Donating Effectively for Community Sustainability
How to share resources effectively to increase community sustainability.
As environmental champions, we can share our time, money, and property to achieve sustainability goals in our community. Effective donations improve human well-being, increase the value of existing property, reduce waste, and prevent pollution, while ineffective donations give a false sense of virtue since their net sustainability impact is negative. This action guide explores how to beneficially share our surplus personal property—ensuring that our donations benefit the recipient and have a positive sustainability impact.
We recommend three strategies:
Verify that our donations are sustainable and wanted and needed.
Prepare sustainable donations to benefit the recipient and our planet.
Dispose of unsustainable donations in the most sustainable way possible.
Identifying and donating our sustainable surplus personal property (food, clothing, tools, books, appliances, furniture, vehicles, etc.) to people who want and need it while responsibly disposing of unsustainable surplus personal property are action steps along the pathways to sustainable goods and sustainable community. This action guide focuses on donations of property we already own; donations of property we do not already own but purchase to donate (such as canned goods purchased for soup kitchens and food banks) will be covered in a separate action guide focusing on effective donations of time and money.
To donate our surplus personal property effectively, we can take these action steps:
Establish an area like a basement, shed, or attic to store “surplus personal property” that we no longer need.
Evaluate the surplus personal property we own and determine whether it is sustainable. For example, non-stick cookware that is coated in PFAS is not sustainable. Use the seven pathways to sustainability to identify items that fail sustainability criteria, such as a gas-powered lawn mower that requires fossil fuel to operate, clothing treated with PFAS for stain resistance that poses a significant water pollution and health risk, or an old inefficient television that wastes huge amounts of electricity.
Move hazardous items (such as cookware or clothing that contains PFAS) from our “surplus” area to our “household hazardous waste” area. Do not donate household hazardous waste—likely to release toxins into our environment.
Check with local organizations, agencies, and networks to find out what people want and need in our community.
For each sustainable surplus item, determine the best placement (which recipient would benefit the most), prepare the item (i.e., clean and fold clothing, ensure appliances are in working order, etc.), and then give it away.
For each unsustainable item, determine the best way to dispose of it. Do not donate unsustainable items—that simply shifts the burden of disposal.
Help! I want to make sustainable donations, but how do I know if my items are sustainable?
Assume items are sustainable unless proven unsustainable. Use the seven pathways to sustainability to evaluate items for unsustainable qualities.
Does the item use energy?
If no: okay on energy. Check the next pathway.
If yes:
Does it require fossil fuel to operate? Example: a gas-burning lawn mower, chain saw, or vehicle.
If no: check its energy efficiency.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Is it extremely energy-wasteful? Example: refrigerators built before the 1993 efficiency standards.
If no: okay on energy. Check the next pathway.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Does the item use or pollute water?
If no: okay on water. Check the next pathway.
If yes:
Does it emit excessive or dangerous pollution? Example: two-stroke engines in outboard motors or leaf blowers.
If no: check its water efficiency.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable. Pollution ends up in the water, whether emitted into the air or directly into the water.
Is it extremely water-wasteful? Example: toilets before the 1994 efficiency standards.
If no: okay on water. Check the next pathway.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Does the item grow, process, or store food (or is food)?
If no: okay on food. Check the next pathway.
If yes:
Is it unhealthy for people to eat (or does it contaminate food)? Example: non-stick cookware coated with PFAS.
If no: check its impact on soil.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Does it damage soil productivity? Example: pesticides or concentrated chemical fertilizers.
If no: check its food efficiency.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Is it highly food-wasteful? Example: bulk food items that can’t be consumed before food safety “use by” dates.
If no: okay on food. Check the next pathway.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Does the item provide movement for people or our possessions?
If no: okay on movement. Check the next pathway.
If yes:
Is it unnecessarily dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists? Example: oversized SUVs or trucks that are bigger and taller than necessary.
If no: okay on movement. Check the next pathway.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Does the item affect natural or human habitat?
If no: okay on habitat. Check the next pathway.
If yes:
Does it destroy natural habitat without producing human necessities (energy, water, food, clothing, shelter, etc.)? For example, invasive ornamental plants like Bigleaf lupine outside the Pacific Northwest.
If no: check indoor air quality.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Does it degrade indoor air quality? Example: chemical air fresheners.
If no: okay on habitat. Check the next pathway.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Does the item affect community (education, cooperation, governance, safety, etc.)?
If no: okay on community. Check the next pathway.
If yes:
Does it misinform people about science or our environment? Example: Keurig coffee pods that falsely claimed to be recyclable.
If no: check its safety.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Is the item unreasonably dangerous (missing safety guards, etc.)? Example: a chainsaw without a hand guard and chain brake.
If no: okay on community. Check the next pathway.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Does the item consist of material goods (i.e., is it a physical object)?
If no: okay on goods.
