Blog Archives

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Measuring your Carbon Footprint

Our blog, Second Hand Social, is not just about sharing awesome yard sale finds and featuring great ideas from those who work in the Second Hand Industry, we also want to educate our readers on how they can be proactive in environmentally conscious living. We’re not sure how many bonus points you get if you regularly shop thrift stores or buy tools and decorations for your home second hand, but we imagine the savings and feeling of shopping second hand feels pretty good to start! Inevitably, in going about daily life — commuting, sheltering our families, eating — each of us contributes to the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change. Fortunately, there are many things each of us, as individuals, can do to reduce our carbon emissions. The choices we make in our homes, travel, food we eat, and what we buy and throw away all influence our carbon footprint and can help ensure a stable climate for future generations.

Experts have long suggested the most effective way to decrease a carbon footprint is to either decrease the amount of energy needed for production or decrease the dependence on carbon emitting fuels. Mitigation of carbon footprints through the development of alternative projects, (solar, wind energy or reforestation) represents one way of reducing a carbon footprint and is often known as Carbon offsetting.

Simply put, think about your upcoming purchases. Do you really need to buy that designer dress brand new or can you find it in a local Consignment Shop, possibly even half off? What about some gardening tools, how about shopping a couple Yard Sales or browsing for some used tools online that you can buy second hand? You can probably score big by shopping a Pawn Shop for some fancy electronics for your home! Remember, taking some small and simple steps to reusing, repurposing and recycling can make a huge difference in your carbon footprint and the environment. Do your best to help preserve and save our planet!

Want to measure your carbon footprint? Check this cool calculator from The Nature Conservancy!

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Buying Used Goods Saves the Planet

Buying second hand goods is the most friendly environment choice any consumer can make. Whether it’s books, clothes, furniture, decorations, media or kids toys, you’re sure to do your part for the environment by buying used.

Today we’ve outlined several reasons why buying used goods should always be your first option if you’re adamant about doing your part to conserve this precious planet’s resources.

  • Less Expensive – Purchasing used goods can be up to 90% less expensive than buying new items. Your purchasing power will go farther by buying pre-owned goods and if you’re a savvy shopper, you can probably score items that are in perfect or near-perfect condition – no one will ever know they’re used unless you tell them. Also, if you’re buying at a local garage sale or an item you saw online from a guy across town, you can skip paying any sales tax!

  • Conserving Energy – All products require a certain amount of resources to be consumed, from manufacturing to delivery. This includes farming cotton, clear-cutting forests, mining metals or pumping oil. We’ve all witnessed the horrible environmental consequences when resources are pumped, scraped and cut from our planet. Fortunately, buying used goods doesn’t require any new resources to be consumed.
  • Pollution-Free Lifestyle – Production of “stuff” just creates more pollution, including toxic chemicals, pesticides and carbon emissions. Did you know one new cotton T-Shirt is responsible for nearly 5 ounces of pesticides to be dumped into the cotton fields? One new mid-size car is responsible for 30,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere.
  • Forget the Packaging – New products require packaging, from shrink-wrap, plastic hard casing, cardboard boxes and styrofoam. The packaging materials require energy to create in addition to the production of the product. Not all the packaging is recyclable or reusable, so it gets tossed, contributing to more waste. Not only is it frustrating trying to open the packaging, but disposing of it in an environmentally friendly way is not always an option. However, the bright side is if you shop thrift stores, or buy second hand items from your neighbors next door or across town, you don’t have to deal with packaging!
  • Supporting Local Economies – Did you know buying used goods extends the life of the product and the planet and supports your local economy? Think about it, most thrift shops support a cause, so your money not only buys you a cool new “used” item, but also contributes to the well-being of others supported by the business. This is why shopping for items at your local yard sales, tag sales, estate sales, flea markets, pawn shops and consignment shops is so important, and fun! Keeping your money in town supports local businesses and keeps it from contributing to corporate waste.

  • Being “Green” is in Vogue – Simply put, recycling is is king and you avoid having to figure out greenwashing claims made by corporations. The money you save by buying pre-owned goods from accessories to clothes, books and media, will stretch your dollar and you can then go to the organic grocery store and support your local farmers. Lastly, don’t feel bad about making certain purchases of “new” items such as appliances with extraordinary energy efficiency or hybrid automobiles. These items can reduce your carbon footprint.

What’s the last “used” product you purchased that you use on a regular basis?