We are all familiar with the terms above. “Reduce” means to lessen the amount of garbage produced at the source, buying in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging that must be discarded. “Recycle” means separating, collecting, marketing, and using a product that would otherwise have been land-filled. Typically, these are plastics, aluminum cans, glass, papers, milk jugs, and green waste. “Recover” means to pull from waste streams items that can be culled, such as newspaper, iron scraps, tires, or mattresses.
This article concentrates on the “reuse”
aspect of the Waste Reduction Hierarchy.
The Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with Purdue
University, has compiled the following to help us integrate the “reuse” concept
into our lives.
Save time and money by thinking of
ways you can make “reuse” part of your life.
Use your imagination and creativity to come up with reuse ideas. The following are seven guidelines to keep
in mind:
ONE: BUY QUALITY
• Purchase durable goods rather than disposable items. The cost may be higher
initially, but in the long run you can save money.
• Read consumer magazines and contact consumer organizations before making a
major purchase. By being informed, you
will make a longer-lasting choice.
• Buy high-quality clothing that will last. When styles change, alter the clothing
instead of discarding it
.
TWO:
RENT
• Rent or borrow party decorations and supplies, such as tables, chairs,
centerpieces, linens, dishes, or silverware.
• Rent seldom-used items, such as tools and partyware.
• Consider renting a tool or major appliance before buying it to see if you
really need it and determine your options.
THREE:
USE IT AGAIN
• Consider buying used items.
• Save and reuse household items, such as string, plastic, and glass
containers, gift wrap, seasonal decorations, and shopping bags. Give items you cannot use away.
FOUR:
REPAIR AND SHARE
• Instead of throwing it out, fix it up!
Repair broken toys, furniture, and
appliances to extend their useful life.
• Get the longest warranty with the best repair service possible.
• Share or purchase jointly those large, expensive items you use only once in a
while with neighbors and friends.
• Before discarding tools, equipment, or other goods, ask friends, neighbors,
and relatives if they can use them.
• Share newspapers and magazines with others.
FIVE:
DONATE
• Donate items of good quality to charities
and organizations that can reuse or resell them.
• Sell second-hand items at fairs, bazaars, and garage sales.
• Give hand-me-downs to family members, neighbors, or the needy.
• Conduct a food or clothing drive to help others.
SIX: REFILL
• Reuse your refillable bottles and containers. They can be used more than once for many things: detergent, cleaner, shampoo, etc. Avoid putting
food in containers that previously contained toxics, and vice versa.
SEVEN: DISMANTLE
• Break apart objects into separate
components for reuse.EUSABLE” TIPS AND
SUGGESTIONS
APPLIANCES
• Before buying an expensive new appliance, borrow or rent one to make sure it
is really what you need.
• Buy used appliances from charitable organizations.
• Buy durable appliances from a reliable manufacturer and get the longest
warranty possible.
• Maintain appliances by following manufacturer’s care instructions.
• Tune up/overhaul items such as sewing machines and vacuum cleaners and
sharpen the blades on your lawn mowers, coffee grinders, etc. to keep them in
order.
• Repair appliances when possible. See
the telephone book yellow pages for “Appliances - Service & Repairs.”
• If you need to get an appliance repaired and no one is able to stay home for
the repairperson, barter time or a service with a neighbor or friend who is
available to stay at your home for a few hours.
• Be aware that if appliance parts are made out of single molded plastic or
metal pieces, they are crimped together instead of being welded or bolted. This results in a lower cost but means a
more difficult and expensive repair.
• Watch out for modularized parts - clusters of components. You may end up replacing a bunch of parts
because they are connected to a single part that doesn’t work.
BOOKS, MAGAZINES, AND COMIC BOOKS
• Instead of buying, borrow books from libraries and friends.
• Lend or donate books and magazines you no longer need.
• Share a magazine subscription with a friend.
• Donate used books and magazines to hospitals, senior citizen homes, and
community centers.
• Ask if your local library can use some of your old books or magazines. Many welcome donations.
• Pass on children’s books and comics to families with younger children.
