Things Worth Knowing 1.30.16: What to Do with Unwanted Clothing

Now that winter is finally here, many of us are spending more hours indoors. What better time to clean out our closets and chests of drawers? There are many theories about how to decide what to keep and what to get rid of, but chances are no matter which criteria you use, if you tackle this project you will end up with a pile of stuff you no longer want.

Don’t throw any of it into the trash — no matter how many holes in a sock or how frayed the towel edge. Even if your donation cannot be sold as gently used apparel, there is an excellent chance that it can have a second life as a new product such as home insulation or stuffing for a car seat. And, it will not end up in the waste stream, saving both natural resources and tax dollars!

Donating to a Charitable Organization

One way to rid yourself of these unwanted items is to donate them to a charitable organization. Some organizations deal directly with a specific cause and only want textiles in good condition to pass on directly to their clients. Others operate thrift stores in which donated goods are sold to generate revenue to support the organization’s mission. The best goods are sold in their retail outlets; the others are sold to processing facilities. 

Goodwill Industries, with a network of independent, community-operated stores and collection centers around the country, is one charity that will gladly accept all your textile donations. Locate a convenient donation center by entering your zip code here. If you have a large amount of goods, call to see if your local Goodwill is willing to make a pickup.

Another charity that will accept a full range of textiles is the Salvation Army. This Christian ministry operates 7,546 centers in communities across the United States, providing a range of services including food distribution, disaster relief, drug rehabilitation centers, and children’s programs. You can find a drop-off location for your goods or schedule a pickup by entering your zipcode here. 

Donations to a charitable organization may be useful to you at tax time if you itemize and can submit an itemized donation valuation form. Goodwill and the Salvation Army each have valuation guides to help you with this process. 

Although it is convenient to drop off items in the collection bins you see in so many parking lots, if it is important for you to know that you are helping a charitable organization, take a second to verify that the bin has been placed by such a group. Goodwill prepared this handy guide to help you make informed decisions about how to put your donations to best use.

Donating at a Retail Store

If you have specialty shopping to do and would prefer a financial incentive over a tax deduction, there are a growing number of retailers that offer in-store coupons to those who recycle shoes and clothing at their locations. Some collect only their own products, but there are several retailers in our area that accept any brand for recycling. Click on the links for details:

• H&M: Any brand of clothing and home textiles
• Levis: Any brand of clothing or footwear
• Nike: Athletic Shoes any Brand
• The North Face: Any brand of clothing or footwear

For more information

The “What do I do with…?” section of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) site is a great resource for residents looking to recycle their goods. Here is the link to the What Do I Do with my Clothing/Textiles section.

NOTE: One of the many hats I wear is graphic designer of HomeHaven News, the monthly newsletter for HomeHaven, a member of the Village to Village Network. This article is an expanded version of my “Responsible Downsizing” column in the most February, 2016 edition. HomeHaven and the growing network of villages around the country are an extraordinary resource for people who want to “live life to the fullest in the comfort of their own home.”

I hope you find all of this info “Things Worth Knowing.” Check for more stories like these as time goes by. [And search this blog for more posts in this vein.]

Happy Saturday.

Things Worth Knowing: How to Recycle What Doesn't Go In Your Toter

In New Haven, blue = Recycling

Those of you who have Single Stream Curbside Recycling know that the easiest way to keep your unwanted stuff in check is to make good use of your Toter. After all, how many yogurt containers (for storing leftovers), old newspapers (handy for window washing) and coffee cans (for sorting small metal parts and fasteners) do you really need?

What you can deposit in your recycling bin varies from place to place. But most municipalities accept clean paper, cardboard, metal cans, glass bottles, and a wide range of plastic.  

A more challenging problem is what to do with those items you can’t recycle curbside — spent CFL and batteries, unwanted electronics, mercury thermometers, paint that no longer fits into your home’s color scheme…

The website earth 911 is an excellent source of information on ways to recycle unwanted stuff. By entering what you are trying to recycle and your zip code, you will get a list of places in your area where you can take these items for responsible recycling. The answer even includes the distance from your location.

