​Reuse Opportunities

An important action that can be taken is to reuse items before considering buying new ones. When you buy new plastic food storage containers, oil has to be extracted from the ground, processed into plastic and then transported to the store. Instead of buying new containers, consider reusing yogurt tubs and peanut butter jars that might otherwise become waste products. Keeping those resources in rotation will reduce the demand for new ones and avoid the costs of recycling.

Thrift stores and local classified ads are also a great way to acquire anything from clothes to appliances to furniture to cars that have been gently used but still have a lot of life left. Give those unwanted household items another chance by donating to a thrift store or a charitable organization.

Instead of buying new, consider repairing, borrowing, renting, or buying used items. Also consider shared ownership. For example, do you AND your neighbors all need to own a yard waste chipper? Reusing and recycling helps keep natural resources in the product cycle and not wasted in a landfill.

Visit the links below to avoid throwing at least some of your household waste into the trash.

• Island County Waste Wise Program
• Craig’s List
• Coupeville Lions Club July Garage Sale
• Freecycle.org
• Whidbey News-Times classifieds
• South Whidbey Record classifieds
• Stanwood/Camano News classifieds
• Search Facebook for local Buy, Sell, Trade groups

Thrift Stores, Whidbey Island

Garage of Blessings, 800 SE Barrington Drive, Oak Harbor, 360-679-1239

Good Cheer Thrift Stores, 4777 Commercial St, Suite A-8, Clinton, 360-341-2880 or 114 Anthes Ave, Langley, 360-321-6454

Habitat for Humanity, 280 SE Pioneer Way, Oak Harbor, 360-675-8733 or1592 Main St, Freeland, 360-331-6272

Island Thrift, 600 SE Barrington Dr, Oak Harbor, 360-675-1133

Senior Thrift, 5518 Woodard Ave, Freeland, 360-331-5701

WAIF Thrift Shop, 1651 Main St, Freeland, 360-331-2818 or 50 NE Midway Blvd, Oak Harbor, 360-279-9504

Arc of Washington State will pick up items from North or Central Whidbey Island, 360-671-3344 or 1-800-446-4980

Thrift Stores, Camano Island/Stanwood

2nd Chance Thrift Shop, 1335 E SR 532, Camano Island, 360-629-6142

Food Bank Thrift Shop, 27030 102nd Av NW, Stanwood, 360-629-6646