Reuse means extending the life of the things you take into your house. Creative reuse can be fun, rewarding, and will help change the way you think about what you buy!

How Can I Reuse My Household Goods?

Don’t Discard – Repair!
Instead of throwing away your torn or broken goods, get out the needle and thread, screwdriver, hammer and nails and repair! Or, support your local businesses by taking your complex jobs to a local furniture maker, electronics shop, etc.

Freecycle!
Marin Freecycle is a group where people post goods that are no longer of use to them. These goods can be claimed for free by other list-members. This can be a great way to get rid of your things, and a fun way to hunt for new treasure!

Support Your Local Recycle Circus
West Marin is home to a Recycle Circus that shows a lot of creative ways to repurpose old material

Take Advantage of Take-Back Programs
Patronize companies that offer voluntary take-back programs for the products they sell, such as Home Depot’s fluorescent bulb recycling program. To find recycling locations near you, visit the Earth911 website.

Ask for More Take-Back Programs
When you buy a product, don’t be afraid to ask the retailer to take-it-back at the end-of-life. If enough consumers request take-back programs, retailers and manufacturers will get the message and find ways to work together to make this happen. It really works!

The MSS also has a great list of recycling resources and take-back programs – http://zerowastemarin.org/zero-waste-101/recycling-guide/