• Donate children’s books to women’s shelters, daycares, and preschools in your
area.
• Encourage your children to trade comics with friends, rather than buying new
ones.
• Cover your reference books and textbooks with old maps, posters, paper bags,
gift-wrap, or fabric to protect the covers.
Not only will your books last longer, but they willalso slide on and off
the shelf more easily.
• Check college bookstores for used textbooks.
CAMERA AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT
• Buy durable goods and repair them when possible. See the yellow pages for “Photographic Equipment - Repair.
• Find out if your local school would like a donation of photographic equipment
for their art classes or for school newspaper and yearbook clubs.
• Rent a camera or video recorder for trips or celebrations.
• Buy a used single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, or sell your own SLR camera at a
camera store.
• Return small plastic film canisters to your film processor, or reuse them as
containers for flower seeds, screws, buttons, pills, or salt and pepper in your
picnic basket.
COMPACT DISCS (CDs), RECORDS, AND
TAPES
• Borrow CDs, records, and tapes from libraries and friends. Lend your recordings to friends.
• Donate recordings of children’s music and stories to a school, daycare, or
preschool in your area.
• Maintain CDs, records, and tapes so they will be in good resale condition when you no longer want
them. Music stores that buy used
recordings want no scratches and prefer records in original sleeves and CDs in
unbroken boxes with original inserts.
CLOTHING
• Buy durable clothing. Clean your
closet on a regular basis. When you do,
make four piles: clothes to keep, clothes
to mend, clothes for resale (items in very goodcondition), and clothes for
donation.
• Repair your clothes and accessories so that you can use them longer. See the yellow pages for “Shoe Repairs,” “Jewelry
Repairing,” and “Invisible Mending.”
• Sell good quality clothes that you no longer want through consignment stores.
• Donate old clothes to charity.
• Donate old clothes to a theater company.
• Cut up old clothing, bedding, etc. to use for chores.
• Instead of discarding good-as-new clothing, set up a “Laundry Store!” Hang laundered and pressed clothing in the
laundry room of your apartment building.
Trips to the laundry room can become exciting free “shopping” ventures
for you and your neighbors. Donate the leftovers
to a charity.
• Organize a neighborhood “Exchange Day.”
Declare a time and place for the exchange of clothing and accessories. Donate the leftovers to charity.
• Keep old clothing items and use them for Halloween costumes or for children’s
dress-up.
• Try renting formal wear or costumes instead of buying something you will only
use once. See the yellow pages for
“Formal Wear - Rental” and “Costume Rental.”
• If you buy or make something special that you will only wear once, such as a
bridesmaid or evening dress, sell it at a consignment store.
OLD JEANS
• Make cut-offs.
• Make a baseball base. Cut two squares
from old jeans, sew together on three sides and half-way on the fourth side,
fill with sand, then sew the rest of the fourth side.
• Use the legs to make gift bags or storage bags.
FABRIC
• Brighten up a room with pillows
made from fabric scraps. This is a cheap and easy way to accessorize a room.
• Give solid-colored rag rugs a new look by sewing strips of fabric around the
edges.
• Instead of spending a lot of money to reupholster a worn sofa in the family
room, just wrap the cushions in blankets and throw a folded blanket across the
back.
• Use a permanent-press flat sheet to make an economical tablecloth that washes
and irons beautifully.
• Frame a piece of fabric left over from upholstering or decorating.
• Use leftover fabric to cover a lampshade.
• Create a table runner or placemats using pieces of fabric.
• Weave, braid, or crochet a rug using leftover fabric.
• Use scraps from old clothes and fabric to make hats or other accessories such
as headbands, ties, and bows.
• Save scraps for quilt patches, cushion covers, or potholder padding.
• Save fabric from shortened skirts, dresses, and trousers to make belts,
sashes, scarves, pocket handkerchiefs, or headbands to match the original
outfits or to contrast with other outfits.
• Donate old blankets, towels, and fabric scraps to animal shelters for pet
bedding.
