Julie Maurer: Reuse it before you refuse it
While many people make recycling a resolution in the new year, resolving to reuse more around the house is also a noble idea. How much can you divert from the landfill simply by finding a new purpose for it?
Reusing before recycling is beneficial because:
You can prevent yourself from using non-recyclable disposable food storage.
Delays the need to purchase new items.
Conserves resources used for trash and recycling.
Between reusing at home, sharing with friends and family, selling and donating our items…we can accomplish a lot toward reducing waste.
Reuse at home
The first step would be to find a new purpose for something in your home. Is there a way you can give the item a new life rather than just discarding it? Can you use it for storage or crafting?
Here are a few ideas to get you started thinking about other uses for your trash:
Butter or cream cheese cartons can be used for leftovers.
Turn old clothes or linens into rags.
Start seedlings for the garden or store little things in egg cartons or milk cartons.
Use cardboard boxes for storage or rip them up and use them as a weed barrier in your garden.
Mason jars can be used for a variety of purposes, including food storage, organizing and gift giving.
Aluminum cans can be painted and find a new life as storage for organization.
By reusing items, you not only reduce waste, but create some unique and effective solutions for your home.
Share or Donate
If you cannot find use for your unwanted items in your home, giving it away might be the next option. Let’s not forget that “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.”
When doing your spring cleaning, call around to your friends and family to see if they have any needs. Then you can set aside things for them as you create your discard piles. You can also post what you have on social media, because a crafter or teacher might want them for a project.
Once you have given it to your loved ones, you can provide the items to members of your community. There are several free/no buy Facebook groups for individual communities in Lenawee County that you could post the items to. Many local churches and charitable organizations will accept donations to provide them to people who need them. One example is Associated Charities in Adrian and the Hudson Free Store. Pet shelters, such as the Lenawee Humane Society, have lists of general items they are always in need of. This includes stuff you can find around your house. Finally, you can donate your items to an organization that resells them to support their mission, like Goodwill, The Salvation Army, Neighbors of Hope, Habitat for Humanity Restore, etc.
If you have any books you would like to clean off your shelves, most of the local libraries have Friends of the Library sales that help fund their programs. Clinton, Tecumseh and the Lenawee Library District have big sales every month.
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While it may seem easier and convenient to put items out with the trash, just a few extra steps will give things a new life with someone who needs it…and reduce the amount of waste you are sending to the landfill.
For more recycling and solid waste information, follow us on our Facebook page at facebook.com/LenaweeRecycle.
— Julie Maurer is the coordinator of the Solid Waste and Materials Management Program for the Lenawee County Health Department. She can be contacted at 517-264-5263 or via email at julie.maurer@lenawee.mi.us.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Julie Maurer: Reuse it before you refuse it
