Green Living Resources
Sustainability and stewardship.
Our green living resource list encourages sustainable living, which is important for healthy homes and our Earth. Our goal is to help reduce consumption and unnecessary waste in the landfills.
Hazardous Household Waste
Outdated or broken electronics, such as TV's, cell phones, computers, small and large appliances. Hazardous Chemicals such as weed killer and cleaning solutions.
Electronics Recycling: Best Buy will accept many electronics. Everything from cell phones to old printers. Click here for a list.
Old Cell Phones: Target and Best Buy have drop bins for old cell phones, which they either refurbish or recycle for a good cause.
Target also recycles plastic shopping bags and plastic bottles and cans in the drop off bins behind the cashiers in every store.
Household larger appliance recycling: The EPA’s RAD (Responsible Appliance Disposal) program has a link Find a RAD Partner Program to help you find the recycling source in your area. In most cases this is a free local service and you may even be eligible for a rebate under certain conditions.
Hazardous Waste Days Check with your local township or municipality to see if they offer hazardous waste days.
These are designated days a few times a year when they collect electronic waste or hazardous chemicals for safe disposal.
Earth 911 Another great resource for all things green living. Has helpful links to learn where you can recycle locally.
Plastic recycling can be very confusing. Here’s how to know what can go in your recycling bin and what needs to go elsewhere.
Learn more about Plastic Recycling at how2recycle.info and plasticfilmrecycling.org
Expired or used car seats: Car seats are made of plastic which becomes brittle over time and hazardous. Target offers a Car Seat Trade In Program twice a year. They take back your old car seats for proper disposal and give you a 20% off coupon for a new car seat, stroller or baby gear.
Clothing & Household Items
Green Drop will pick up bags of unwanted clothes right at your door. Choose your charity: National Federation for the Blind, Purple Heart, St. Vincent dePaul or the American Red Cross.
The Salvation Army will pick up bags of clothing and home decor items too.
Tattered Clothing Know for sure your old clothes are not acceptable for wearing? Donate them to Planet Aid (easy-to-find yellow bins) where they will be recycled into pillow stuffing, wipes and carpet padding.
Consignment Shops You can sell your items in these local second hand shops. A certain percentage goes to the shop owner for managing the sale.
These shops are a great choice for your better items, like designer handbags or jewelry or even furniture.
Consignment shops have specific days each month when you can bring your items for appraisal, which is different from thrift stores where you can just drop off any day. You’ll need to call ahead.
SELL ONLINE
Here are some popular options to sell clothing and other household items.
ThredUp Mail your clothes in best condition to ThredUp and they buy it or consign for you. Click here to learn how to order their Cleanout Kit.
Mercari This smartphone app that is so simple to use. You can sell clothes or household items on Mercari. Snap some photos of your items, add a description and price and you’re products get national attention. Mercari makes it easy to ship with their prepaid shipping labels.
Facebook Marketplace and Local Yard Sale Groups Facebook makes it simple to post . You can meet up locally to sell your items and avoid shipping costs.
DONATE LAPTOPS AND SMARTPHONES
DONOR CONNECTION
DonorConnection’s mission is to support charities through computer reuse and recycling. Devices received by DonorConnection are refurbished and sold. The revenue from sales is awarded to charity partners. Partners include HopeCam, Computers for the Blind, Children of the Nations, and World Computer Exchange.
Donating a laptop or cell phone starts by filling out an online form and then receiving a prepaid UPS mailing label and links to the Device Passports. Donations are packaged and dropped off at a local UPS collection site. Once received, donations are processed, and the donor’s Device Passports are updated. Device Passports are web pages created for each device that prove devices were processed and their data was securely wiped. The proof of data wipe is even recorded on a blockchain to ensure the report was not altered.
DonorConnection only accepts functional laptops and cell phones that are less than seven years old. Donors receive a donation receipt for tax deduction purposes for all items donated. Pickups for large quantities and businesses can be arranged.
Personal Help
Do you think you may be a Clutterer or Hoarder? Clutterer's Anonymous is a Compassionate 12 Step Group.
Click here to learn more and find a meeting in your area.
Another helpful resource is The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA). This government agency offers a helpline for information on local treatment and community-based organizations to help you overcome your shopping habit.
Everyday Life Choices for Sustainable Living
STOP OR REDUCE JUNK MAIL
The FTC’s instructions on how to stop junk mail, unsolicited phones calls and emails.
Eco-Cycle gives these step by step instructions to stop all junk mail.
Ten Simple Choices we can make for a healthier planet by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ) and the US Dept of Commerce
Online store with products that are plastic-free, zero-waste & ethically sourced such as bar shampoos and toothbrushes made from bamboo.
Compostable trash bags from If You Care. These are made from POTATOES!
The So Kind Registry Start a registry of non consumer gifts.
SoKind is a registry and wishlist service that encourages the giving of homemade gifts, charitable donations, secondhand
goods, experiences, time, day-of-event help, and more.
The So Kind Registry is a project of New Dream, a non profit devoted to reducing excess consumerism.