It’s an unfortunate fact that we throw away more than we need to in the United States. Even items such as clothing get thrown out in record amounts with each passing year — typically, between 12 and 13 million tons of clothing winds up in landfills. However, there is something that we can all do about it that will help the planet and other people: give your gently used clothing donations to charitable organizations.
There are a variety of different types of charities, from those that focus on helping families in need to those that collect disabled veterans donations. While each charity may have a different purpose, they all can use your discarded household items. This helps divert waste from the landfill and gives items to people in need.
If you’re not sure what to donate, here are some ideas to get you started:
Clothing Donations
Did you know that clothing donations are one of the easiest ways to help the planet? Most of the clothing that goes to a landfill is salvageable and can be sold once again; others are broken down and sold as recyclable materials or scraps. Only a small portion (about 5%) of clothing is actually unable to be reused and is considered waste.
If you have clothing to donate, there’s a good chance that anything in good condition will be donated to those who are in need or it will be sold in a secondhand shop. Most thrift stores will use the proceeds from clothing sales to benefit groups in need of charity.
Household ItemsWhether you want to help needy families or give disabled veterans donations they can use, there are plenty of things around your house that you can donate. Many charities will accept items such as small appliances, electronics, and even furniture, which is given to those who need it. Electronics are also recycled and donated by charities in order to prevent these items from ending up in the trash, too.
Toys
Toys may not sound like a necessity, but for families who have trouble affording Christmas or birthday presents, donating new or gently used, clean toys to a child can have plenty of benefits. Some charities will collect toys to give to children around the holidays. Because it’s easy to throw toys out once our children have outgrown them, it can be beneficial to check with your local charities to see if they have a need for those items instead.
Have you helped collect needy family or disabled veterans donations before? Tell us about your donation experience in the comments.
