards at local hardware stores and ask for any other information they may have.
• Personal Recommendations -- Don't forget to ask friends and neighbors for recommendations about repair shops. It is often best to speak to friends or neighbors to get some indication of the quality of a person's past work.

Beyond repairs, other possible waste prevention techniques include the act of donation. If you don't have time for a garage sale, don't want to place a classified ad and have already offered your rich assortment of goodies to all your friends, consider giving what's left to family members, neighbors or charitable organizations. Or, better yet, consider organizing a food or clothing drive. Where appropriate, encourage area merchants to donate damaged goods or food items that are still edible to food banks, shelters and groups that serve the homeless.

Charitable organizations can also repair, clean and resell many of your old treasures. In many cases, these organizations will pickup items right from your home. Donors may sometimes receive tax deductions. Remember, all items should be usable, clean and of reasonable quality.

In addition to the many community agencies that welcome donations, there are many places where you can not only give away or sell your reusable items, but can also buy good used items. This "give and take" approach to possessions is sound from a solid waste management standpoint. Patronize both nonprofit and commercial stores that further the reuse ethic. Consider purchases not only of used clothing or furniture, but also musical instruments, toys and video games, sports equipment and even medical equipment and supplies.

Remember, opting for used or "irregular" items is another good way to practice waste prevention. It's often hard to determine why an item might be considered flawed. Such products are often less expensive than new or "first quality" items, and using them will keep them from being thrown away.

The bit of extra thought you give to these ideas now can mean a great deal to those who'll benefit when you "leave less behind for the future." The environment also benefits any time waste is reduced and resources are reused and conserved.

(This article reprinted with permission of the City of Davis.)

Reusables: items like bags and boxes

Goal: To encourage readers to use reusable packaging materials.

America is a disposable society. We pay premium prices for brand new products just for the sake of convenience. Why clean a ceramic mug when you can throw a disposable cup away?

This throw-away culture, however, cannot continue if California, and the rest of the nation, wishes to move beyond a costly solid waste legacy to a more sustainable economy. You, along with businesses and governments, can make a difference. Take personal responsibility for your own waste stream by paying more attention at home.

Many everyday items -- including bags and boxes -- can have more than one use. And there are durable alternatives to these "disposable" containers as well, which offer additional ways to avoid taxing California's overburdened landfills.

Before discarding containers such as bags and boxes, consider whether it is practical and hygienic to reuse them. For example, you can reuse paper and plastic bags -- as well as those twist ties. Keep a supply on hand -- in a drawer or perhaps a hanging basket -- in the kitchen. Instead of placing food items -- such as cheese or vegetables -- into a new plastic baggy, place them in a plastic bag previously used to package another food item.

You can also reuse brown paper shopping bags to ship an item instead of buying shipping paper. And don't buy those expensive shipping boxes, especially if you are trying to figure out how to recycle all of those cardboard boxes that keep stacking up all around you. Simply cover up the old addresses and use them to send packages to others. A good method is to write the new address information on 3 X 5 cards and then tape these cards over the old addresses.

If you are cleaning out paperwork, such as taxes, favorite newspaper clippings or bills, see if you can find a used box as a container before you go running off to purchase expensive specialty products at the store.

Don't limit yourself to paper products containers either. Glass and plastic containers offer even more opportunities for reuse. A jar, for example, can be used as a cookie cutter and be used to buy foods such as honey, maple syrup and peanut butter in bulk.

One final thing to remember about reusing bags, boxes and other containers. There are ways to avoid having such bags and boxes around the house in the first place. You can take a string, mesh or canvas tote bag with you on your next visit to the grocery store or other shopping destinations. (If you know you are purchasing several heavy items, bring a box.)

When a reusable bag is not on hand, and only one or two items are being purchased, consider whether you need a bag at all.

Don't dump, donate

Goal: To encourage business readers to practice reuse.

The Hewlett Packard Co. has long been a leader in reducing waste from its computer manufacturing processes. However, following recent renovations, the firm still accumulated materials, such as used furniture and unused computer paper.

Rather than view these items as waste or even candidates for recycling, the forward-looking company decided to donate the items to a local school. Not only did this act divert this potential waste from the landfill, but it also helped the school keep its operating costs down.

This success story is one of only a few and California's overburdened landfills could benefit from more like it. Just ask your local landfill operators.

For example, officials at one landfill have reported the disposal of new records, compact discs, campaign gear, clothing and other textiles. Landfill operators have seen truckloads of other shelf-ready merchandise -- including boots, laundry detergent and food -- dumped at landfills for the sole sake of clearing excess inventory.

Perhaps these businesses do not realize that under Internal Revenue Code Section 170(e)(3), cost tax deductions are available to many donors of excess inventory. This law allows "for profit" enterprises to donate their excess inventory to charitable organizations and receive a deduction of up to twice the cost. Shipping and handling expenses are also deductible.

