3 Ways to Reconnect with Nature this Spring

There’s a strong movement toward sustainable style these days, so when you think about updating your wardrobe or home décor for spring, you might be looking for ways to do so responsibly.

A visit to your local Goodwill store is a smart way to welcome new items into your wardrobe while creating a positive impact on our environment. Let’s take a look at how to reconnect with nature this spring through thrift shopping (and donating!)

#1: Give clothing items a second chance

Did you know? The average American throws out 60-80 pounds of clothes in their lifetime. As trends come in and out, we’re quick to banish items to the trash, but there’s often a lot of life left in the clothes we’re more than willing to throw out. When you thrift shop for clothes, you keep them out of the landfill and give them another chance to shine.

Thrifting clothing also saves natural resources. When you shop for new clothing at a traditional retail store, you’re supporting an industry that uses natural resources to manufacture the clothing you buy. It takes several gallons of water to manufacture a new item of clothing, which seems wasteful when you think about all the clothing items available to you at lower prices in your local Goodwill store.       

#2: Opt for real dishes over paper or plastic

Sure, it’s tempting to reach for disposable cups, bowls, and plates when you know you won’t have to wash dishes after a meal, but think about all the extra garbage it will create. According to EarthDay.com, the world uses 500 billion plastic cups every year. Imagine if the whole world switched to reusable dishes and cutlery. What a drastic change for our planet!

Goodwill stocks dishes of all sorts, and they’re so inexpensive that you won’t believe your savings each year when you switch. One small change to your daily routine can make a big difference.

#3: Donate the things you don’t use

Striving for a life of simplicity is another great way to connect to nature. Many people say that when they eliminate the unnecessary items from their life, they feel less stress overall. Consider purging things in your home that haven’t been used in a year or more. Donating them to your local Goodwill gives others the opportunity to put the items to good use, and you’ll have a clutter-free space to call your own. Ohio Valley Goodwill gladly accepts clothing, accessories, shoes, toys, household décor, and even car donations for our Goodwill Auto Auction!

Donating to Goodwill is also an environmentally friendly option. When you give to Goodwill, your items won’t end up in the dumpster; they’ll be repurposed by someone else in your community. Your neighbors “” and our planet “” will thank you for it!

Help Protect Our Planet. Choose Goodwill!

When you choose to donate to Goodwill in Cincinnati or shop in our retail stores, you’re supporting Goodwill’s social mission to help individuals with disabilities and veterans empower themselves through work and learning. We turn your gently-used items into vocational programs, job skills training, and employment services that change lives for the better!

Find your nearest Goodwill retail store or Goodwill donation site in Cincinnati and give others in your community a hand up. It’s a wonderful feeling!