This is not the kind of spring weather you were hoping for. In fact, by watching the news, it would appear Mother Nature is taking April Fool’s Day a little too serious this year. When thousands of people woke up to four to six inches of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday it was a situation that many people wished was an April Fool’s joke. Now that April 2 and April 3 are bringing snow to some places as well, the joke is getting more than a little old.
If you are weary of the winter weather, maybe you can spend the next few days putting your frustration to good use. In fact, if snow and cold weather is keeping you from getting outside and cleaning out the landscaping, you could spend a couple of days going through the things in your house and finding items that you would like to use as veterans donations.
Annoying Cold, Snowy Days Are the Perfect Time to Look for Charitable Donations in Crowded Closets and Drawers
Many Americans have dresser drawers and closets that are jam packed with clothing, shoes, and household linens that are neither worn nor used. And while there are some families who make sure that they take items out of their closets every time that they purchase something new, the greater majority simply cram more items in to an already crowded space. Instead of having more clothing than you can possible ever use, it might make sense to contribute gently used clothing and household items to veterans donations that help distribute items to those who are most in need.
Fortunately, there are many convenient ways to donate your excess items to those who are struggling to make ends meet. Easy drop off services, as well as pick up services, make it very easy and fast to donate items that you are no longer using. The fact that these clothing donation locations are often located in areas that are easy to find means that there really is no excuse to avoid making these donations.
Although there are many popular charities, the fact of the matter is that veterans donations are very popular as more and more Americans want to pay back those individuals who have served our country.
In addition to helping those who are sometimes the most in need, making charitable donations of the clothing and textiles that you no longer use also has another benefit.
Clothing Donation Centers Help Keep These and Other Textiles Out of Local Landfills
Giving your gently used clothing to those in need is an admirable goal, but it is not the only reason to consider the clothing and textiles in your home that are not being used. In fact, by making clothing donations to national organizations it is more likely that your worn and unwearable textiles will be recycled. The sad truth is that as much as 12 million tons of clothing and textile waste is thrown out in the U.S. every single year. Given that the nation’s landfills are already overcrowded, this textile waste is extremely frustrating.
In fact, the making sure that even worn clothing and textiles are recycled provide work for an entire industry. Recycled textiles are successfully used in a number of ways that benefit many people in this country. For instance, in the year 2011, an estimated 2 million tons of clothing and textiles were recycled or donated to charity in the U.S. Every single one of these pieces, therefore, was kept out of landfills and used or a far better purpose.
Consider some of these facts and figures about the clothing donation and recycling industries:
- Americans recycled and composted almost 87 million tons of materials in the year 2012.
- An estimated 207,000 recent veterans were unable to find work in March of 2013, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of these veterans would benefit from veterans donations and textile contributions.
- The recovery rate for used clothing and textiles in 2011 was an estimated 15.3% in the U.S.
The next time that you purchase a new piece of clothing or textile, consider donating or recycling an item in your closets or drawers that is no longer being used in your home.
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