If you manage a business and you aren't sure where or how to donate your excess inventory, you might consider contacting Gifts in Kind America. This nonprofit organization, formed in 1983 by the United Way, provides support to charities through in-kind donations from businesses. (In-kind donations are donations of service or materials instead of money.)

Based in Alexandria, Virginia, Gifts In Kind became its own independent nonprofit entity in 1984 and has made connections for businesses to donate over $250 million worth of products in its first eight years of existence.

Some of the organization's clients include Fortune 500 corporate giants such as Hewlett Packard and the Gillette Company; others are small, independent family businesses. Gifts in Kind also brokers and handles all "product giving" for computer firms such as Microsoft. Every year, the group disperses products to approximately 50,000 nonprofits nationwide. It also networks with nearly 400 retailers to donate clothing via the American Apparel Manufacturing Association.

Business owners and managers should consider donating excess inventory as an alternative to dumping it in landfills. We can all benefit if you give. Your motto should be simple: "Donate...Don't Dump!" It's a win-win situation for all of us and makes business "cents."

Gifts in Kind America can be reached at (703) 836-2121. Your accountant can also provide information on this special deduction.

Junk mail

Goal: To encourage readers to get off junk mail lists.

Much like that persistent pink rabbit with the drum kit we see on television, it keeps coming, and coming, and coming. It's always there, Monday through Saturday, week in and week out, through rain, sleet and even snow.

It, of course, is junk mail! That incessant stream of printed matter soliciting your hard-earned dollars for the latest cause of the moment or the "Sale of the Century." Not only does junk mail waste your precious time, but it is also waste that typically takes up precious space in your local landfill.

Did you recently ask if you could put yourself on lots of mailing lists (with companies you don't even know the names of) and deliberately put in a plea for more junk mail (aka "business bulk mail")? Did you also volunteer to create more waste for your local government so the current statewide disposal rate of one ton per second Californian jumps up a notch?

Probably not, at least not willingly. Chances are, however, you unwittingly did these things if you recently ordered something from a catalog, sent a check to a charity, responded to an ad offer, used your credit card, subscribed to a new magazine, bought a new appliance and filled out the warranty card or even just had your name added to the phone book.

How do all of these things tie together? Direct-marketing companies, credit bureaus and credit-card companies, warranty card recipients and mailing list brokers are probably as interested in the business of renting, selling or trading your name, address and/or phone number to others as they are in selling you something or giving you credit.

When you realize the latest dream contest you entered was really a ruse to add your name to still more mailing lists just so you can waste even more precious time reading still more junk mail, you know its time to take action.

What can you do? You could move, but they would find you. You could change your name, but what a hassle, and your parents might not be to crazy about it. Though you may feel hopeless wading through the marketer's pleas, there is hope.

Though it is not easy to get off of mailing lists, it's not impossible. Call 800 numbers in catalogs and ask to be taken off their mailing lists. Contact specific organizations or businesses with your request for removal, but be sure to include the mailing label so they can identify how you are listed in their files. More drastic -- some might say empowering -- approaches include taking the unopened envelope and scrawl "refused, return to sender" on it and let the sender pay for postage twice. They will eventually get the message, or go broke paying for letters to themselves.

Other tips for staying off phone lists (which quickly become mailing lists) include not putting your phone number on checks and having an unlisted number.

One simple way to reduce overall mail burden by halting the spreading of your name to other mailing lists is to write to the following address: Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008. Ask them to place your name in the "suppress" file. This will not take your name off existing mailing lists, but it will keep you from being added to new ones for five years.

Credit bureaus have been known to sell names and addresses to banks and credit card companies. Here are the addresses to three of the largest credit bureaus:

• Equifax Options, Equifax Marketing Decisions Systems, Inc., P.O. Box 740123, Atlanta, GA 30374-0123.
• Trans Union, Transmark, Inc., 555 W. Adams Street, Chicago, IL 60661.
• TRW-NCAC, Att: Mail Preference Service, Target Marketing Services Division, 12606 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75243.

When you buy a new product, don't fill out the warranty card. They are typically solely a means to gather names for direct-mail lists. Typically, you are covered by the warranty whether the card is returned or not. Feel free to contact one of the largest warranty card companies and asked to be removed from their list: National Demographics & Lifestyles, List Order Services, 1621 18th St, #300, Denver, CO 80202.

Here are some additional culprits in the business of direct-mail lists. Write them at: (1) Donnelley Marketing, 1235 N. Ave., Nevada, IA 50201-1419; (2) Metro Mail Corporation, 901 W. Bond, Lincoln, NB 68521; (3) R.L. Polk and Company, List Services Division, 6400 Monroe Boulevard, Taylor, MI 48180; (4) Haines and Company, Inc., Pat Garner, 8050 Freedom Ave. NW, North Canton, OH 44720.

One has to be patient in the battle against junk mail. It took years to build these lists. It will take a while -- up to six months -- before you will notice a reduction.

For additional information call the California Integrated Waste Management Board's hotline: (800) 553-2962.

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Last updated: April 21, 2008