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Partners activate reuse and resale shop in Old Town

Partners activate reuse and resale shop in Old Town

Bullfrog’s Treasure N Trash has opened in Northwest Portland’s Old Town neighborhood. It’s a retail store where you can find antiques along with reclaimed furniture and other goods.

But it’s not just a store. It’s an innovative Reuse Hub focused on environmental justice and workforce development. It was created through a unique partnership between local businesses and nonprofits that facilitates low-barrier job opportunities in reuse, repair, and litter collection.

The organizations that came together to create Treasure N Trash are:

  • Trash for Peace, a 10-year-old community-based organization providing hands-on learning, low-barrier job opportunities, and education about sustainability in environments that are peer-led, welcoming, safe, and collaborative. 

  • Ground Score Association, a peer-led initiative of Trash for Peace. It celebrated its fourth anniversary in 2022. Ground Score is an association of informal recyclers, dumpster divers and other environmental workers who create and fill low-barrier waste management jobs. Ground Score is collectively organized and seeks to be radically inclusive, prioritizing work opportunities for those facing work and housing insecurity. They aim to build a more environmentally and socially aware community, while also changing society’s perceptions of what and who is considered valuable.

  • Junk It Junk Removal, a local, family-owned company that began in 2012 and specializes in residential and commercial waste hauling.

  • Frog & Toad Hauling celebrated its third anniversary in 2022. They specialize in waste-conscious junk removal, creative reuse, and home repair. 

These organizations moved into the Old Town warehouse in October 2022 and use the space for many things; a co-working office space, headquarters for Ground Score's peer-led litter collection and reuse/repair program, a meeting spot with a kitchen and lounge; and short-term storage for the two junk removal companies to sort and determine if repairs are needed before moving items to the thrift store.

Reuse has been a large part of both Junk It and Frog & Toad’s business models. Donation and diversion of materials are key elements in how they work with clients to remove unwanted items from homes and businesses. The warehouse provides the companies with a space to inspect and repair items that still have a lot of useful life left in them.

The owners of Frog & Toad, Revel and Sun, shared, “Our goal with the shared retail space is the establishment of a vibrant and useful place for our neighborhood and wider community where ‘stuff,’ which may have once been discarded, can flow towards where it will be treasured, which often is where it is needed the most. We feel that being in collaboration with the other groups in the warehouse is what will make this possible and help our store to thrive!”

Michelle Barrows-Carter from Junk It Junk Removal, said, "We are proud to be a part of a new warehouse space shared with Ground Score Association, Frog & Toad Hauling, and Trash for Peace, where we can prioritize sustainability and creative reuse.”

Low-barrier job opportunities

Trash for Peace partners with local government and other agencies to implement programs for renters in supportive, multifamily affordable housing communities. Based on community interest and initiative, some pilot projects clear unwanted large household items from apartments and homes, like dressers, tables, mattresses, and other furniture. Working alongside the junk removal companies allows thousands of pounds of trash to be diverted from the landfill by utilizing reused and donated materials in other activities that the organization leads.

Ground Score’s G.L.I.T.T.E.R program provides litter collection and tent side waste collection services for members of the houseless community across the Portland Metro Region. The program name was sourced by workers and stands for Ground Score Leading Inclusively Together Through Environmental Recovery. 

“It’s incredible to witness everyone’s unique progress. The sense of accomplishment bursting out of each participant when they finish their tote bag is so powerful! We provide a different type of purpose. You are worth the time it takes to learn a new skill.” - Rachel Linden

Many of the litter collection routes are serviced by electric trikes, as part of Ground Score's goal to create carbon neutral litter collection services. As this program is peer-led, most of the litter collection team are currently or formerly houseless. 

New programs taking place in the shared space

Two programs taking place at the shared warehouse offer a glimpse into other low-barrier opportunities with room for skill building and further growth.

Rachel Linden is an artist and founder of Thuja Studios, an independent design studio dedicated to the dissemination of utilitarian sewing education to marginalized communities across Portland. Rachel has extensive sewing production and teaching experience, and with the help of Molly Mattern, has started a sewing and mending education program for Ground Score workers.

The Sewing Department offers accessible, professional machine sewing education where members of the Ground Score community can gain competency and hands-on experience in the field of production sewing. Every participant is guided through the production process of a basic tote bag where they learn about strategic fabric selection, pattern reading, marking, and cutting out components, and sewing processes. Currently, the emerging sewing team focuses on the mass production of hand-mending sewing kits made from discarded fabrics that would otherwise be sent to the landfill. After being produced and filled with relevant, second-hand mending tools, these kits are then distributed back into the Ground Score community through professional, classroom-style, hand-mending workshops offered every other week with a $30 stipend offered to participants as extra incentive to learn.

