• GREAT  ENVIRONMENTAL  TIPS

This website contains a bunch of links to a variety of useful sites. Thanks to Brittany in Ms. Koenig's class at Cleary Mountain Middle School for providing this link: African American Environmentalist Association

Back to top of list.

• WHY BOTHER TO RECYCLE?   $$$$$

This website gives the low-down on recycling as a budgeting tool. Thanks to Sarah the Green Librarian for providing this link: Recycling Saves Money!

Back to top of list.

• APPLIANCES

• Baby Equipment

Only donate safe baby equipment.  Many shelters are happy to accept baby equipment that meets safety standards.  Car seats; cribs; toddler beds; baby swings; strollers.  Consider passing yours onto a needy mom.  Household Goods Recycling Ministry and the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless accept these types of goods. Check with your local homeless or battered women's shelter too.

Back to top of list.

• Batteries, Rechargeable

Getting rid of all those portable rechargeable batteries?  Several retail stores now take used rechargeable batteries.  Browse www.call2recycle.org for a drop-off location near you.  Sony also accepts Sony-brand batteries at local Sony recycling centers. 

Back to top of list.

•  Bicycles

Several Boston-area companies accept bicycle donations, including the Roxbury non-profit organization Bikes Not Bombs, and Pedals For Progress.  Goodwill also accepts bikes in good condition.  Certain other organizations may also be looking for bikes at particular times.

Back to top of list.

• Books, Tapes, CDs, Videos, DVDs

Your local public or school library will probably be happy to take these donations, if in good condition.  (Home-burned/recorded material will not be accepted because of copyright issues).  Text books, especially older editions, are not usually accepted either; consider them for the paper recycle box, as well as tattered books and paper video covers.  Organizations such as Household Goods Recycling Ministry, the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Building Materials Resource Center accept certain kinds of books and/or videos and DVDs as well.  Rosie's Place accepts children's books.  GotBooks (a for-profit organization, but a portion of its proceeds go to non-profit organizations) accepts books, videos, CDs, DVDs, and records. And remember places like the pediatrician's office, the dentist's office, and your local church. 

Back to top of list.

• Building Materials

Reusable building materials are accepted by Building Materials Resource Center located in Roxbury.  Habitat for Humanity accepts building materials - and volunteers, too!  Also remember your local theater companies.  Building sets takes materials.  The Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, Drama Program, is another place that accepts building material and hardware, as well as carpet scraps and latex paints and painting supplies.

Back to top of list.

• Bulk CDs and DVDs to Discard

• Catalogues,  Magazines, and Junk Mail

If you want to keep receiving these, fine ... just drop off your used magazines at a doctor's office, school, or daycare (depending on the genre).  Remember to remove your mailing label for the sake of privacy! 

But ... if you don't want to receive these paper missives, CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION.  For unsolicited catalogues, most retailers have websites where you can find a customer service email address and simply request the removal of your name/address from their mailing list. 

And, by all means, STOP THAT JUNK MAIL!  Check out DMAconsumers.org (Direct Marketing Association) to remove your name from junk mail lists (at a cost of $1 every 3 years - that's a penny a day!).

Back to top of list.

• Cell Phones

Chucking your phone?  Check out UsedPhone.  Also, your local school may collect phones to recycle ... donate there and finance your children's education.  And several retail stores now take used cell phones - trade-in your old phone with the popular ReCellular program!  Also Office Depot, or your wireless company, as well as Recycle My Cell Phone and Phones4Charity.  Browse www.call2recycle.org.  Sony will also accept, for free, any Sony brand electronics at their Sony recycle centers.   

How about donating your gently-used cell phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers? For every donated phone valued at just $5, Cell Phones for Soldiers is able to provide 2 1/2 hours of free talk time to deployed troops.  

Please don't just toss your old phone in the trash. That cell phone battery contains a valuable non-renewable mineral resource and must be recycled!

Back to top of list.

• Clothing, Shoes and Accessories

There are convenient dropboxes all over Massachusetts that accept clean, usable clothing and shoes, including St. Vincent de Paul, Goodwill, and the Salvation Army.  New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans, Big Brother Big Sister Foundation, Rosie's Place, Planet Aid, among many others, also accept clothing.  However, if it's not something you would want your own neice / nephew / brother / sister / mother / father to wear, please consider it for your rag bag instead!

Have you retired from that high-tech job?  Moved on to a less formal career?  If you have good-quality business clothing that you no longer need, consider donating it to needy women and men who are trying to break their way into the business scene.  Dressing appropriately for an important interview can pave the way for a path out of poverty.  Groups such as SuitAbility and Tailored for Success  (in the Boston area) accept donations of business clothing and accessories. 

Many charitable organizations have special drives to collect cold-weather items; phone your local place of worship for information.  Out-of-style clothing or costumes, in good, clean condition, consider donating to your local school drama club or theatre group.

Back to top of list.

• Computer Equipment and Electronics

The Salvation Army accepts working computers, as do some Goodwill stores.  MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) has a volunteer program as part of The Amara Project that refurbishes computers.  A great Boston-based site for many recycled electronics is Gazelle.com. 

Used printer cartridges?  Many schools collect these and use the generated funds to help educate your children - call up your local school today.  Also, Staples is a drop-off location for printer cartridges of any kind, and you will receive a $3 Staples coupon on a future purchase; Staples is also expanding its electronics waste recycling program by accepting used computers and monitors, dropped off for a $10 fee  (see related newspaper article). 

For important information regarding computer recycling, visit the Computer Take-Back campaign.  Another good source of electronic recycling information is Computer Recycling USA.  And Sony has partnered with Waste Management to recycle all Sony computer equipment for free - and other brands for a small fee.... check out their recycling site to find a drop-off center/event near you.

Back to top of list.

• Kitchen/Cooking Supplies and Utensils

That set of dishes that you never use?  Consider donating it.  Household Goods Recycling Ministry, Big Brother Big Sister Foundation, Goodwill, and the Salvation Army accept many types of kitchen items in good condition. 

Back to top of list.

• Linens, Bedding, Pillows, Towels, and Comforters

Again, if it's not something you would want your own relative to sleep on / eat off / bathe with, please consider it for your rag bag!  Old sheets make fantastic painting drop cloths; ripped towels are great dusting or car-polishing rags.  Many shelters would be happy to receive clean linens and bedding, including the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans and Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless.  Consider Household Goods Recycling Ministry, Big Brother Big Sister Foundation, Goodwill, or the Salvation Army for your bedding donation.  And for those towels beyond repair, consider your local animal shelter!  Abandoned dogs still need to be bathed.

Back to top of list.

• Mattresses

Clean, stain-free, and odor-free.  Consider Household Goods Recycling Ministry.

Back to top of list.

• Medical Furniture and Supplies

• Musical Instruments

•  Pet Supplies

No longer have a pet, but you're hanging onto the equipment?  Check out your local animal shelter.  Cat carriers and dog blankets (discarded towels and quilts) are always in need.  Baypath Humane Society and Purr-fect Cat Shelter are just two of many local area shelters.

Back to top of list.

• Prescription Eye Glasses

Your local Lions Club accepts glasses donations - look for a drop box at your library or other public building.  The Salvation Army also collects eye glasses.

Back to top of list.

• Rugs and Curtains

• Sewing Machines

• Sporting Equipment

• Tools

• Toys and Games

• Vehicles