Big box stores accept a number of items, often with a daily limit. Best Buy accepts a wide range of articles, from CDs to appliances. Home Depot accepts both spent CFLs and fluorescent tubes, at least in Connecticut.

A snippet from an IKEA collection wall

IKEA has a convenient collection wall just inside the store for recycling spent CFLs, plastic bags, rechargeable batteries, cardboard, aluminum, and glass and plastic bottles. Reading the information posted above each bin will make you feel good about what you are doing.

In Connecticut we are fortunate enough to be able to recycle paint, both oil and latex, very easily. You can read more about this program here. And, during the warm weather months, HazWaste Central accepts chemicals, solvents, pesticides, alkaline batteries, mercury thermometers and lots of other stuff that does not belong in the trash.

If you are cleaning out your medicine cabinet, be sure to do so responsibly. Here are some tips.

It’s not always easy to be green, but these links should help you in your spring cleaning. Keep at it, for surely this is not something you want to be doing during those lazy days of summer.

I hope you find this a “Thing Worth Knowing.” Check for more stories like these as time goes by. [And search this blog for more posts in this vein.]

Happy Saturday.

Things Worth Knowing (2.6.15): Change of Thrones

I loved my Kohler Pompton toilet—its height, its compact, unobtrusive profile, its small footprint in my small bathroom. But when its seal sprang a small leak, its time at our house was up. Yes, it was time for it to go.

The Pompton in place. Out with the old…

The Pompton toilet is no longer manufactured, for a very good reason. It is a water hog. Toilets built before 1982 (as this one was) use 5 to 7 gallons of water. The mandate in drought-stricken California (expected to take effect in 2016) is 1.28 gallons per flush. The current limit in that state is 1.6 gallons.

Even though we live in a region rich in water, we knew it was wrong to squander so much. How can a couple say they are trying to be Green and still allow so many gallons of water to be flushed away each day when they know there are better options available? Inefficient toilets not only waste a valuable natural resource: they also put an unnecessary strain on the sewer system. In New Haven the storm and sanitary systems are still combined in many parts of the city. During major storms, the sudden surge of rainwater can be too much for the system to handle, causing untreated water to pour into our watershed. The less water entering the system, the better.

Last, but not least, is the economic factor. The cubic feet of water our household uses determines both our water bill and our sewer use fee. The lower the water usage, the better it is for our budget.

We knew it was time to make the switch.

There are a number of more efficient toilets readily available in the big box stores, with some models requiring as little as 1.28 gallons per flush.

But from our friends at Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven we heard about an even more efficient option — The Stealth UHET (Ultra High-Efficiency) Toilet, sold by Niagara Conservation. This is the most efficient toilet currently available, requiring a mere 0.8 gallons per flush! 

You can watch a dramatic demo and full explanation of Stealth technology here. [The video is a bit long, but at least watch through the demo.]

We decided to go all out, and opted to purchase a Stealth — in the round bowl option.  It comes in two pieces, its seat is higher than the Pompton’s, and its footprint is larger, but we were pretty confident we could make the adjustment.  

We called the regional distributor, who gave us the name of the local plumbing store that carries Niagara Conservation products. We placed an order and our Stealth arrived in the store a few days later, exactly when promised.

Our new toilet is installed. We had to switch to a square box of Kleenex, but we are getting used to the new look and seat height.

In with the new…The Stealth installed.

We push a button on the top of the tank now. The Stealth has a quiet but extremely powerful flush. [The video explains how this is possible.] It has done the job every time.

This model is not ADA compliant, but the elongated version, with its 17” high bowl and longer seat, meets the ADA requirements.

We are so happy with our Stealth that we are planning to swap a second toilet very soon. We are hoping to see a big change in our next water bill… 

Things Worth Knowing: 12.30.14

Some charity must have shared my name. I have been barraged with new requests to support groups who state similar philosophies and missions. Some have snail mailed me address labels and decals; others have promised calendars and tote bags as a membership benefit. All seem to be worthy causes. ’Tis the season to give, but how to decide which causes are most worthy?