“I’m in my element.” - Beck, a Ground Score employee

"Here at Ground Score, we're making space for folks to form community. Through jobs we help them reclaim the fruits of their labor stolen by poverty and houselessness." - Toma Solano

Another Ground Score manager, Toma Solano, previously trained houseless community members to design and build structures for several of Portland's tiny home villages while also contracting for private residential clients. At Ground Score, Toma helps provide low barrier jobs to houseless individuals as apprentice carpenters. Together they use donated and salvaged wood to repair and upcycle furniture. They also build trellises, lamps, bookshelves, and flower boxes.

If you would like to get involved or donate, visit the Trash for Peace website at www.trashforpeace.org.

If you would like to visit Bullfrog’s Trash N Treasure retail store, check out the website for current information, contact information, and social media handles.

Easy ways to green your spring cleaning

Easy ways to green your spring cleaning

Spring cleaning is here!

Did you know the average person in the U.S. uses about 40 pounds of household cleaners each year, and many of those products have harmful ingredients that can affect our health and damage our waterways?

We all want a clean home, but cleaning well doesn’t have to mean using harsh chemicals.

Make your own cleaning products

You can make your own cleaning products with common ingredients from the grocery store that are safe to use around kids and pets while being just as effective at getting rid of dirt and grime. Find out how at Oregon Metro’s Green Cleaners webpage.

Purchase safer cleaning products

Find out how to avoid harsh chemicals in store-bought cleaners by reviewing these tips from Oregon Metro.

Or shop at one of Portland’s small businesses that specialize in bulk items, including household items like laundry and cleaning supplies, and bath and body products. Read previous Resourceful PDX posts about The Realm Refillery and Mama and Hapa’s Zero Waste Shop.

5 safe cleaning tips for a healthy home

1.      Use natural ingredients that are tough on germs.

Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and soap are effective at killing bacteria and some viruses without using harsh chemicals that can harm our health.

2.      Avoid aerosol products.

Products such as hairspray or oven spray cleaners release chemicals that can make our air quality worse and cause health issues, especially affecting children.

3.      Opt for wet-dusting instead of dry-dusting.

Dust often contains harmful residues from the products we use in our homes. Wet dusting is the most effective way to remove these chemicals.

4.      Skip the air fresheners and dryer sheets.

Artificial scents contain chemicals that lower air quality and harm our health. Try using scents from essential oils, lemons, cinnamon, and herbs.

5.      Safely dispose of harmful cleaners.

Leftover cleaners shouldn’t be poured down the drain. Call 503-234-3000 or visit oregonmetro.gov to find out where you can take things that are harmful for you and your family.

Metro resources

Green cleaning – Make your own cleaners at home using safe and affordable ingredients. 
Buying safer cleaners - Learn how you can buy safer cleaners that are better for your family and the environment. 
Common hazardous products - Understand what household products are hazardous, how to handle them. 

New Beginnings Market: A new way to support community through donation and reuse

New Beginnings Market: A new way to support community through donation and reuse

This past fall, IRCO, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, opened the New Beginnings Market in northeast Portland. The Market, located in a large warehouse space, is a no-cost shop offering used and new furniture, clothing, and household items to immigrants and refugees, plus those coming out of homelessness, and domestic or gang violence.

New Beginnings Market allows individuals to choose the items they need as they build a new life in a new place. This “shop-our-store” format has long been used by another local nonprofit, Community Warehouse, and gives individuals a greater sense of choice in how they set up their new homes.

Megumi Harn, IRCO’s In-Kind Fundraising Lead, shared that since the New Beginnings Market opened in October 2022, they’ve served 2,215 clients, with a total value of household items offered at over $135,000.

The Market is a new program from a long-standing Oregon nonprofit

IRCO has deep roots in Portland and throughout Oregon. IRCO Fundraising Manager, Nami Bigos, shared that there are over 100 programs, including 19 food pantries, that serve 20,000-30,000 people a year.

After 45 years of providing refugee employment services, IRCO recently became a refugee resettlement provider under the United States Commission of Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a national volunteer agency. In the past year, they have welcomed over 250 new arrivals from Afghanistan and Iraq. With the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis in February 2022, over 2,000 Ukrainian humanitarian parolees arrived in the Portland-Vancouver area also needing resettlement help, with limited support from traditional resources.  

