This two (2) hour bus tour will give you a peek behind-the-scenes to find out what really happens when you dispose of waste and clear up the myth of throwing something “away”.
This event is available for City of San Diego residents ONLY. As a safety precaution, long pants and close-toed shoes are REQUIRED. A signed waiver will be required at the start of the tour. This tour is not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
This two (2) hour bus tour will give you a peek behind-the-scenes to find out what really happens when you dispose of waste and clear up the myth of throwing something “away”.
This event is available for City of San Diego residents ONLY. As a safety precaution, long pants and close-toed shoes are REQUIRED. A signed waiver will be required at the start of the tour. This tour is not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
This two (2) hour bus tour will give you a peek behind-the-scenes to find out what really happens when you dispose of waste and clear up the myth of throwing something “away”.
This event is available for City of San Diego residents ONLY. As a safety precaution, long pants and close-toed shoes are REQUIRED. A signed waiver will be required at the start of the tour. This tour is not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
This two (2) hour bus tour will give you a peek behind-the-scenes to find out what really happens when you dispose of waste and clear up the myth of throwing something “away”.
This event is available for City of San Diego residents ONLY. As a safety precaution, long pants and close-toed shoes are REQUIRED. A signed waiver will be required at the start of the tour. This tour is not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
This two (2) hour bus tour will give you a peek behind-the-scenes to find out what really happens when you dispose of waste and clear up the myth of throwing something “away”.
This event is available for City of San Diego residents ONLY. As a safety precaution, long pants and close-toed shoes are REQUIRED. A signed waiver will be required at the start of the tour. This tour is not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
This two (2) hour bus tour will give you a peek behind-the-scenes to find out what really happens when you dispose of waste and clear up the myth of throwing something “away”.
This event is available for City of San Diego residents ONLY. As a safety precaution, long pants and close-toed shoes are REQUIRED. A signed waiver will be required at the start of the tour. This tour is not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
By now, you are likely familiar with the 3 R’s of waste reduction: Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle. But do you know about the fourth R in waste reduction? REPAIR! Choose to repair slightly broken or damaged items and decrease the amount of trash that ends up in our landfills!
Repairing is the process of fixing an item that you own, like a ripped shirt or a broken fridge, and giving it a second life. With easy access to Do It Yourself (DIY) shows and websites like Pinterest and YouTube, many people are choosing to learn how to mend their clothes and fix their household items instead of purchasing new items. In-person FIX-IT Workshops and Repair Cafes are also growing in popularity worldwide and creating community spaces where folks can share their repair skills on clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, toys, and more.
When you learn to repair the items that you already own, you can find new ways to personalize your belongings and help conserve valuable resources
Currently, 1 in every 2 people are throwing their unwanted clothes into the trash, generating more than 16 million tons of textile waste per year in the US only. The EPA estimated that 2.2 million tons of waste also comes from our small appliances, with only 5.6% getting recycled. Let’s not add on to trash in the landfills – repair your items instead.
It is easy to see why more people are choosing to repair their items once you know the environmental benefits of it. Here are just a few more of the benefits when you choose to repair:
Saves money – For some items, it is less expensive to fix them than to replace them. If a fix isn’t too difficult, you can likely find a how-to online and fix the item yourself, leaving you to only pay for materials. When deciding to either repair or replace an item, most experts say to use the 50-percent rule: if the repair cost is estimated to be 50 percent or less than the amount you paid for the item, it is usually better to repair it.
Saves energy – Repairing an item, rather than replacing it, saves energy (and resources) that would be required to make something new. Even if an item can be recycled, such as a refrigerator or computer, energy is still saved by choosing to repair.
You learn new skills – Learning a new skill can be extremely rewarding and can help build confidence. Many people who mend and sow their clothes, for example, describe the activity as a stress-releaser that helps them build patience.
Keeps items out of landfills– Choosing to repair slightly broken or damaged items, instead of replacing them, keeps items that still have a useable life out of landfills. Often times, just a quick fix can extend the life of household items.
So now you know! Repair helps with waste reduction and can benefit you, your wallet, and the planet! Learn a new skill and help extend the life of the items you already own.
Looking to repair something immediately? Visit WasteFreeSD.org and search for repair shops near you that service anything from a refrigerator to a surfboard
Interested in in learning skills to help you repair items on your own?Check our events page for FIX-IT Workshops coming up!
Today’s blog comes from our Hotline Manager, Amanda! You may remember her from one of our most popular blogs, “Curbing Food Waste by Gleaning” which was all about reducing food waste. Now, she’s focused on reducing another common landfill item – construction and demolition debris. Whether you’re knocking down walls or swapping out home embellishments, you’ll be surprised how much can be recycled and repurposed! Read on to learn more about how you, too can help give these items a second life!
Are doing some remodeling around your home? According to the County of San Diego’s Public Works Department, each year 20% to 35% of the waste that goes to landfills in San Diego is generated from construction and demolition. This amounts to more than 1 million tons countywide. You probably already know a lot about recycling, so today we suggest thinking of a different “R” for your materials; reclaim and reimagine! You will keep valuable materials out of the landfill and make your home dazzling at the same time.
