Living Green, One Tip at a Time - (a weekly feature)

Living Green, One Tip at a Time -


# 6  -  Reuse  (part 2)


- Buy/Sell used Items - Buy and sell your items, using local retailors or on sites such as: 

• Ebay   http://www.ebay.com/ 
• Craigslist     http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites 
• Amazon (search on specific refurbished product)   http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=refurbished&x=0&y=0
• local newspaper listings
• local material exchange sites (search your area)
• garage sales (search your area using resources such as Kijiji and newspapers
• Kijiji   www.kijiji.ca/
• used refurbished computers (check your computer manufacturer's website or Amazon)
• local used furniture stores (search your area)
• local consignment shops (search your area)
• Recyclers World http://www.recycle.net/recycle/
• Freecycle:  The Freecycle Network provides an online community tool for giving and receiving free stuff.
• Share:  thingloop facilitates sharing our belongings with each others.
• Throwplace:  Throwplace.com lets you list items online that you would like to give to nonprofit organizations, businesses, or individuals.
• Community Swap: Organize a community swap program (i.e., designate a place where people can leave unwanted items for others to use)

- Packing Peanuts: Drop off at a local packing, shipping or moving store.


- Wash and Reuse Plastic Bags: With either a wooden bag dryer or in the washing machine.


- Buy Durables: Buy products that will last and take care of them.


- Teach Thrift: Teach your children the value of being thrifty (the wise economy in the management of money and other resources; frugality).


- Frugal Printing: Use both sides of each piece of paper -- for note taking or printing documents from your computer (at home or work). Create note pads by stapling together once-used paper.


- Kitchen Reuseables: Instead of buying these items new, save and reuse all: paper bags, plastic bags, rubber bands, twisties, boxes, and packaging material.


- Library: Pick up books from your local library or used book store. The library is also many times a great place for finding magazines, CDs, books-on-tape, and videos.


- Share with Neighbors: Join in with neighbors to purchase infrequently used products such as lawn mowers, ladders, etc.


- Recargeable Batteries: Purchase rechargeable batteries and a battery recharger (some battery rechargers will also recharge regular alkaline batteries). Solar powered battery rechargers are available online.


- College/University Reuse: Dump and Run is a nonprofit organization that organizes the collection of college students' castoff items in the spring, so they can be sold to incoming students in the fall. The proceeds are then donated to nonprofits.

The information contained in this post was obtained, with permission, from the following site -

http://www.globalstewards.org/ecotips.htm#reduce

Monica