The 21st century has brought remarkable progress in medicine, technology, and production. However, it has also led to an era of overproduction and overconsumption, straining natural resources and filling our planet with waste. Marketing tactics often encourage us to buy more and discard items we no longer want. Responsible consumption is about using natural resources efficiently and thoughtfully. Being mindful of the environment and conserving resources reflects a mature society. Citizens in developed countries understand the importance of reusing items. If you’re in Queens and have items to donate, read on at queens.name.
Charitable Organizations
Before discarding an item, assess its condition. If it’s still in good shape, consider donating it to those in need. Organizations like The Salvation Army (part of the Evangelical Christian church), Goodwill (a non-profit offering vocational training and employment services), and Housing Works (a non-profit fighting HIV/AIDS and homelessness) accept various donations. Note that Goodwill does not accept furniture. All three organizations require that items be free from stains, major damage, or wear.
Additionally, Hour Children in Queens supports women and their families during and after incarceration, providing them with tools for a brighter future. You can support these women by donating various items to Hour Children.
Habitat NYC & Westchester ReStore
This home goods store accepts donations of furniture, refrigerators, fans, mirrors, toilets, stoves, air conditioners, and windows. Habitat NYC & Westchester ReStore sells these donated items, including appliances, home accessories, and building materials, to support local communities. By reusing and repurposing items, this organization helps reduce landfill waste.
Bookstores and Libraries
Some bookstores in Queens, such as Turn the Page Again, are happy to buy used books. While you may not receive a substantial amount of money, it’s a better option than letting books go to waste. In Queens, Sunnyside Book and Media Swap and the Public Library and Donation Center accept book donations. You can also leave books at community-run “little free libraries.”
Book Fairies on Long Island distributes books to underprivileged communities, aiming to give children equal opportunities to learn and thrive. Book Fairies supports hundreds of schools and community organizations to improve literacy rates. Your book donations could change lives for those in need on Long Island, in New York, and internationally.
The organization accepts various books in good condition, from children’s to adult titles, provided they were published within the last 20 years. They also accept college textbooks published within the last 10 years but do not accept encyclopedias, magazines, self-published books, CDs, DVDs, religious publications, or books with mold, smoke odor, torn, or yellowed pages.
Thrift Stores
Ditmars Thrift Shop Donation accepts and sells used clothing, home furniture, and household items. Gotham Thrift Shop offers a variety of items, including jewelry, furniture, art, designer clothing, vintage items, and appliances. Celene’s Thrift Shop accepts and sells furniture, clothes, electronics, toys, mirrors, picture frames, glassware, bags, sports equipment, and more. Sunnyside Thrift Shop primarily focuses on clothing, home furniture, and household items.
Broadway Thrift Shop is a small, eclectic thrift store filled with various items, primarily clothes, shoes, dishware, books, artwork, and more. It’s a haven for antique and vintage item collectors.
Recycling
If no organization wants your items or they’re in poor condition, recycling may be your only option. Many buildings now offer mixed recycling options, so you don’t need to separate paper from plastic bottles. Generally, New York accepts paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and plastic in recycling bins without restrictions on the number of bags or items.
Since 2015, New York City has banned electronics from landfills. If your gadgets are beyond repair, drop them off at one of the city’s e-waste disposal sites. Electronics include laptops, tablets, smartphones, computers and peripherals, printers, fax machines, MP3 players, scanners, cameras, DVD players, and game consoles.
For oversized items, coordinate bulk trash pickup. You can leave up to six large items on the curb from 6 p.m. to midnight before your scheduled trash pickup day.
Additionally, New York offers several compost bins throughout the city. The Smart Composting Bin app on iOS and Android helps you locate these bins. Remember, you can compost food scraps, plant waste, and food-soiled paper, but not diapers, animal waste, non-paper packaging, or recyclables.