• Cut up old t-shirts, worn out sheets, or fabric remnants to make braided
rugs.
DISCARDED PANTYHOSE
• Put a sponge inside an old pantyhose leg and use it for washing dishes or
windows; the rough texture of the stocking removes dirt.
• Because they are washable, old pantyhose make good stuffing for homemade
pillows, quilts, and toys.
DOWN-FILLED COATS AND VESTS
• Launder old down and reuse in pillows.
Make a lap robe or baby bunting.
• Make a new vest. Pull apart and save
the down for reuse. Use the old vest
fabric as a pattern to cut out a new vest, then sew together and stuff with the
old down
PATTERNS
• Look at your used patterns before buying new ones. By making a few changes or using a different fabric, you can
create a whole new look. For example,
you can omita collar or sleeve, make shorts from a pants pattern, make a
sleeveless waistcoat from a suit jacket, a shell top from a blouse pattern, or
a mini-skirt from a long skirt.
• See if a neighborhood group, the public library, or a local fabric store has
a “free pattern exchange” network. You can
choose a pattern you like and replace it with one you no longer need, such as
patterns for children’s clothes.
FURNITURE AND ANTIQUES
• Buy durable goods and repair them when possible.
• Refinish, paint, and restore furniture yourself. See the yellow pages for “Furniture - Repairing &
Refinishing.”
• Use professional repairers/refinishers when necessary.
• See the yellow pages for “Furniture - Repairing and Refinishing,” “Antiques -
Repairing and Restoring.”
• Donate old furniture to a theater company.
• Find a new use for an old piece of furniture.
• Rent furniture for parties or short-term use. See the yellow pages for “Furniture - Renting and Leasing.”
GARDEN TOOLS AND OUTDOOR FURNITURE
• Buy durable garden tools, new or used, and look after them so that they will
last. Repair when possible.
• Rent or share with a neighbor any garden tools used only occasionally. See the yellow pages for “Rental Service.”
• Buy durable outdoor furniture and repair when possible.
• Cover outdoor furniture with large garbage bags or bring indoors to protect it from the rain and extend
its life.
GARDEN HINTS
• Cut a piece of garden hose and use it to cover the blade of an axe or an ice
skate.
• Add more holes to a leaking hose with a flat nail, then use the hose to soak
the lawn or garden.
• Use old rake/mop/broom handles, pieces of molding, and pipe as garden stakes. Tie plants to the stakes with old pantyhose.
• Store your flower bulbs over the winter in old pantyhose or plastic mesh bags
hung in a dry, dark place. Use twist ties
to section off the bulbs by plant type and color.
• Use old wheelbarrows, washstands, or boxes for interesting plant containers.
• Use plant containers to hold gifts of seeds, garden tools, or cuttings from
your favorite plant.
• Find out if your local garden center can reuse your flower trays, posts, and
containers.
• Share plant cuttings with neighbors and friends.
• Collect seeds to share, use, or combine in seed packages for gifts.
HOME COMPUTERS
• Consider renting a computer or renting to own. See the yellow pages for “Computers -
Renting and Leasing.” Look for advertisements in free computer magazines.
• Exchange a skill you have for time on a friend’s computer.
• Watch for swap meets on computers and software.
• Donate your old computer or software to a school, special needs group,
seniors’ organization, or a charity.
HOME DECORATING AND BUILDING MATERIALS AND
TOOLS
• Buy building and decorating materials and tools at garage sales and demolition sales. See the yellow pages for “Building Materials
- Used.”
• Use alligator clips cut from old jumper cables to hold workshop projects
together.
• Instead of buying a tool that you need on few occasions, consider renting or borrowing one.
• Find out if your old tool needs a small part or minor repairs to get it
working again. See the yellow pages for
“Tools - Electric - Repairing.”
• Check for recycled content when buying materials to make repairs. Gypsum, insulation, and roofing materials made
with recycled content are available.
PAINT
• Use up that last bit of paint by applying another coat in heavy use areas.