New Beginnings Market is one of their newest programs and was created to provide a one-stop shop for basic needs. Navigating support services can be hard for anyone, and even harder for immigrants and refugees who are learning a new language and culture. IRCO aims to make the Market shopping experience easy for clients: The Market is located on a TriMet bus line and IRCO will deliver large furniture directly to clients. 

New Beginnings Market allows IRCO to collect and distribute donated goods more efficiently: They no longer must move donations to and from storage units. The space also allows IRCO to collect more items, display them in a more customer-friendly way, and provide clients with a better shopping experience. 

The need for donations is great

Not only are people’s needs greater since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but resources are slimmer. Also, with the startup of the refugee resettlement program in 2021, placing families in completely outfitted homes has become a core part of IRCO’s service delivery.

In addition to collecting donated goods from Portland community members, the Market receives donations from businesses and corporations including Columbia Sportswear, Nike, Rejuvenation and BedMart. IRCO also relies on volunteer groups and individual volunteers to help organize and run the Market.

How you can support New Beginnings Market

While the Market is not a retail space, or open to the public, a variety of new and gently used donations are welcome!

The most needed items are:

  • Diapers

  • Laundry detergent

  • Mattresses

  • Couches

  • Dressers

Other items needed include:

  • Kitchen, housewares, and décor 

  • Beauty and personal care products 

  • Cleaning supplies 

  • Baby and school supplies 

  • Linens and clothing 

See the full list of items IRCO needs. This list is regularly updated, and things may be added or removed from the list based on client needs and current inventory.

For gently used donations, IRCO wants clean and functional pieces, with no stains, tears, or pet hair. The Market Team will check for pest infestation.

Before you donate, contact the New Beginnings Market to describe the items you would like to donate: Donations@IRCO.org or 971-271-6461. Emailing photos of your items helps staff determine which items would best meet their clients’ needs. Once you’ve heard from IRCO staff about which items they can use, you can drop them off Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Market staff will provide the drop-off address.

For larger items, like couches or dressers, IRCO may be able to pick them up from your home for a suggested donation to cover transportation and gas costs. 

To learn more about the New Beginnings Market, how to donate new or gently used goods, or to volunteer, contact Nami and Megumi at Donations@IRCO.org or call 971-271-6461. Monetary and Amazon Wish List donations are also welcome.

Tool libraries: Borrow and save

Tool libraries: Borrow and save

Just moved? If you’re like most of us, you’ve got a list of projects to do and not a lot of cash to do them.  

Here’s one easy way to save money: Get the tools for your projects for free at one of Portland’s Tool Lending Libraries. 

At these community-run libraries, you can borrow tools for home, yard, and garden – from drills and saws to lawn mowers and weed whackers. Whether it’s a small repair or a major project, they’ve got tools for carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and more. 

How it works 

1. Find your nearest tool library: 

2. Sign up to become a member – this requires you show your address (like a piece of mail) to confirm you live in the neighborhood. 

3. Learn what days and hours they’re open.  

4. Check their website to see if they’ve got the tools you need and if they’re in stock when you need them. If the tools are checked out, you can see when they’re due back. 

Benefits of borrowing 

Save money: Tool libraries are free! There’s no cost to join or borrow.  

Save space: Avoid filling up your closet, basement, or garage with tools you only use once a year – just keep a few basic tools and borrow the rest.   

Get advice: Tool libraries are often staffed by neighborhood volunteers who are knowledgeable about the tools and have experience with projects at their own homes. It's a great place to get advice on which tools will work best, how to avoid common mistakes, and nearby shops where you can find project supplies you need. 

More ways to save 

Find home building supplies at great prices: Need wood to build a table or a garden bed? You can find salvage wood, plus many more unique home supplies – from cabinet pulls and doorknobs to sinks and screen doors – at one of Portland’s great reuse home building stores. Whether you have a specific material in mind, or just want to get ideas, take a walk around a Habitat ReStore in Portland, Beaverton, Gresham, and Vancouver, or head to North Portland to check out the ReBuilding Center and nearby ReClaim It Store

Furnish your home for less: Whether you need a lamp for your bedroom, pots and pans for your kitchen, or extra chairs for when friends come over, you can find great deals at Portland’s many thrift stores. Some of these stores support local non-profits and accept donations, so you can donate the things that don’t fit in your new home and find great deals on things you need to fill your new one. Some of these stores offer online shopping, like the Habitat ReStore, or highlight their latest items through Instagram, like Community Warehouse Estate Store, and ReClaim It Store

Borrow, repair, and share: Check out the Resourceful PDX map to find more ways to save, from repairing small appliances, to buying new-to-you craft supplies, computers, and more.