When you are involved in your community, you have a pretty good idea of how local organizations allocate their resources. You may know the executive director, serve on the board, or know others who do.

But how do you gauge the integrity of a national or international organization? How do you differentiate between two charities whose missions, philosophies, and perhaps even names seem so similar? I’m no Grinch, but I want to make sure that any gift I give really counts; I can always buy my own tote bag.

I turn to Charity Navigator to help me make the most of my financial contributions. 

Founded in 2001, Charity Navigator’s team of professional analysts has developed an “unbiased, objective, numbers-based rating system” to evaluate the financial health of over 7,000 of America’s charities. Specifically, Charity Navigator's rating system examines two broad areas of a charity's performance —its Financial Health and its Accountability & Transparency.

Go to Charity Navigator, enter the organization’s name, hit return, and, if it is in Charity Navigator’s databank, you will receive a rating of from 1-4 stars. Then click on the charity name to receive three scores: Overall, Financial, and Accountability and Transparency, followed by detailed information including percentage of donations spent on programs, and the salary of the executive director.

What you discover may surprise you. Of all the requests in my stack, the most highly rated was my local Connecticut Food Bank, with an overall score of a whopping 99.68 (out of 100) followed by the Sierra Club with 97.13 I discovered one of the well-known groups in the pile only scored two stars, with 72% of its budget spent on programs and services vs. 90% or more for the top-rated charities!

There are other useful tools on the site including: A Holiday Giving Guide, Top Ten Lists, 4 Star Charities, CN Watchlist, and Donor Advisories. You can also browse rated charities by category. If you are willing to create a free account, you will have the ability to compare charities.

Charity Navigator is a 501(c)(3), but it is not eligible to be rated since it has not yet filed 7 full years of Form 990s. It relies on donations from users of the site for its operating expenses and is now officially classified as a public charity. You can read more here. 

I hope this tool helps you navigate your way through the last of your year-end giving. Remember that as long as your credit card is charged in 2014, you can claim the contribution for this year.

Give wisely and well.

Happy 2015!

Things Worth Knowing: 08.16.14

Success is all in the preparation.

Overdue painting projects finally made their way to the top of the “To Do” list this summer. Each of them is a re-do of a project from some years past.

On the plus side, latex paint has improved considerably since the last time these projects were done. It is thicker. It has low odor. It is guaranteed for longer. It is offered as paint and primer in one.

On the down side, it is pricey.

To ensure that new paint will adhere well, it is essential to remove any loose paint, to patch and prime any holes, and to get the surface smooth and clean before painting. The high cost of the new premium paints is one more reason to do a thorough prep.

In the past, paint labels advised washing down the walls with something like TSP (trisodium phosphate), rinsing well, and letting the surfaces dry before painting. TSP is a powerful cleaner that can cause burns to the skin and eyes. Furthermore, the user is advised to keep gray water from a session with TSP from entering the sewer.

The US Geological Survey cautions: “Phosphorus is an essential element for plant life, but when there is too much of it in water, it can speed up eutrophication (a reduction in dissolved oxygen in water bodies caused by an increase of mineral and organic nutrients) of rivers and lakes.” Such conditions can lead to algae blooms. 

Over the years manufacturers have come up with various “TSP Substitutes,” some in a powder form that required a rinse, others in a liquid form that you sprayed on and wiped off. 

This time around, I opted for a totally chemical-free solution — Ultimate Cloths®. and water. 

Ultimate Cloths® are often sold as fundraisers, but anyone can buy them online. I had already been using them to wash windows, get the grime off cupboard doors, clean computer screens and eyeglasses, and make stainless surfaces shine.

I decided to see if they worked well enough for paint prep. I got out a bucket of water and my “Bad Boy” (the large version of the cloth designed for use on washing a car) and got to work on the light pink wall in the hallway vestibule. With a damp cloth and a bit of elbow grease, two decades of grime washed off. As the wall became bright pink once more, my cloth and the rinse water grew ever grayer. 

The prep was much easier, cheaper, greener, and less hazardous to my health.

And the new paint went on really well. 

