ReUse – Green is the New Black
A Non-Fictional Account of This Mom’s Attempt to Save…her planet – one reused item at a time.
With the focus lately being on recycling, reducing and reusing, saving the planet, the environment and your neighborhood, we thought this would be a great new way to think of freebies – “outside the box.”
It may seem like a strange question on a freebie site, but do you know where your local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility is located? Most locations offer free drop-off on certain days, and some even offer free pick-ups of used automobile oil, e-waste, etc.
AND did you know in many areas this can mean freebies?! We know that getting free hazardous waste probably doesn’t sound like a great offer, but check this out. Rather than them having to dispose of perfectly usable stuff, many HHW facilities promote reuse by allowing residents to get things (free!) I’ve gotten all kinds of goodies, such as household cleaners, laundry stain remover, pool chemicals, car wash & wax, brake fluid, transmission fluid, fertilizer, paint and caulk. I even picked up a nice, working microwave for a friend! And my local HHW also offers compost for lawn & garden use. Use the locator below to find your neighborhood HHW facility, and find out if they also participate in the reuse/giveaway program.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) are wastes produced in our households that are hazardous in nature, but are not regulated as hazardous waste under federal and state laws. If carelessly managed, these consumer waste products can create environmental and public health hazards. How great would it be if we reused that stuff instead of tossing it?! And, how great to get household products absolutely free!
HHW generally falls into six categories:
- Cleaning Products: aerosols, bathroom cleaners, drain cleaners, chlorine bleach, solvents, spot removers, toilet cleaners, oven cleaners, rug and floor cleaners, furniture polish.
- Auto Maintenance: car waxes, starting fluids, solvent cleaners, antifreeze, repair products, batteries, brake fluid, motor oil, gasoline.
- Home Environment and Improvement Supplies: oil based stains and paints, caulking, varnish, paint thinners, chemical strippers, fire extinguishers, flea collars and sprays, insect repellents, insecticides, kerosene, lighter fluid, lye, mothballs, pool chemicals. Contrary to popular belief, dried latex paint is not a hazardous waste material.
- Hobby Products: glues, paints, stains, finishes, contact cement, photographic chemicals.
- Personal Care and Pharmaceuticals: nail polish and remover, hair color, prescription drugs, mercury thermometers.
- Lawn and Garden Care: weed and pest killers, herbicides, fungicides, and other lawn chemicals.
Find your local HHW site
Find a local HHW facility at www.earth911.com, or do a Google search for your local HHW facility.
Promote Responsible Reuse & Recycling
If reusing with your local HHW facility isn’t for you, you can still get freebies. Sign up to receive free posters and literature from the US government to promote responsible handling of HHW in your business, home or classroom. Parents and teachers can also teach children to be stewards of our planet with EPA Planet Protectors games and activities.
Local Reuse Groups
While we’re talking local, you can get free stuff right in your neighborhood! And you can get rid of your clutter too! Don’t pay the trash man to haul it away when someone out there can probably use stuff you don’t need anymore. Rather than add it to the landfills – give it away! It’s such a wonderful feeling to know someone can use the stuff that’s cluttering your life, and you’ll build your community by sharing with your neighbors. ReUse organizations such as Freecycle, ReUseIt, Sharing Is Giving, and others, have established themselves online with millions of members, all committed to helping save the planet. Yahoo! Groups hosts thousands of reuse groups, and they have a nice locator map where you can find your local group in any network.