• Try new wall painting techniques to use up small amounts of paint. Try sponging, stenciling, or using old
combs, drycleaner bags, and pieces of corrugated cardboard to create special
effects. See home decorating magazines
in the library for ideas.
• To brighten a room, instead of repainting the walls, paint an old plant
stand, mirror frame, or chair.
• Tired of your drab rattan or bamboo accessories? Give them a makeover by painting them. Use a brush and environment-friendly paint to add flowers or
vines.
• Transform those unmatched chairs into a new “set” for your dining room by
painting them all the same color or each one a different shade in a high-gloss
paint.
• Revitalize battered, hand-me-down dressers and tables by painting them in
bold, high-gloss colors.
• Call to see if you can donate leftover paint to a community center or summer
camp.
• Give leftover paint to a neighbor, or use it to paint the inside of
the garage or an old fence.
WOOD
• Add thin layers of dampened sawdust to your compost bin. Make sure it has not been chemically
treated.
• Sand pieces of wood to make a set of children’s building blocks.
Use lead-free paint or oil to finish.
• Make kindling from any wood that has not been pressure-treated, dipped in
creosote, or painted (these materials produce toxic emissions when burned).
• Refinish small wood scraps and screw in cup hooks to create a key holder.
• Use scrap wood for garden stakes.
• Use scrap wood to make birdhouses or feeders.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND MUSIC BOOKS
• Buy durable instruments and repair, restring, or recondition them when
possible. See the yellow pages for “Musical
Instruments - Repairing.”
• Take your instrument out and
play it again.
• Lend, sell, or donate instruments you no longer need.
• Put a notice up at the music school your child attends and offer to pass on
sheet music and books, such as sight-reading and scale books, as your child
progresses.
• Help set up a library of music that is
used only occasionally, such as duet books.
• Help set up a library for choirs and bands to share and exchange music.
• Use musical instruments that can no longer be played or repaired for home
decorating.
• Donate unplayable instruments to a theater company.
SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT
• Buy durable goods and repair them when possible. See the yellow pages for “Sporting Goods - Repairing.”
• Watch for swap meets where you can buy or sell equipment for a particular
sport, such as skiing, hockey, or baseball.
These meets are usually held at the start of the sport’s season.
• Donate equipment you no longer want to a charity, boys’ or girls’ club, scout group, or local team.
• Put up a notice to exchange, sell, or donate equipment at the community
center, golf course, or health club - wherever it makes sense to advertise the
equipment.
TOYS
• Ask if your local daycare, hospital, pre-school, or kindergarten
will accept used toys.
• Pass on toys your children have outgrown to relatives, friends, or neighbors.
• Instead of buying new toys, exchange a box of your toys with a box of your
friend’s or neighbor’s toys.
• Try making toys from everyday household items: paper, cardboard, or
fabric.
BECOME A TOY MAKER
• Make a cast of puppets from old socks decorated with buttons and yarn.
• Use old greeting cards glued to popsicle sticks to make puppets.
• Create a book about numbers, letters, seasons, and holidays. Cut out numbers, letters, or pictures from
old magazines and glue into an exercise
book.
• Write your own story and illustrate it with photographs or pictures from
magazines or greeting cards.
• Use poster paint and cardboard boxes to design your own dollhouse, car
garage, or play store. If you make a
store, stock it with empty containers, food boxes, and tins.
• Sew doll clothes from fabric scraps.
• Make a cardboard “tickle trunk” and fill it with old clothes, hats, and
curtain material.
• Glue a favorite photo from a calendar to a piece of cardboard and cut it into
pieces to make a puzzle.
For more information on Source Reduction
and Recycling, contact the US Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, 75
Hawthorne Street (E2), San
Francisco, CA 94105.
Recycle City is a complete “virtual community” with gaming
simulation to demonstrate home and community solid waste management
decisions. Information is available
from William C. Glenn in EPA Region 9 at 415-744-1281. It is available at http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity. Copyright 1996 by Purdue Research Foundation,
West Lafayette, IN 47907.
Reprinted with permission from the California Water Journal, Fall 2001, and the
California Rural Water
Association.
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