Not-so-scary solutions for old electronics

Not-so-scary solutions for old electronics

Monster in Your Closet?  You’re in Good Company. 

After all this time at home, are you feeling a little cramped? Feeling like there’s too much stuff and not enough space? 

If your excess stuff includes electronics that you no longer use, you’re in good company.   

Over two-thirds of households in Oregon report that they have old, unused electronics taking up space in their home. And many share the concern that they want to dispose of them safely, to keep our state free from the hazardous materials they may contain such as lead and mercury that can harm people and wildlife. 

It’s free and easy to recycle your old electronics 

In Oregon, you can safely recycle old electronics through a no-cost statewide program known as Oregon E-Cycles. The program accepts: 

  • Desktop computers 

  • Laptops 

  • Printers 

  • TVs/Monitors 

  • Tablets 

  • Keyboards 

  • Mice 

There are over 200 drop-off sites around Oregon and finding your nearest location is as simple as calling 888-532-9253 or visiting EcycleOregon.org

All these drop-off sites are members of the Oregon E-Cycles program which requires that they follow the program’s strict Environmental Management standards that protect our health, environment and open spaces by properly disposing of the equipment they receive and ensuring that harmful materials like lead and mercury are kept out of our air, soil, and water. 

After using the e-Cycles program, “I realized it was very easy. You just pull up, tell them that you want to recycle some electronic goods. They bring out a little wheeler basket, you just put your stuff in there …  and then you’re on your way,” one Oregon resident said. 

Worried about protecting your private information before recycling?  

Find out how to erase data from your computer before recycling it at the Oregon E-Cycles locations, or at these quick guides for PCs and Macs.  

To learn more, visit EcycleOregon.org or call 888-532-9253

#MonsterInYourCloset #OREcycles 

 

Ready for a spring cleaning refresh? Here’s where to donate and buy new-to-you

Ready for a spring cleaning refresh? Here’s where to donate and buy new-to-you

Spring has sprung, and with it, spring cleaning arrives too. We’ve all spent more time at home - inside and out - and may be ready to part with unwanted items. If what you’re getting rid of is in good condition, don’t toss it, donate it! 

To donate thoughtfully and get usable goods into the hands of those who need them, look no further than your neighborhood reuse store. Portland has many nonprofit-run shops that accept donations and give you the chance to shop, both of which benefit the organization, the community, and the environment. 

Many nonprofit-run thrift stores now offer online stores, making it easier than ever to browse and shop used goods. In-person shopping is also available at some organizations, as is curbside pick-up. Go the organization’s website to find the most up-to-date information on what items they accept and what their shopping and pick-up options are.  

Dig into spring cleaning your house, apartment, garbage, or closet, and separate the usable stuff from what you no longer need or want. There are others out there waiting for it! 

Take a look at the Resourceful PDX map to find organizations that help you reuse, swap, repair and share items like tools, building or art supplies, household goods or other materials rather than throwing them away or buying new. 

Reuse, recycle and dispose of unwanted bulky materials at Portland events

Reuse, recycle and dispose of unwanted bulky materials at Portland events

Clean up for spring at Portland Community Collection Events

Portlanders can clean up their garages, basements or other clutter-filled areas and head to one of over 35 Community Collection Events scheduled this spring. Materials accepted at collection events vary, but the sponsoring neighborhood association or community group may offer a combination of bulky waste collection, an onsite reuse section and a litter pickup activity.

A variety of community groups are providing this convenient service for a reasonable donation or fee. Besides bulky items like furniture, mattresses and appliances locations may accept items for recycling and reuse, like scrap metal and household goods.

The City of Portland’s Community Collection Events, also known as Neighborhood Cleanups, offer neighborhood, community and nonprofit organizations funds for proper disposal of bulky household waste that may otherwise be disposed of inappropriately. The events prioritize recycling and reuse over disposal.

These events do not accept the following items: Hazardous waste materials; all construction, remodeling or demolition materials; all kitchen garbage; residential yard debris and trimmings; commercial landscaping; roofing; waste and recyclables collected curbside; and waste not allowed at a regional transfer station. Learn more about asbestos containing materials at the Metro transfer stations.

Your support in protecting community volunteers and transfer station staff from exposure to asbestos and keeping our neighborhoods clean and safe is appreciated.

Interested in reusing and sharing? Many groups and organizations are free and offer Portland-area residents’ simple ways to move useful materials through the community and into the hands of others who need them.

