Scrap Recycling Forum

Ya very great idea ..I agree this and it is a very valid point..

absolutely correct but it has some limitations, we cant re-use everything... like we can re-use glass , pass on our used clothes, books, shoes to needy...

Reuse - it's better than recycling!
Examples of various programs that try to match those who want to discard items and those who would like to receive or buy those items include:

California Materials Exchange (CALMAX)
CALMAX is a free service sponsored by the California Integrated Waste Management Board to advertise materials that can be bought, sold or given away. It is designed to help businesses find markets for materials they have traditionally discarded. For a free catalog, call 1-877-520-9703 or go to California Materials Exchange (CalMAX) Home Page.

UC Davis Bargain Barn
The Bargain Barn sells excess and surplus equipment to campus departments and to the public. Call 752-2145 for a price list. The Bargain Barn is open Monday-Thursday 8:15 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. and Friday 8:15 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.

Internet Newsgroups
Post items you would like to sell or give away at no cost. Using an internet browser, type inside the address box: news:ucd.swap or news:sac.swap. Or post at: craigslist classifieds: jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, events, forums or The Freecycle Network.

Check out the California Materials Exchange 1-877-520-9703

Davis Enterprise
Davis Enterprise - Your Local News
Items can be listed in the “free section" for 3 days at no cost.

Thrift Stores
Local thrift stores are an excellent place to donate a wide variety of reusable goods. Check out our Recyclopedia to see what items each store will accept. Please call individual stores to verify drop-off times and locations as well as if they can currently accept the items you wish to donate.

R & R Thrift 1640 E 8th Street, Davis (530) 759-9659
Yolo County SPCA 920 3rd St., Davis 758-0544
Yolo Hospice Thrift Shoppe 607 Main St., Woodland 668-1599
Goodwill Store 120 Main Street, Woodland 668-8249
Salvation Army Thrift Store 430 College Woodland 662-6129
La Mariposa Thrift Store 1392 E. Main St., Woodland 661-7077
Thrift Store Outlet 106 W. Main St., Woodland 669-6988
2007 Reusable Products Days:
Many times residents turn in items at the household hazardous waste drop-off days that are still usable.

Come to the Yolo County Central Landfill 9:00am- 11:00am on reusable product days to get free reusable household products like paints, cleaners, etc. Call the landfill (666-8729) for more information.

Other Reuse Ideas:
When possible, mend clothes and repair worn shoes, boots, handbags.
Buy reusable products and avoid single-use items.
Reuse bags, containers, paper, boxes and other items.
Reuse paper and plastic bags and twist ties. You might keep a supply of bags or boxes in your car to reuse on your next shopping trip.
If you buy only one or two items and did not bring your own bag, carry your purchases without a bag.
Take advantage of offers by grocery stores that provide a cash credit for reusing their grocery bags.
Reuse scrap paper. Staple together sheets of scrap paper to make note pads and shopping lists.
Use both sides of a piece of paper before recycling it.
Save and reuse gift boxes, ribbons, tissue paper and larger pieces of wrapping paper.
Reuse newspaper, polystyrene peanuts and "blister-wrap" to ship your next fragile package. Use brown paper bags to wrap parcels.
Borrow, rent or share things you use infrequently.
Share newspapers and magazines. Bring them to work or offer them to your doctor's office.
Donate or resell items to thrift stores or organizations in need.

for more...
Re-use is better than recycling!

We're a society filled with environmental do-gooders. Most of us have picked up the habit of collecting piles of newspapers and lugging them out to the curb and filling our blue recycling bins with plastics and glass.

Some of us go the extra green mile, always on the lookout for recycling drives and even paying to have old household appliances and technology recycled. Buying natural and organic items for our homes is a source of pride, as well.

We are doing our part to save the planet, and we're proud of it.

But the second of the "three R's" -- reduce, reuse, recycle -- doesn't seem to be getting its fair share of the action.


4 ways to reuse


Once an item is no longer new, there are several ways to either make money or save money:

1. Reuse it -- for its original purpose a new purpose.
2. Give it away -- to someone who can reuse it.
3. Sell it -- recoup original cost while reusing.
4. Buy it used -- reuse it and save money.


"Keeping up with the Joneses can influence how people want to be perceived. Recycling can be a good duty, while reusing is being cheap and maybe indicating that you don't have enough finances to buy new," says Donna Watkins, whose Web site TheFrugalLife.com and 13,400-circulation e-mail newsletter provide information on how to live frugally with the resources you have.

Re-use term can only bring advantage only to those products which can b re-used after certain modifications. But it is not applicable and advisable to those which cannot be reused in any way.

Properly use your appliances in your home. like for e.g Turn off the power of Refrigerators when you are away for a long time. This would help in reducing the emission of harmful gas(fluoro carbons) if i am right.

These small steps would help us in a big way.