Earth 911

Jane Green1 Comment

Did you know there are over 50 places to recycle batteries in the Portland area? What about eyeglasses, paint supplies or those old video tapes? The Earth911 website provides one of the best resource directories I’ve seen for recycling and living green. Just put in the item you want to recycle and your zipcode. Up pops a list of sites and links starting with the closest to your area. It’s a national directory so even friends back east and in the south can find help. Donation sites included, too. The website also provides green tips for businesses and lots of  reuse and recycle how-to’s. Check it out!

Community Resource

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 “Hi Jane,
I just wanted to add a resource for your website. The Community Warehouse collects furniture, cookware, small appliances, and linens to distribute to men and women who are coming out of shelters and setting up an apartment of their own. These items are free to the clients (unlike Goodwill and Salvation Army) as long as they are registered with a shelter of some kind. The Community Warehouse has drop-off sites in NE Portland (3969 NE MLK Blvd) and in SW Portland (8745 SW Canyon Lane). For larger items, they will send a truck to your home to pick-up. See their website at http://www.communitywarehouse.org. Phone number is (503) 235-8786.
Thanks for all you do, Jane” –  Julia Gies 

(NOTE: Setting up that first apartment or needing to replace a broken teapot? The Warehouse also runs The Estate Store at the MLK location. Great way to stretch your budget and help a good cause! Click on the website blog to see featured items.)

STUFF Sheds Light

Jane Green2 Comments

 Love hearing from audience members who are putting the ideas into practice!  Julie G. writes:

“Thank you so much for the stuffication workshop on Tuesday 2/1 at the Beaverton Library.  It was both helpful and inspiring. 
 
I very much appreciated your brief history on how we got here.  The immediate post-war period in the U.S. was unique in that two major transformations converged: the advent of 1) credit cards and 2) mass advertising. Together these two innoventions ushered in an era of unprecedented economic growth fueled by consumer spending on products that people didn’t need and couldn’t afford.
 
Since the economic meltdown of 2008-2009, I have been amazed at government efforts to “increase consumer spending” in hopes that we can somehow get back to the halcion days of unregulated credit and out-of-control consumer spending. It was such a breath of fresh air to hear you give voice to the obvious: we will never get back there, and that is a good thing.  The future beckons us to spend less on “stuff” that we don’t need and can’t afford.

I came home from your workshop and made a plan for small incremental changes which I began today.  First books, then clothes, then kitchenstuff. This project of cleaning out which seemed so overwhelming to me before your workshop, now feels very doable.  Thank you!”

Stuffed Class!

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A record 40 people attended last night’s STUFF-ication workshop hosted by Beaverton City Library. Clearly a sign that lots of folks are needing help with their stuff issues. Couples, friends, parents with adult children, widows, grandparents, partners … it was great to have such a diverse audience. Thanks to all who made the effort to attend and participate. Here are just a few of the comments from Continue reading →

Clearing for a Cause

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 It’s hard not to be inspired by the work going on at Out To Pasture. One very compassionate couple started from scratch, learning as they went along and over the years created a non-profit animal sanctuary just outside Portland, OR.  OTP is dedicated to providing permanent housing and care for abused, neglected or abandoned animals including large farm animals, pigs, rabbits, chickens and dogs. 

How can you help and get clear at the same time? OTP holds two major garage sales a year to help support their work. Donations can be made by dropping off your items at the address below.  In addition, the sanctuary keeps a current “wish list” on their website of things they are needing. Take a look to see where you can help. This is a great place to keep in mind for those of you who have horses or  backyard chickens and want to unload extra feed or straw. They are also always happy to get igloos or wooden dog houses. Garage Sale Donations are collected during April and May for the OTP Memorial Day Sale. Drop off at 2907 NE Weidler Street, PDX.  OTP holds a summer sale as well – check their website for date.

Good Side of Bad Weather

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 The surest way to beat the blues of bad weather or tough times is to do something to help out yourself or someone else.  And one of my favorite ways of doing both is to CLEAR out your stuff. Next time you are snowed in or feeling snowed under, here are 4 simple, FREE ways to feel better:

  • Open up your junk drawer(s) and start purging.
  • Get out your photos and sort them into envelopes to send to your loved ones – or scan into your computer for easy storage.
  • Clear up your email Inbox. Archive or delete old correspondence.
  • Go through your kitchen cupboards and discard any expired items.

Remember to recycle and reuse what you can. Don’t hold on to outdated anything. Clearing your place will have an immediate “feel lighter” effect on you and it’s a productive, proactive way to beat the blues and make the world a brighter place. Note: While you are clearing out, think about doing more precycling and easing your burdens by buying less to begin with … what a great way to welcome in a new year!