Reuse

 Contributed by Catherine Vierthaler, Director of Finance, Green Builder Media 

 

Before running out to buy new products, check to see if there is something that you already own that can be repurposed to do the trick.  My husband recently reorganized his garage, and needed a bunch of containers.  We could have gone to a major box store and purchased shiny new “garage” containers (that honestly would have looked old and greasy in a month), but first we raided the kitchen for empty salsa and yogurt containers, then we headed to the buy/trade facility at the local dump (sorry...Waste Management Facility) and found everything he needed.  Buy, Sell, Trade forums on Facebook are a good source of previously owned good stuff, as well.

Cloth napkins are an easy replacement for paper napkins; I just throw them in the wash with my towels each week.  I’ve used the same cloth napkins for the last 10 years.  When they get to gross for the table they get repurposed as garage rags.  In my house cloth dishrags are used in place of throw away sponges and paper towels.

Consignment clothing shops are popping up all over the place.  They’re great places to find gently or never worn pieces at bargain prices.  And, I like that when I’m ready to clear out my closet, I can make a little cash on the items I take in.  Don’t forget places like Goodwill and community thrift stores!  They are doing great things in our communities, and can use your support, either by shopping or donating.

Upcycling items that might otherwise be thrown away into usable treasures is a great way to reduce your environmental footprint.  Check out these cool candles from Holey Can. In our April blog Laura shared some innovative ways to reuse old clothes. And how about transforming old furniture into interesting new pieces?

Have a building or remodeling project coming up?  Stores like the RE Store offer quality reclaimed building materials.  The store also offers classes, demonstrations and lots of ideas for reusing materials that would otherwise go to the landfill.