You can also share your stuff with people in your local community – use the Freecycle Network or BuyNothing Facebook groups where members give and get free items.
https://komonews.com/news/consumer/repurposing-old-clothes-whats-best-toss-donate-or-recycle
Cardboard boxes: If using sites like Craigslist, Freecycle or Nextdoor for reusable items, take precautions when arranging pickups or drop offs – all parties should wear face coverings, keep six feet apart, avoid physical contact, and wash their hands before and after the exchange.
https://patch.com/california/berkeley/city-berkeley-keep-berkeley-clean-cal-students-move
To catch people unlawfully dumping garbage along roadways during the past year, the Ventura County Public Works Agency installed motion-activated, hidden cameras in strategic locations along rural roads. The cameras upload images to the Internet and send incriminating evidence of people dumping, showing their vehicle and license plates to county staff. In response, the Public Works Agency files a police report which is then investigated by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. In most cases a citation is issued, and the responsible party is required to appear in court
Books free of mold, mildew or water stains may also be donated to thrift stores; sold on sites such as eBay, Craigslist, or OfferUp; or given away through sites such as Freecycle or bookmooch.com.
Freecycle is an online recycling and reuse network that focuses on keeping useable home items out of landfills. By joining a local chapter in your area, you can list your stuff online for others in your community to take. All items listed on Freecycle are free with no strings attached. The network strives to reducewaste and saves precious resources.
https://www.housebeautiful.com/home-remodeling/a35227247/donate-furniture-household-items/
Of course, Ventura County’s productive soil and sunny climate sometimes result in an excess of food produced by diligent gardeners. Avoid food waste of this type by giving excess to neighbors and friends. To give away food while social distancing, put a box of your excess produce on your curbside with a sign saying “Free,” or list it for free curbside pickup on Freecycle.com, the Ventura County Free Barter and Trade Facebook group, or the free section of Craigslist. For especially large harvests, contact Food Forward or FOOD Share, which glean for the hungry.
And I have used Freecycle in the past to pass perfectly good items forward.
Another online reuse matching community, Freecycle.org, has as its slogan “Changing the world, one gift at a time.”
Among the items on the Freecycle page for the Ventura area are “hundreds of recorded cassettes” offered in Oak View and a set of dishes offered in Camarillo.
Listings are fresh, with nothing older than two weeks.
Listings in Freecycle are different from those one might see on a website like Craigslist or eBay, where people list in order to sell.
From books to furniture to school supplies and kitchen utensils, we are finding new homes for unwanted items in our community and reducing landfill. A wide variety of items can be claimed or posted in this site, absolutely free! Come join us as we reduce the environmental impact of our waste as we help others find items they need! All you need is an email address. We hope to see you soon!
3. SEEK SECONDHAND GOODS
When you choose previously owned items, you aren’t contributing to the labor and materials needed to make new goods. Check thrift shops, garage sales and community groups like the Freecycle Network for inexpensive — or free — finds. Another sustainable solution? Rent clothes through services like Tote and Rent the Runway.
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