Hello Everyone,
I work for a small local charity situated in the Liverpool area of Sydney, NSW. Our focus is to provide social support to people with a mild to moderate intellectual disability around our area. Although we do receive government funding, what I've found is that most of our money (up to 90%) has been raised through recycling. There are volunteers who go out and pick-up various items from people within the community free of charge, and some sort through all donations for either recycling or to sell as second-hand goods.
Here are some of the things we recycle and/or re-use:
Paper and Cardboard:
- Paper
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Cardboard Boxes
- Books
- Cards
Plastic:
- Soft Drink, Water, and Milk Bottles
- Pipes
- Shopping Bags
- Glad Bags
- Take Away Containers
- Outdoor Chairs and Stools
- Buckets
- Ice Cream Containers
- Seed Trays
- Cutlery Trays
- Coat Hangers
- Storage Boxes
- Crates
- Plant Pots
- Cassettes - Video VHS and Music
- Computer Monitor Cases and TV Cases
- Broken Toys
Scrap Metal:
- Copper
- Brass
- Lead
- Aluminium
- Stainless Steel
- Steel
Other:
- Clothes
- Pairs of Shoes
- Bags
- Computer Tables and Chairs
- Dining Tables and Chairs
- Lamps
- Fridges, Washing Machines, Dryers, Dish Washers - working or non-working
- Computers - as well as Printers, Scanners, Faxes - working or non-working
- Any other Household Furniture in good condition
Needless to say, the Paper and Cardboard, Scrap Metal, and Plastics all get taken away for recycling. Clothes get sold as second-hand clothing or as rags for various businesses. Furniture and usable household items get sold as second-hand goods. All the non-working household goods get taken apart and all the recyclable materials are taken out for recycling. Since working here, I realised that there are so many things that could be recycled, especially compared to what my local council allows me to put out every week.
Doing all this not only reduces the amount of waste going to the tip, but we also raise funds for our social support program for people with disabilities. To me, it's a win-win situation.
I know the organisation I work for can't be the only one. I'd be interested to hear about other places or projects that help the environment and people in need.
