“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” – Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Since Marie Kondo’s Netflix show, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, I’ve been reading article after article about how Americans have become inspired to empty their closets and declutter their lives. There’s a lot of truth to what Marie Kondo says that what you possess is a matter of how you want to live your life and what you prioritize. I’ve personally enjoyed watching her show when I’ve had time to catch it. It’s a masterclass not only in tidying your surroundings but also being joyful in your space.
If you’ve been caught in the joyful wave of tidying up, one of the things you’re probably wondering is where you can donate your unwanted items. Before we get to that (yes, I have a solution for you), allow me to share with you a few of the realities about what we throw away and the need of millions of people around the world.
- Americans throw away an average of 81 pounds of clothing a year.
- Consumers are the largest contributors to waste in landfills.
- 70 percent of the global population uses recycled clothing, shoes and related accessories.
Challenge of Landfill Space
There’s another challenge that’s happening globally, and that’s the fact that landfill space has become scarcer. For years, China was the world’s garbage collector, if you will. In 2017, it banned plastics, unless they are 99 percent pure, which has caused significant disruptions in the recycling industry and caused a crisis in Southeast Asia, with other countries accepting the waste of developed nations. Although the U.S. does export waster, in our country, we’re also running out of the space we have for our waste.
Add to this the environmental and health challenges that landfills cause. Climate change has become one of the top priorities of the world because our planet is in a crisis in continuing to be able to sustain life without massive changes by the people on this planet. We also know that people who live near landfills have a much high incidence of respiratory and other illnesses because of the exposure to the toxins that go into the air when things decompose near their homes. Decomposing waste poisons not only go into the air, but these toxins can also seep into the earth and water supply.
Solution: Rethink Recycling
World leaders and government officials understand that we have massive waste, climate and health problems in the world because of how we treat what we no longer want or need. In today’s world, it’s no longer good enough to recycle our bottles, cardboard and newspapers. We have to repurpose and recycle enormous amounts of waste in the hopes of creating sustainability for our planet and all living things. In other words, we have to rethink recycling beyond the basics.
Head2Toe Recycling, which is one of our brands, has created a solution. My team and I have been aware of the waste situation because of our shoe drive fundraising brands where we repurpose shoes collected in the U.S. and ship them to micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries. We understand there was a more significant demand for clothing, accessories and cell phones in developing nations, which can be reused. We also recognized the destruction that is happening on our planet because of the trash we accumulate.
An Invitation
We’re all proud of Head2Toe Recycling, because it’s an opportunity to not just talk about helping the planet and its people, but doing something about it. What we realized in our work is that people want to make a social impact and leave a legacy, but they don’t know where to begin. If they happen to find organizations who recycle, at times, these groups are not accepting used clothing, accessories or mobile devices because of the disruption that’s happening in the recycling business.
Head2Toe Recycling is accepting your unwanted clothing, accessories and cell phones because we have the global infrastructure in place to handle the demand. So, we’re inviting you to do something today. When you recycle your clothes, accessories and mobile phones, here’s the impact you’re making:
- You’re tidying up your home and getting rid of the items you no longer need in a socially responsible way and with a group of people who have the proven expertise to get your unwanted stuff into the hands of people who need them.
- Your contribution helps support charities here in the U.S. We’ll issue a check to Feed the Children, Wounded Warrior Project, American Cancer Society, ASPCA or Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America for what you send us.
- You’re helping the planet because, as was stated earlier, we have a massive garbage problem on our hands. It’s no longer good enough to recycle bottles and paper. We need to do more; that’s the reality.
- You provide micro-entrepreneurs living in poverty with an opportunity to take what you no longer want and sell the stuff in their communities or create other uses with the material. In other words, you create a lasting legacy.
Consider this your invitation to rethink recycling; experience sustainability simplified; and, tidy up your home, after watching Marie Kondo or reading her book, of course.
© 2019 Wayne Elsey. All Rights Reserved