I imagine there are other similar products out there, but Ultimate Cloths® are the ones I know. Give ’em a try and get busy. I guarantee you will find many uses for them. 

If they seem a bit pricey, factor in that you can use them over and over, and that you will not require any other cleaning products besides water. 

Granted, once you use them a couple of times they may not look white any more. The instructions say that you can bleach them, but I have let this go. And I note that they are available in colors now. You can read more about the cloths here. 

I hope you find this a “Thing Worth Knowing.” Check for more stories like these as time goes by.

Things Worth Knowing: 08.07.14

Sometimes age has its advantages.

Did you know that if you are a US Resident 62 years of age or older you can purchase a Lifetime Pass granting you free admission to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites for a mere $10?

The Senior Pass May be obtained in person at a federal recreation site or through the mail using this application form. The cost of obtaining a Senior Pass through the mail is $20.00 ($10.00 for the pass and $10.00 for processing the application.) Applicants must provide documentation of age and residency or citizenship.

The Senior Pass admits pass owner/s and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas and pass owner + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, where per-person fees are charged. (Children under 16 are always admitted free.)

In addition to free admission, at some sites the pass provides a 50% discount for the pass owner on amenity fees such as camping, swimming, boat launch, and specialized interpretive services.

More details and instructions for obtaining the pass are available here. 

U.S. Military members and dependents may obtain a free annual pass. Everyone else can purchase an annual pass for $80.

Of the 2,000 federal recreation sites, over 400 are under jurisdiction of the National Park Service. The National Park Service was created by an Act signed by President Woodrow Wilson on August 25, 1916. Yellowstone National Park was established as the nation's first national park by an Act signed by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. You can see the national park system Timeline here.

The 401 areas comprising the National Park Service system cover more than 84 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These areas include national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House. Here is a complete list. 

The largest(13.2 million acres) is the  Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska; the smallest (0.02 acres) is the Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, in Philadelphia PA. Here is a tool for locating sites in each state and US territory.

Free pass, annual pass, or single admission — however you go — a visit to these sites is a bargain. This land is your land, and it is beautiful! Get out and enjoy it whenever you have the opportunity.

I hope you find this a “Thing Worth Knowing.” Check for more stories like these as time goes by.

Things Worth Knowing: 07.31.14

Last week I noticed an unfamiliar charge on the receipt from my local home improvement store. It was a “PaintCare Recovery Assessment Fee” of $.75 for the gallon of latex paint we had purchased.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that about 10% of all paint purchased In  the U.S. becomes leftover, around 64 million gallons annually! Much of this paint is disposed of improperly, leading to contamination of natural resources. And when the leftover paint is brought to hazardous waste collection sites, municipalities have to pay the fee for its proper disposal. This presents a huge problem.

In June, 2011, Connecticut became the third state (following Oregon and California) to pass Paint Stewardship Legislation. Under this law, paint manufacturers would assume the costs of managing unwanted latex and oil-based paints. The program would be funded by a fee paid by the consumer when purchasing paint.

Just over a year ago, on July 1, 2013, PaintCare, a non-profit organization established to represent paint manufacturers to plan and operate paint stewardship programs in the United States, rolled out a program in Connecticut designed to collect and recycle unwanted paint and coatings. Through a network of convenient drop-off locations (designated paint stores, located by entering a zip code on the PaintCare site) consumers can drop off up to five gallons of unwanted oil and latex paint during the store’s normal business hours. This is a big plus for Connecticut residents. In the past they could take oil paint (but not latex) to HazWaste collections at specific days and times (requiring advance planning). They had to completely dry out any unwanted latex paint (sometimes a lengthy process) and then deposit the can in the trash.

The Paint Stewardship Program has a few important rules. PaintCare sites accept house paint and primers, stains, sealers, and clear coatings (e.g., shellac and varnish) but does not accept aerosols (spray cans), solvents, and products intended for industrial or non-architectural use. Paint must be in its original container and the container must have a label and a secured lid. They will not accept open or leaking cans. For a complete list of “Program” or “Non-Program” Products, see this pdf. 

I hope you find this a “Thing Worth Knowing.” Check for more stories like these as time goes by.