by Mike Ohrberg
The holidays are over, and it’s time to get back to the nitty-gritty of life. If you’re anything like me, you’ve kicked off the New Year with goals and tasks you would like to accomplish in 2013. How about making this the year that you are more aware of your carbon footprint and the impact you are having on the environment? With some very simple changes, you can become more eco-conscious and save yourself some money too!
One of the best ways to decrease your carbon footprint is to recycle! Recycling old and unused items helps keep materials out of our landfills. In addition, recycling conserves natural resources, saves energy and lowers greenhouse gas emissions.
Local contractors and Do-It-Yourself neighbors are recycling AND saving money on materials that are in good condition by shopping at one of our conveniently located ReStores. ReStores are retail outlets where donated items are resold at heavily discounted prices. Inventory comes from major retailers with overstock, homebuilders with left over materials and private donations from local residents.
Here are some other ways you can improve the environment in 2013 while saving yourself time and money as well:
ü Get organized. Cleaning out your garage and storage closets may reveal items you forgot you owned! Before running out to buy new things, see what you already have that might still be good or usable. Items that you don’t want can be donated to charity to help make room for new items.
ü Repurpose items. Before purchasing new items, consider the ones you already have! At the ReStore, we enjoy watching shoppers use their creativity in remodeling or updating their homes. We’ve seen folks turn a window shutter into a photo frame and a cut duct into a candle holder. Before you throw things away, consider using them for other purposes. There are hundreds of videos and articles online demonstrating the different ways to give something a new purpose.
For more information, please contact Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley at 951-676-1221 or visit them on the web at www.habitat4inlandvalley.org. Volunteers can sign up through the website or by calling the phone number.
Mike Ohrberg is the Director of Restores. Shop or donate your unwanted household items to the Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley ReStores. The Temecula ReStore is located at 27479 Enterprise Circle West. The Lake Elsinore ReStore is located at 570 Central Avenue, Suite I. Habitat for Humanity will pick up your donations, if needed. For more information, visit www.habitat4inlandvalley.org.