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Reducing waste saves both materials and energy, and removes the need and expense of disposal. You can reduce waste by not buying disposable items, choosing items with less packaging, refusing unnecessary shopping bags, and stopping junk mail.
Reusing reduces the need to buy new items which saves resources.
Recycling saves valuable raw materials. Check your local area for recycling programs and locations around town for drop-off of recyclable materials such as plastics, newspapers and cardboard.
All these items can be salvaged and reused for one thing or another. Let's all pitch in and save the landfills from unnecessary wasted space for items that can be utilized for alternate uses they were intended for. Everyone has something to offer!
Bedroom / Closets
- Disposable bed pads you get from the hospital-think labor and delivery (a multitude of uses!!)
- Old cushions - somebody's dog might use as a bed!
- Old holey jeans (dissected, they make great patches)
- Old holey socks, mismatched socks, panty hose. Make pillows for the humane society. Camping, we use to put a bar of soap in an old Knee-high and hang on the spigot for washing hands. They can also be filled with potpourri for sachets to make your clothes smell good while in storage.
- Old sweaters can be un-raveled to re-knit into something 'new,' like mittens
- Material in large or small pieces - crafts/ sewing projects
- Old worn out Quilts, comforters, throws - can be used as dog bedding.
- Old sheets, towels - used to cover plants in winter, as drop cloths, cut up as rags, etc. (towels make great barn/garage rags)
- Old towels, blankets and bedding for use in animal shelters
- OLD, no longer safe to use, HEAD BOARDS: Some people take those and make "flower beds" or use them and remake benches
- Ratty t-shirts (make great barn/garage rags)
- The pocket off of old jeans can be sewn together to make a small purse. Or the jeans can be used to make rag rugs.
Kids / Toys
- Bicycle parts or old ones for parts
- Broken crayons
- Jigsaw puzzles that you are never going to do again
- Kids Toys
- Pet toys, even used and chewed, and accessories
Garden / Yard
- Garbage cans - old ones to used for yard trash, or composting bins.
- Garden Hoses - even with holes, it can be cut up and used as drainage from a rain barrel.
- Miscellaneous yard things, the old wheelbarrow that needs a tire.
- Sod/ rocks / plants/ seeds/ bricks
- Landscape material/ renovation leftovers
Kitchen / Pantry / Bathroom
- Broken appliances that people can either fix themselves or can salvage the scrap metal from
- Empty jars - 101 uses from making votive candle holders to keeping nails, nuts and bolts or other small objects together
- Plastic yogurt/margarine and larger ice cream or dog bone containers
- Old calendars/ catalogues - for pictures for use by preschoolers to practice their cutting abilities on or classroom projects
- Grocery bags - for pet rescue/ pet obedience school and portable poop scoops!
- Used bubble envelopes, packing popcorn, frozen food boxes and larger moving boxes - for those who are pen pals or who do shipping
- Used mismatched cutlery - for art and for work lunch rooms, shelters, drop ins
- Plastic pop bottles or Styrofoam take out containers - for winter sowing of seeds and containers for growing
- Used plastic pots/Styrofoam flats used for plants
- The plastic off a new mattress
- Take out soy sauce, ketchup packets, etc.- great for school lunches and picnics
- Dishes and china - even broken, they can be used in crafts, mosaics and jewelry
- Egg Cartons - The Styrofoam ones are often used by preschoolers for various projects.
- Plasticware - Some hate the sound of metal forks on ceramic
- Pots and Pans - even old ones no longer used for cooking
- Prescription bottles (labels removed)
- Empty Cat Litter Buckets
- The box of old plumbing or electrical parts in the basement
- Leftover building materials
- Candle stubs
- Old bowling balls, even chipped and cracked (for crafts)
- Old magazines
- Old paint cans (with or without paint, the cans can be cleaned and reused)
- Ice Cooler - an old Styrofoam one with holes can be used to start a vermiculture (worm) bin.
- Old paper - have a box of tractor-fed printer paper still lying around? Kids could use it to draw on!
- Old cars and car parts, Tires that no longer fit your car
- The old vacuum cleaner, taking up closet space
- Empty baby wipe tubs
- Magazines - kids can use them to do collages
- Old stamps, stickers, popsicle sticks - think school crafts!
- Umbrellas - use an old one hung upside down under chandeliers to catch run-off when you clean them.
- Sewing Supplies
- Old electronics - there might be someone who can use that old turntable, cassette deck stereo, computer stuff...for parts or play
- Moving boxes and packing paper (neighborhood favorite)
- Plastic containers from laundry and dishwashing detergents