Donating What is Reuse? Used Items Reuse is a process of finding a second, third or tenth use for an item to prolong its life. Material Exchange Reuse is an important step after you’ve precycled and reduced. When most people think about donating used items, they’re thinking about used clothing. Should Reuse? In reality, more than just used clothes can Who be donated to many different charitable People of all ages and in any location can find things that can be reused. organizations. Some examples of items that Reuse? can be donated are listed below. Where Should We • Clothes- clean, intact clothing can be resold as is. When you donate items that you Items can be reused at home, at school and at work. might consider to be too stained or worn, they could be made into rags or insulation How Can We Reuse? material. • Accessories- shoes, belts, bags, purses, hats, There can be many ways to reuse common items. A simple search of the web will show you gloves, scarves, etc. multiple web sites that have great ideas. Some of these ideas are listed here. • Use the back of one-sided papers for • Furniture- dining room sets, couches, chairs, • Place plastic lids under greasy or leaky scrap paper. beds, dressers. Just because it’s outdated bottles to prevent shelf staining. • Reuse boxes or bags as many times doesn’t mean it’s unusable. • Save margarine and similar food containers as possible. • Household items- dishes, drinking glasses, for kitchen storage needs. • Use small boxes (example- jewelry boxes) utensils, appliances, etc. • Make a spice shaker out of a glass jar and to organize desk and dresser drawers. • Health Aids- eyeglasses, hearing aids, its lid. Simply fill the jar with spices and • For picnic or camping trips, use clean and crutches/canes, etc. punch holes in the lid. empty bottles with secure fitting caps as • Building materials- cabinets, doors, • Use your imagination to find other uses reusable ice packs. windows, light fixtures, sinks or tubs, for former food storage containers. Clear • Freeze water in small plastic containers hardware, etc. containers make it easy to see what is being (example- aspirin bottle) for use as a stored, such as buttons, coins, or screws. cold compress. For a list of organizations that might accept these items, • Make drop cloths out of large pieces of • Use an old toothbrush as a cleaning tool. please visit the Capital Region Recycling Partnership cloth or plastic, such as old sheets or shower web site at www.capitalregionrecycling.com. curtains. For even more Reuse Ideas, • Even though newspapers and paper towel visit the Capital Region Recycling Partnership Donate- You won’t just help the Capital Region. or toilet rolls are recyclable they can also be web site at www.capitalregionrecycling.com You could be helping others worldwide! used for craft projects, as packing materials, or to protect items during messy jobs. Reduce the Waste Reuse the Item Again Recycle the Item Refuse to Buy the Item At All What is Waste Reduction charge Waste Reduction refers to reducing the amount of waste produced. An example of waste reduction Re ! is to use china and silverware instead of disposable paper plates and plastic flatware. & Reuse Refuse! Starting a Waste Reduction Program ! Reuse, Recycle The best way to reduce the amount of waste Waste Reduction Ideas Reduce, produced is to look at your trash as you’re • Use both sides of a piece of paper before throwing it out and ask yourself these questions- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, we’re hearing that recycling it. slogan more and more. It’s no longer just an What do you throw away? • Pass on already read books, magazines, and “in thing to do,” it has become a necessity newspapers to friends or coworkers, schools, for each and every one of us. In addition What materials take up the most space in the trash bag? libraries, nursing homes, churches, or other to the damage we have seen to the Earth, charitable organizations. all communities are now feeling real fiscal What is Reuse! Can any items be reused, repaired, • Buy durable, well-made and/or repairable impact from inefficient and inadequate or donated? products. approaches to trash disposal. Our goal now Precycling Can you reduce the number of disposable • Donate used clothing, and household items to must be to make reducing the amount of ? charitable organizations. Even if you think an Precycling is a process where decisions are items used? waste we create commonplace and a matter item might be too stained or worn, donate it made before or at the time of purchasing of course. This brochure provides valuable Can you substitute products with ones that can anyway since it will likely be recycled. a product to reduce the amount of waste information on doing just that. be reused or that have recyclable packaging? • Use reusable plates, cups, and utensils. generated. • Use plug-in appliances instead of battery We are now Learn what is accepted in your municipal operated ones. also adding a ! Precycling Ideas recycling program. Note the items in your trash 4th R to the slogan. Refuse that are not recyclable. Then the next time you • Bring reusable shopping bags to the stores go shopping, try to find recyclable alternatives to Reuse! • Buy in bulk which uses less packaging those items in your trash. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse! material and avoid single-serving packaged items. If you have too many left over products, consider Refuse to purchase products that are • Buy products with little to no packaging giving them to someone else, or next time buy Donate! packaged in non-recyclable materials. • Buy products whose packaging is fewer of them. As consumers we can help make all the recyclable difference in our communities and the world. • Buy reusable mesh coffee filters instead of Together we can give manufacturers the single use paper ones. incentive to step up and do their part as well. • Buy rechargeable batteries instead of Reduce the Amount of Mail You Receive or Send single use batteries. • Don’t sign up for information you really do • Use emails and e-cards instead of letters Precycling. This is another You may consider • Don’t buy Styrofoam since it can not be not want. and cards. way of achieving these goals. recycled. • Remove your name from mailing lists. • Consider going paperless and get your bills • Don’t buy disposable items (e.g. plates, Contact the individual company directly or and statements online or via email. cups, utensils, napkins, paper coffee visit the websites below for more information. • Research products online instead of using filters, etc.) catalogs and consider ordering over the www.optoutprescreen.com phone or online instead of through the mail. to be removed from the four major credit • Read newspapers and magazines online, bureau mailing lists or at a library instead of having your own Refuse! www.dmachoice.org subscriptions. follow the steps to remove yourself from mailing lists ! www.catalogchoice.org Refuse to opt out of paper catalog mailings www.yellowpagesoptout.com Use! to remove yourself from phonebook Reduce! Reuse! distributions