The Role of Reuse in NYC’s 0X30 Initiative
Earth Day will soon be upon us. Many are already thinking of ways to participate and help our environment. Kathryn Garcia, Commissioner, New York City Department of Sanitation, underscores the importance of reuse and why we should think twice before simply tossing things out.
As many of you know, donation and reuse play an important role within the Department of Sanitation’s Zero Waste plan. Each day, New Yorkers throw more than 12,000 tons of material; however, within those trash bags we know there are items that have value. New Yorkers who donate and reuse those items instead of discarding them greatly reduce waste, conserve resources and save money—all while helping provide jobs and human services to fellow residents.
DonateNYC and reuse is an essential part of NYC’s 0X30 initiative, helping us reach the goal of sending zero waste to landfills by 2030. To reduce the amount of usable items that end up in landfills, programs such as donateNYC help connect residents looking to give away goods, with nonprofits like Second Chance Toys, looking to take used items. Toys are not always an easy item to donate, as many organizations do not accept them. However, with their unique model, Second Chance Toys fills an important gap within our local donations and reuse community. Through innovative partnerships with local businesses, Second Chance Toys has diverted more than 250,000 plastic toys from landfills since their inception, leading to countless smiles on the faces of children.
Earth Week is approaching, which of course means Second Chance Toys is once again gearing up for another successful spring toy drive. I would like thank them for their important work and remind New Yorkers that donating goods to donateNYC nonprofit partners like Second Chance Toys not only helps us meet our Zero Waste goals, but does so in the spirit of our shared commitment to service the communities in which we live and work every day.
Kathryn Garcia, Commissioner
New York City Department of Sanitation
