Shopping Reuse Material is Almost Too Good To Be True

So you’re thinking of remodeling your home but you’re concerned about the high cost of materials?

Or while looking at your soon to be remodeled kitchen or bathroom, you have a slight ting of guilt because none of the materials are really that bad?

Maybe you wonder if replacing all these things means that they end up in a landfill somewhere?

Although you can’t solve all the world’s problems, it turns out that selling or donating your used materials can help to alleviate some of the many issues plaguing our current housing and environmental situation. From helping to reduce waste, to making remodeling more affordable to lower income families, to providing jobs in the local economy and of course, saving you some money along the way. Engaging in the reuse construction economy is a great way to create a win-win-win for your community, your wallet and the environment.

How big is this problem?

The thing is according to the EPA, 45 million tons of construction material ends up in US landfills each year.  And it turns out that a lot of the material that ends up in US landfills is not at the end of its life. This is material that can be reused, and is often practically brand new.  Kitchen sinks, toilets, carpets, cabinets, wooden floors- all items that remodelers are unknowingly paying to haul away to landfills.  At the same time, the cost of new construction material is at an all-time high, contributing to our country’s affordable housing crisis.  This is value lost. But the good news is that we can help you capture some of this value. If you are not sure what Reuse is then we invite you to read our last post here. Today we want to talk more about why reuse is good for your wallet, good for the environment and good for our communities. It is a win-win-win for everyone involved. At a time when it is hard to find good news, or hear of things that make lives and the environment better, here is one!

So how is it good for my wallet?

You may not realize this, but when you remodel a space, you are paying a hauling company to take all the trash and stuff it in a landfill. It costs money to throw away stuff! However, it does not have to be this way. When you choose reuse, you could save this money by donating your materials and having a reuse center pick up all the stuff for free! And if you want to make some money, you could even sell the items yourself, using our platform or any of the local free community platforms. Not only do you end up reducing the amount of waste you produce, reducing your carbon footprint, but you also help out your community.

So how is it that this helps my community?

The first reason is that you are helping another family have a dream kitchen for a fraction of the price. With construction materials at an all time high, many families are unable to purchase the things they need to keep their homes updated. However, when there are more second hand construction materials, these families can grab materials for a fraction of the price. Thus you are helping to keep families in their communities. On top of that, many of the reuse centers offer work training opportunities and create jobs for the local economy. So instead of creating waste, you are helping to create jobs locally.

So how is it good for my environment?

In three different ways, by saving waste from the landfill, by reducing the amount of new material creation, and by reducing new construction material shipping fuel. The first is the most simple, because you choose to engage the reuse economy, you are saving that material from ending up in landfills. Second, since you are donating or buying reuse material, then the materials for a new kitchen or bathroom do not need to be excavated or taken from newly downed trees. You are helping to preserve vital natural resources. And third, because reuse is usually hyper local, your remodel material ends up with someone in your city. This means, instead of having to ship materials across the country or the world, the shipping is usually no more than 20 miles. Saving a lot of fuel.

Join us!

So don’t wait any longer. If you are thinking of remodeling, let us know so we can help you save money, help your community and save the environment.