Spring cleaning? Building a chicken palace, tree house, or climate change ark? Furnishing a nest? Hate to discard something that’s well made?
April 7 is reopening day of the Northampton ReCenter at 170 Glendale Road.
In our first three seasons, we have learned many lessons that guide our intake process. We probably accept 90 to 95 percent of incoming goods, asking ourselves the following questions: Is it safe? Is it well made? Is it in good or better condition? Is it something our visitors have taken in the past or has it languished? Is it recyclable? How big is it (we have limited storage space)? Is it in current use or outmoded (for example, land lines, old software, videotapes, luggage without wheels)?
What about that other 5 or 10 percent of stuff? Alas, some things we must reject. Others we may take if the donor is willing to pay the disposal fee. We are a “zero-cost” operation and are not supposed to incur disposal fees for the city. And if something nonrecyclable is not taken, we must eventually throw it away.
Changes in the global recycling marketplace affect our work. There is increasing demand for textiles, allowing us to take more clothing and fabric. In past years, we’ve been able to recycle a lot of bulky plastic. Unfortunately, with a few exceptions, most plastic items are not currently recyclable, meaning we will now need to charge fees for much of that material.
Here are some guidelines when considering a donation. Is it well-made, clean and in good working condition? Would you give it to your best friend? Would mom find it acceptable?
Our donors have been generous. Many express relief that things they thought they would have to throw away might be useful to someone else. Many have willingly paid disposal fees for items that, in our judgment, looked unlikely to be taken.
Likewise, our shoppers have often found useful things they might otherwise have bought. Many leave grinning. We especially enjoy the creative folks who see “upcycling” potential in used stuff and enjoy the challenge of repairing and/or repurposing it, a fine New England tradition worth carrying forward.
Did I mention that everything is free for the taking? Materials are intended mainly for personal use or nonprofit organizations. We ask visitors to limit their stays to half an hour to ease traffic flow. It gets busy out there!
We depend on volunteers to run the ReCenter. Do you believe in waste reduction as a way to reduce our collective carbon footprint? Do you see reuse as a valuable strategy in building a sharing economy? Consider volunteering with us. One Saturday morning a month would help. We will gladly train you on the job. And yes, you’ll get to take stuff home if you wish. And, we have fun.
Are you connected to a nonprofit? We may have materials your group wants. We need you as a conduit to get it to them.
We typically have household furnishings, stuff for kids and pets, arts and craft supplies, small appliances, lamps, books, games, furniture, electronics, textiles, sports equipment, tools, hardware, used building materials and more. Tell us about your needs.
Our hours are 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays until the end of October. If you’re bringing a big load, it’s best to come between 8 and 9:30 a.m., before we get really busy. Donations should be clean and dry.
It’s extremely helpful if smaller items are presorted and not all thrown together at random into a large box, since all incoming material needs to be screened. Presorting will save us all a lot of time.
Do you have to be a resident of Northampton to join the ReCenter? No. Anyone may join for an annual fee of $10. Stickers can be purchased on site. If you have already invested in a $25 sticker to access the full range of services at the city’s two transfer stations, congratulations — you are already a member. Folks who meet income eligibility guidelines may apply at the Department of Public Works office at 125 Locust St. for a free sticker.
And downsizers: afraid to come because you might take home too much stuff? Give yourself a few months to use it. The artist in you needs some raw materials!
And if you haven’t used it, bring it back. We’ll gladly pass it on!
Mac Everett, of Northampton, is a retired kindergarten teacher and a volunteer at the Northampton ReCenter.