Promoting Reuse in Boulder County

It's always a good idea to recycle, but it's an even better idea to practice reuse first, just like you learned your 3R's--reduce, REUSE, recycle. Reuse means extending the life of an item by using it more than once, and can save time, money, energy and resources. Reuse also helps our local economy by creating jobs and providing quality products to people and organizations with limited means.

How do I choose reuse?

There are countless ways you can choose reuse in your daily life, everything from carrying your own refillable water bottle to donating your unwanted couch. Choose reuse is not only what you do when you have something you no longer want, like a couch or computer. Choose reuse is also what you do when you need something. Shop secondhand stores or browse online exchange sites before you head to the department store to buy something new. When you do buy something, make sure it's a quality, durable product that can be reused by you and others, rather than a cheap disposable you'll have to replace in an hour, a month or a year.

For great new ideas on how to choose reuse and lead a Zero Waste lifestyle, check out our Eco-Buzz archives.

We've gathered some great tools below to help you find reuse outlets in our community, with both virtual and bricks and mortar outlets, and to incorporate more reuse into your life.

Tour de Thrift Maps - Your Guides to Secondhand Shopping

Boulder County has a wealth of great secondhand stores for clothing, furniture, books and more. Shop these outlets first, instead of buying new, to reduce your impact on our environment, promote Zero Waste, support our local economy and save money too. We've pulled together these maps of secondhand stores in the area to help you chart your course to less waste!

Eco-Cycle's Boulder Tour de Thrift Map

 

Eco-Cycle's Longmont Tour de Thrift Map

Online Tools

Eco-Cycle Exchange

The Eco-Cycle Exchange is an online community bulletin board where individuals can offer up free, unwanted reusable items or browse through listings and find a treasure of their own. It's free to join, free to post, free to browse, and best of all, every item up for exchange is free. Think of it as a virtual garage sale that you can visit 24/7. Start exchanging today.

Craigslist

Craigslist is the biggest, fastest moving exchange site. Find anything from expensive cars to free shelves in Boulder County.

Boulder Freecycle

Freecycle is a network of local people who post and trade free unwanted items via a Yahoo groups listserve. Join the group today.

ReSource Tool Library

A Tool Library is a place where residents can borrow tools from a comprehensive, centralized tool inventory. By sharing resources, a Tool Library leverages communal purchasing power to ‘do more with less’, and puts tools in the hands of those with limited means. Visit Boulder's Tool Library at ReSource at 6400 Arapahoe and rent or donate tools today.