If you are like me, you are always looking for hot tips on ways to recycle, give back and live a more sustainable lifestyle. Here in my local community of the Queen Anne neighborhood (in Seattle), I've collected a few tips and tricks you may not know about!
A few of these are available to you in any city, or perhaps you can find something similar in your community as well?
1. Need to donate or find something for free? Join your local "Buy Nothing" group. This is a Facebook group that is a micro community of people usually within a mile radius of where you live. People can post GIFTED items, meaning things they are wanting to part with, that you can claim for free! You can also post an ASK, if there is something you are seeking, that perhaps someone may already have that is willing to loan or gift it to you.
2. Have extra books laying around, or need a new read? Find a Free Little Library near you, and drop off those read books, and swap out for a fresh one. I like to drop off my finished books here, and on occasion I have also found something new to read!
3. Don't recycle those Amazon boxes just yet! Here on Queen Anne, there is a lovely gift shop/boutique that also doubles as a shipping hub! When you have extra boxes from online orders and you aren't able to re-purpose them, I always drop them off at the Queen Anne Dispatch. They always appreciate the donated packaging materials - which saves them from being recycled, and instead can be re-used to package up someone's order!
4. Love Olive Oil? I prefer to buy my olive oil local, organic and family owned. We're lucky and have the Queen Anne Olive Oil company. An adorable tasting room, and not any more expensive than buying from the store. Plus they will take back your bottles when you are finished and reuse them!
5. Have a collection of glass jars with lids? And I mean anything and everything from mason jars, to jam jars to spaghetti sauces, etc. If you are running out of uses to re-purpose your extra glass jars - AND want to save it a trip to the recycle, you can drop off clean jars with lids to the Eco Collective in Ballard. They keep extras on hand for customers bulk-shopping and appreciate the donation! So pay it forward to those who go bulk shopping, but forgot to BYO(jar)!
6. BONUS! Shop second-hand here locally at Simple & Just! They sell pre-loved current trends and amazing prices. And they give back to a good cause!
Have any more tips for us here in Seattle? Or any that may apply to any city? Please email or DM us on Instagram and we'll add your tips to this post, or a future article!
