Did you know November 15 is America Recycles Day? Every year in November, we are given the opportunity to take a step back and reflect on our relationship with the planet. It’s a chance for us to consider our own personal impact on the environment as well as our collective impact as a species, and whether we are on a trajectory that’s sustainable for the Earth that provides us with the conditions we need to survive.
For many people America Recycles Day is an annual
reminder of the importance of recycling the plastic, cardboard, aluminum, and
polystyrene in which our foods and drinks are packaged. But what about
some of the other byproducts of our lives that can’t be taken to a can
redemption center at the supermarket?
To celebrate America Recycles Day, we wanted to
give a shout-out to our friends at the Arc Otsego ReUse Center for the important work
they do in removing some of our would-be trash from the waste stream. The ReUse
Center collects a variety of hard furniture, wood, extra building
materials, and various household items, and then offers it back to the
community at an affordable price. The center also accepts and recycles
polystyrene, increasing recycling options in the Oneonta area. Continue reading
to learn about the importance of limiting our waste and reusing where possible!
Why Is it Important to Reuse and Upcycle?
In 2018, the United States produced 292.4
million tons of garbage, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Of that
amount, about 70 million tons was recycled, 25 million tons was composted, and
more than 146 million tons of garbage was sent to the nation’s landfills.
From a consumer’s perspective, we may not
think too much about what happens to an item when we throw it out. We purchase
something, we use it, we take it out with the trash, and as far as we’re
concerned once the garbage truck hauls it away, it ceases to exist. But
unfortunately this is not the case; when something is manufactured, unless it
is recyclable or biodegradable, it’s here on
Earth to stay.
That’s where reusing and upcycling comes in! We’ve all heard the phrase
“One man’s trash is another man’s
treasure,” and in today’s world where there is so much stuff, you don’t
need to look any further than your own community to find your next project or opportunity to donate.
“Our mission at NYCM Insurance has always
been to protect what matters most to you,” said NYCM Insurance Senior Vice
President of Customer Relations Management Jeremy Robinson. “On America Recycles Day,
we’re all thinking about what steps we can take to protect our planet and
promote a sustainable future for our children. We’re proud of our green
initiatives at NYCM, including paperless billing and paid volunteer time
allowing employees to give back to the Earth and their communities, and are
further inspired by the work our partners at the Arc Otsego ReUse Center are
doing. As we continue to explore different ways to take care of our planet,
we’re grateful to have organizations like the Arc Otsego ReUse Center by our
side.”
What Is the Arc Otsego ReUse Center?
The ReUse Center was opened in 2017 in
Oneonta, NY by Arc Otsego with the mission to collect usable items destined for
a landfill and offer them to people in the community at an affordable price.
Since its inception the ReUse Center has kept over 3 million pounds of reusable items out
of landfills and has recycled more than 20,000 pounds of polystyrene.
“The Otsego ReUse Center is a project of The Arc Otsego,” said Faith
Tiemann, Chief Marketing Officer of The Arc Otsego. “In addition to all we do
there to reduce our impact on the environment, we also employ individuals with
disabilities, and all proceeds from the Otsego ReUse Center help to meet the mission
of The Arc Otsego, which is to provide supports, services and advocacy to
assist individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities to
live rich, fulfilling lives.”
The ReUse Center accepts a variety of
used items including solid wood furniture, doors and door hardware, cabinet
sets and hardware, tools, glass, lighting, solid wood and laminate flooring,
electrical parts, bath and plumbing fixtures, metal roofing, and more. They do
not accept all items—for instance upholstered furniture, combustibles,
appliances, or electronics will not be accepted. For a complete list of items
the ReUse Center accepts, click here.
By collecting items that still have some
life left in them and offering them to members of the community, the ReUse Center is taking tangible
steps to reduce the amount of waste entering the local landfills. In addition
to being a collection center, the ReUse Center is also a thrifty store
providing affordable and useful items to people in need.
The items sold by the ReUse Center are not always used; local businesses donate
new furniture and carpets to the center to be sold to the community at a
fraction of their original cost.
How Can You ReUse?
There are many ways to reduce your waste
in addition to the services offered by the ReUse Center. You can start by
trying to buy used goods where you can, like at thrift stores or garage sales.
Sometimes all an item needs is a little bit of tender loving care to begin its
second wind as something new or return to its former glory.
You can also reuse by thinking twice
before throwing something out. While there’s something to be said for going out
with the old and in with the new, in some cases our possessions still have some
life left in them or can be repurposed when they may appear to be at the end of
the line. Before you throw something out, remind yourself that once it’s taken
away in the trash, it will likely end up in a landfill somewhere forever. Try
to minimize your impact where you can.
While America Recycles Day provides us with a formal
opportunity to consider our relationship with the planet, understanding and
reducing your impact on the environment should be a year-long
consideration. Continue reading for our guide on how to find pieces to upcycle
as another way to reduce your waste!
