Our planet has a limited number of natural resources, and we’re using them faster than we can replenish them. It’s a good idea to think about the 90s rule of repurpose, reuse, and recycle.
I enjoy getting the newest and greatest things, but it feels more satisfying to find items before they end up in the landfill. I recently redid the inside of my house, and while I did spend money on new curtains and rods, I also saved money by redesigning and repurposing what I already had. We have some cheap wood furniture that was in the house when we bought it 25 years ago. I never liked it. The colors were stained wood, and none of it matched, and the designs were all over the place. It made the space look confusing. My solution was to give it all a matching paint job. I painted most of the pieces glossy black and topped them with a green metallic paint. The results are amazing. They all match, and the green mixed with a few fake plants adds a pop of color that flows and matches throughout the space. I also had a small table that was being stored in a corner, collecting dust and chipping away from water damage. I sanded it down and painted the body a copper color and topped it with a metallic red. It matches the accents of my bedroom, and I took that same red color and added it to signs I made to decorate the walls. Both examples saved these pieces from going to the landfill or me buying all new furniture.
Recycling is crucial for keeping our demand on natural resources in check, especially in technology. I wrote an article a few weeks ago about taking old technology to Apple to have it recycled. That’s a fantastic way to help the environment and protect your data. Another thing to do is to hold a yard sale or donate items to thrift stores. There are always options for most of your household goods if they’re in decent condition. Someone will buy them and either restore them or add them to their space as is. If you do have to dump something, think about sorting out the products that recyclers can turn into new products. The old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” is often true.
No matter how we choose to dispose of our old things, we need to declutter our lives. We need to live simply and remember that we’re sharing these resources for generations to come.
How do you put the rule of repurpose, reuse, and recycle into practice?
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