If yes:
Does the item contain hazardous substances like PFAS, mercury, or lead? Example: compact fluorescent light bulbs (which contain mercury).
If no: check its disposability.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
Is the item difficult to dispose of once it has reached its end of life? For example, old cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions.
If no: okay on goods.
If yes: it is NOT sustainable.
If an item is NOT sustainable, dispose of it rather than donate it. We do more for sustainability by disposing of unsustainable items than by passing them along.
Help! I have an old gas-powered lawn mower that I don’t use. Isn’t it sustainable to donate this to someone who could use it?
No, it is better for environmental sustainability to scrap for recycling (or sell at market price), rather than give away for free, any equipment or vehicle that burns fossil fuel. Here’s why:
Donating gas-powered equipment subsidizes the burning of fossil fuel. Without your donation, the person who “could use” your lawn mower would have to pay for one. Because budgets are limited, more people will burn gas to mow lawns if they can get a free gas-burning mower than if they have to pay for one.
A donation transfers wealth from yourself (inclined to use your wealth to meet your needs without burning fossil fuel) to someone willing to burn fossil fuel. The more relative wealth “fuel burners” have versus “clean energy users,” the more fuel they can burn. Selling your old mower at market value retains your wealth (just converts your personal property into cash), which you can use for sustainability.
The fewer gas-burning engines in the world, the less capacity to burn fossil fuel. To transition to a clean energy future, we need to replace every fuel-burning engine with an electric motor. Donating gas-burning engines keeps more of them operating and delays replacement by electric motors.
The metal in your old mower can be recycled to make an electric mower or another product.
Only if you can be sure that you will prevent the sale of a new gas-powered lawn mower is it environmentally sustainable to donate an old gas-powered mower.
Help! How do I know whether people in my community need or want what I have to donate?
Here’s a checklist for finding a good home for sustainable items:
Contact your local library to see if they have a “library of things,” and if they do, find out what items they need.
Use the Goodwill Industries locator to find your local Goodwill donation center and thrift store’s website, then check the acceptable donations page.
Join the Freecycle Network or download the BuyNothing App. See what people in your community are requesting. Post what you have to see if anyone wants it.
Join Facebook Marketplace and post your items.
Participate (or organize) a neighborhood yard sale. Start with low prices. Advertise that items will be free after a specific time (noon, for example).
In general, organizations like churches, homeless shelters, and food banks can make much better use of donations of money than of physical objects. Please do not assume they have the resources available to accept your surplus personal property donations.
Help! How do I dispose of unsustainable items?
Take responsibility for disposing of unsustainable surplus personal property rather than donating it. One option is to support your local economy by hiring a junk removal company. Search online for “junk removal” in your area, and look for companies that explain their recycling and sustainability policies. A good company will know how to identify, transport, and dispose of household hazardous waste and how to recycle all valuable metals and other materials.
If you have the time and desire to handle disposal yourself, here are some tips:
If your items are made of paper, cardboard, wood, leather, or other natural materials, you can compost those materials.
You can recycle metal. Search online to find a “metal recycling center.” Call them to make sure you understand what they will take before you head over. Consider collecting metal from friends and family to make the trip worthwhile. If you don’t own a pickup truck, consider borrowing one from a friend or renting from a place like U-Haul.
If you have batteries or electronic devices, check which stores in your area will accept them. Staples, Lowe’s, and other large chains often will.
Contact your local government to find out about household hazardous waste collection events and how to dispose of anything you think might be a problem to put in your landfill trash bin. Keep hazardous waste out of landfills if you can.
What’s Still Ahead on the Pathway…
Last year, we explored the pathway to sustainable movement and energy. Now, we’re exploring the pathway to sustainable goods to make the transition from a linear landfilling economy to a circular recycling economy. Stay with us on the journey to sustainability as we take action to have a positive impact on the world.
References and Further Reading
How your refrigerator has kept its cool over 40 years of efficiency improvements, Appliance Standards Awareness Project
The Two-Stroke Engine: A Remnant of Poor-Country Technology in Rich Countries, The Atlantic
Congress Set Toilet Standards In 1992. Here's The Data Showing They're Saving Water And Energy. Alliance to Save Energy
Best before and use-by dates, Food Standards Agency
Taller cars and trucks are more dangerous for pedestrians, according to crash data, NPR
Lupine, a controversial plant, National Park Service
Toxic Chemicals in Air Fresheners, Made Safe
Keurig settles recyclable pod class action for $10 million, Courthouse News Service
The Library of Things Where You Can Borrow Anything You Need, Acciona
Find a Store, Goodwill Industries
Acceptable Donations – What Does Goodwill Take?, Goodwill Northern New England
Welcome to The Freecycle Network, Freecycle
Join Buy Nothing Today, BuyNothing
Facebook Marketplace, Facebook
Recycling Services at Staples, Staples
Lowe’s Answers Your Recycling FAQs (So You Don’t Have to Ask), Lowe’s