It might not seem like the obvious partnership – that planning an event might actually reduce waste, help the needy and improve a neighborhood. However, there does seem to be a relationship between them.
An increase in thefts from drop boxes
Since the financial crisis began in 2007 there has been a significant increase in the number of thefts from donation boxes and drop boxes being used around the world. A quick cursory glance across the Internet can bring up examples from as far afield as Wellington, New Zealand to Jasper, Alabama (where thefts were occurring this year from charity donation boxes as well as of bags that had been left as donations outside Salvation Army outlets). In addition, the rise in “Dumpster Diving” for food and unwanted items seems to be increasing this trend.
So how can we help?
We all have stuff we don’t need anymore, stuff we’ve been meaning to clear out for ages, stuff we don’t want to spend money storing. Maybe we need an added incentive to actually do it like the idea of doing it with other people on an allotted day.
Some people are realizing this potential by hiring drop boxes for the local community where everything is recycled as best as possible or given back to those in need. Such projects could be clearing out your own stuff, helping other people clear out theirs or maybe clearing the local neighborhood of its trash. Items can be donated to the homeless directly or via local community organizations.
Rebalancing the equation – examples from Portland OR
The best solution is to make sure that any items that can’t be given away are disposed of well and that more waste isn’t generated unnecessarily on the day itself.
The Portland City Authority, in partnership with Portland State University, run The Master Recycler program to help. If you are planning an event and want to reduce the amount of garbage generated, so-called Master Recyclers train and supervise volunteers, vendors and participants in how to reduce waste. In turn, participants commit to the added community education and outreach program attached, where they volunteer 30 hours of their own time to help the local community. Visit masterrecycler.org for more details.
If you want to hire a drop box, Portland OR for a community event, Portland Disposal & Recycling, Inc has been run by a local family since 1936 and offers a wide range of drop boxes in sizes to suit all of your needs – contact Sitename.