Have bulky items at other times of the year? Your garbage and recycling company can remove large items that are not reusable or recyclable for an extra charge anytime of the year.

Need a list of this year’s events? Contact the Curbside Hotline at 503-823-7202 to find a Community Collection Event near you.

Buy to Last with BuyMeOnce

Buy to Last with BuyMeOnce

The holidays are a great time to reconsider what we buy.  A recent article in the New York Times about buying items to last resonates this time of year because Resourceful PDX is about thoughtful consumption. The article highlights one woman’s journey to find long-lasting items that are built to last. The story features Tara Button, the creator of BuyMeOnce. Their tagline reads: We find the longest lasting products on the planet. To save you stress, to save you money, to save the planet.

The gist is to move away from throwaway. Seeking items that can last a lifetime may seem old-fashioned, or from another era. However, disposable items or those that are made to break (also known as planned obsolescence) are a waste, in more ways than one.

Instead, BuyMeOnce suggests seeking items for yourself or for others that stand the test of time. From socks and sweaters to blenders and mixing bowls, you can search for what you need or want, and get ideas for the holidays too.

Categories online include:

·         Kitchenware

·         Living

·         Electricals (i.e. appliances and gadgets)

·         Leisure

·         Beauty

·         Kids, women’s and men’s items

If you must give a gift of something, consider an item that the receiver wants, needs and is built to last their lifetime.

Find out more about BuyMeOnce. And check out the Resourceful PDX blog for more local options to buy smart!

Think repair for the holidays with over 200 local shops

Think repair for the holidays with over 200 local shops

Did you know you can find repair shops all over the Portland region through an online database?

Portland Repair Finder is dedicated to helping more people fix more things. The organization makes tools, knowledge and resources easier to find, and helps tell the stories behind repair work. They believe that repairing things is good for the local economy, community and environment, and it is empowering and fun.

The creator of this online tool is Joel Newman. He started the website in 2017 to become a comprehensive access point for repair of all kinds around Portland. His background is in art and design - and bicycle repair.

Joel (right) fixing a bike at a Repair Cafe.

Joel (right) fixing a bike at a Repair Cafe.

He said over the next year they will be revising the search and filtering features, as well as growing the database of repair shops and resources. The ability to search the site by item as well as by mode of repair– whether that's a needed tool for a DIY fix, expert advice or professional repair– is key to showing people the range of options available, and getting more people involved.

One of the cool things about repair work is its ability to add life to a favorite item or keepsake. If you get a favorite pair of jeans or shoes mended or restore a piece of furniture or jewelry that has been in your family for generations, it’s much more unique and memorable than buying something new.

Give the gift of repair

With the holidays upon us, now’s a good time to find alternative gift ideas. Look at who you plan to buy for this year. Would they benefit from a gift certificate from a jeweler, cobbler or for a gadget? Could a family heirloom be repaired, old photos be restored or a favorite outfit brought back to life through alteration? There are 200 businesses included on the Repair Finder.

And don’t forget about free repair events in the region. Both Repair Cafés and Repair Fairs take place around the Portland region throughout the year. Think of these events as an ongoing way to get small repairs made to keep your possessions in circulation and in use. The Resourceful PDX event calendar lists all the repair events taking place, along with other community events.

 



Find (more) holiday inspiration and creative gift ideas

Find (more) holiday inspiration and creative gift ideas

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The holidays are upon us - and that means consideration of how we celebrate the people in our lives.

We can choose to do things differently. Here’s information on two sources that provide ideas outside the gift box.

More fun and less stuff

New Dream empowers individuals, communities, and organizations to transform the ways they consume to improve well-being for people and the planet. They’ve been offering alternatives about gifting for many years, including extensive information and resources about how to celebrate the holidays in ways that are lighter on the planet and your wallet.

The SoKind Registry is a registry and wishlist service that encourages the giving of homemade gifts, charitable donations, secondhand goods, experiences, time, day-of-event help, and more.

Check out the gift ideas section!


Create memories, not garbage

Metro Vancouver, our neighbors to the North have a holiday campaign called Create memories, not garbage.

There is a collection of creative gift ideas, tips for gift wrapping and ideas for celebrating the season – all with the intention to create memories and reduce waste this holiday season.

Get inspired with gift ideas by price range too with the Merry Memory Maker.

Note: The specific places are in and around Vancouver, BC. Check out the Resourceful PDX map for local organizations.

Find more ideas to create memories in your life in our resourceful #holiday series. 

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