You don't need to be an environmentalist to know that our world has finite resources. We see public awareness campaigns frequently against waste, and all know how terrible a thing it is. But even the most conscientious among us will occasionally be guilty of not quite sticking to that awareness. We've all been guilty of dropping a can in the regular waste bin when we could put it in recycling, or throwing something away when it's still serves a purpose. But the fact remains that the more things we buy as new and the more potentially useful things we just throw away, the more we take from the planet. It's not a judgemental statement because it can be hard to avoid- however it is worth bearing in mind that when it comes to taking on a project, we could benefit from doing things differently.
Reclaiming Materials For A Home Project
Embarking on a home renovation or any similar kind of project means doing a lot of work, and can mean spending a lot of money. When you've worked out everything you need to do you'll then need to source materials. For many of us, it doesn't even cross our minds that we could pick those things up for low prices or even for free. But reclaimed materials like wooden pallets and cement tiles can save you money, and will save the planet a little as well. You'll often find things like solid wooden furniture being sold online, it might look a little worse for wear but can soon be brought back up to scratch with some paint and new handles. You end up with a more unique piece than simply buying new, it's cheaper and better for the environment.
Repurpose Or Renew: It's All Good For The World
There's a saying that one man's trash is another's treasure. Sometimes that's not true, and things that have been thrown away may be beyond repair. But you'd be stunned how many can be salvaged. Concrete slabs can be made to look like new with the help of a pressure washer. Even old electrical appliances (with the help of a few new components) may be ready for a new lease of life. Whenever you do buy new, instead of just throwing old things away ask around to see if anyone needs what you're getting rid of or publish the item on a classifieds site like Gumtree. You might just help someone out, and it saves an item ending up at the dump when it still has a lot of life left in it.
Even If It's Broken, It May Have Another Purpose
Say for example you're laying a new patio, you'll be removing slabs that may have probably become broken over the years. They might not be any use as paving anymore, but it doesn't mean they have to go into landfill. If broken up, they can work as hardcore material for a pit to be filled with concrete. They can provide bulk that saves you using materials and spending cash you don't need to. Of course sometimes you'll need to spend money and buy as new, but it's just worth thinking twice before we throw things away or replace them. Especially to see if it could be easier and cheaper to use them somehow.
Sustainable living is best thing for our planet, but it can be the best thing for you too. You could save yourself some cash or help someone out with an item you might have otherwise thrown away.