If the building materials you have are in good condition, consider donating them to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, which has locations in Mission Valley and Escondido. Items sold at these locations help to support Habitat for Humanity’s programs in San Diego County. Also, if you’re looking for materials to use for projects around your home, you can shop at ReStore too!
Habitat for Humanity ReStore not only accepts donated home materials, you can shop as well!
Reconstruction Warehouse is a local company that is also available to accept your reusable construction related materials and offers a place to shop for these materials. Reconstruction Warehouse builds custom furniture from reclaimed wood, and it’s quite beautiful! Click here to find out more about their pick-up program, plus you can also find them on Etsy!
Reconstruction Warehouse makes beautiful custom pieces out of reclaimed wood. Visit their website to learn more!
If you are lucky enough to come across some unique and/or antique items in your home remodel, Architectural Salvage is a great option to consider. They specialize in period building materials; from vintage doorknobs to stained art glass windows, and eclectic one-of-a-kind treasures. If you aren’t sure if your materials of value, give them a call and they will be able to lend a helping hand! Learn more about Architectural Salvage here.
If you would like a little help in your home remodel project, The ReUse People of America provide deconstruction services in San Diego County. They assist with deconstructing a building, rather than demolishing it. In doing so they are able to salvage up to 80% of the buildings materials. They can assist with both full and partial deconstruction, and they are a nonprofit organization which allows you to make tax-deductive donations to them by allowing them to keep your valuable deconstructed materials. More information about the ReUse People can be found here.
Lastly, other items you may end up with after a home remodel include Asphalt & Concrete, Brick/Masonry/Tile, Dirt and scrap metal. These are all items that can be recycled! You can find a location for these items, along with info on the companies listed above, by visiting WasteFreeSD.org!
Our friends at EDCO also operate SANCO, a recycling center in Lemon Grove specifically for construction and demolition debris. Click here to learn more!
Today’s blog comes form Amanda, ILACSD’s Hotline Manager, and she is here to show you how to reduce your use and reuse your clothing. You may even make a buck doing it! Read on to learn more about how this new trend not only benefits your wallet, it conserves our planet.
Did you know what the average American throws away 65 pounds of clothing each year? Recent reports show the steady decline of available space in our landfills and the majority of municipal solid waste can be diverted through recycling and reuse, and that includes textiles. Thus, we want to redirect our clothing and give it another life before it heads to its final resting place at the landfill. Buying and selling used clothing help to reduce the heavy burden on our local landfills, and it allows you to do your part in reducing your use of our finite resources on our planet.
Thanks in part to Macklemore’s hit “Thrift Shop”, buying used clothing has become one of the latest fashion trends. There are now many options beyond your local thrift store to buy and sell used clothing and other accessories – allowing shoppers to find one-of-a-kind pieces. Plus, you can have the peace of mind your favorite top or dress found a new home and you free up some space for some new-to-you treasures! To get started, visit www.WasteFreeSD.org and search “Thrift Stores” to find a variety of stores that buy and/or sell used-clothing near you! Here are some of our favorite used-clothing vendors:
Buffalo Exchange buys, sells, and trades gently used clothing, shoes and accessories. In San Diego, Buffalo Exchange has stores in Pacific Beach and Hillcrest. Before coming in to sell clothing for the first time, Buffalo Exchange recommends calling ahead to see what items the store is looking for at that time. Buffalo Exchange is also a donation point for authentic fur apparel. Items made of fur are donated to their Coats for Cubs program where the items are then sent to rehabilitation organizations around the U.S. to provide a natural environment for rescued animals. We certainly don’t endorse purchasing authentic fur apparel, but it’s great to know that there is a positive way to repurpose those. Don’t forget to bring your reusable bag to Buffalo Apparel, because when you refuse a plastic bag, they give you a token to place into the nonprofit container of your choice, and they will make a donation just because you brought your own reusable bag!
Online thrift storeshave also grown in popularity. They offer a wide variety of clothing for you to peruse and order from the comfort of your own home!ThredUP, for example, invites you to order a FREE Clean Out Bag online, stuff it with your unwanted items and then ship your clothing to be sold online. Any items that are not in a reusable condition go to their charitable partners or textile recyclers.
Vinted is another website and convenient smartphone app. You take pictures of the items you want to sell, list what condition it is in, and correspond directly with the buyer. Vinted handles the financial transaction for you, and you ship the items yourself to the buyer.
Acting locally is always best when it comes to reusing clothing you’ve grown tired of. Gather together a group of your best friends and have a clothing swap night! Emily, one of our environmental educators, recently hosted one at her church and it was a hit! Approximately 10 people attended and walked away with at least 5 new items – all for FREE! The remaining 143 items, a combination of shoes, accessories and clothes, were donated to the church’s clothing closet. Just because you are tired of your floral pink blouse doesn’t mean your friend is! This not only helps to reuse clothing, it reduces the need for greenhouse gases created in shipping clothing around the country.
Finally, if you just can’t seem to part with some sentimental pieces of clothing, repurposing is always a great option! If you have an old sweater that has seen better days, turn it into a cute scarf or even a reusable cozy for your coffee cup. Old t-shirts can also be turned into dog toys, bags or even a rug. The ideas are limitless!
Today’s blog comes from our Hotline Manager, Amanda! You may remember her from one of our most popular blogs, 
