March Waste Reduction Tips

Spring Cleaning, Recycling, Repurposing and More

This time of year, winter gives way to, well, more rain, making spring ideal for refreshing your home and renewing your commitment to the environment. As spring crops up, so do more opportunities to reduce your waste. Consider these helpful tips while spring cleaning.

Cleaning Supplies

Repurpose old brushes for cleaning.

Make Your Own Cleaners. Save money and avoid harsh chemicals, hazardous waste and extra packaging . With tips on how to make everything from all-purpose cleaner to silver polish, here are a few websites to help you get started: eartheasy, Homeguides, harmony1.

Use reusable rags, cloths, sponges and brushes instead of paper towels.

Share or borrow cleaning supplies and tools that you seldom use with your neighbors. Remember you can borrow supplies from our very own Ballard Tool Library!

Recycling Opportunities

Donate used bicycles and parts to BikeWorks in Columbia City. They also accept donations at the North and South Transfer stations.

Host a yard sale or clothing swap with your neighbors. Donate any unwanted items to a local charity.

Rebounces re-energizes flat tennis balls. Consider mailing them your flat tennis balls or purchasing their re-energized balls.

The Take Back Your Meds program offers convenient locations throughout Seattle to bring back your unused and expired medications – vitamins, over-the-counter medicine, prescription medication, pet meds, inhalers, samples and liquid medications. Find the closest drop-off.

Donate magazines to schools, gyms, day cares and doctors’ offices.

Re-purposing, Repairing and Reorganizing

Repurpose shoe boxes and gift boxes for storage. Reuse glass jars to keep nails, screws and other small supplies.

Before throwing a broken appliance away, look up local repair technicians. Many in Seattle can fix everything from furniture to cell phones. If you prefer to replace your broken item, donate it to a local technician for parts.

For a fun, useful and waste-free activity, host a clothing swap, where participants exchange items they no longer wear with other participants.

Maintaining

Reduce even more waste by taking care of what you already have.

Sharpen knives.

Take care of your clothes and make them last longer.  Check out these tips.

Clean home appliances. To prolong appliance life and reduce energy costs, remove dust from your refrigerator coil and freezer and lint from your dryer, furnace and vents.