Second Hand Challenge

(Graphic by Elizabeth Stilwell.)

For the month of September, the Ethical Writers Coalition is hosting a Second Hand Challenge to raise awareness about buying previously owned items. We’re all tackling different aspects of this issue, but our overall goal is to shed a little light on using second hand goods as a way to encourage sustainability and the reduction of waste. Have you ever wondered what happens to all those old clothes you donate? Here’s a brief and unsettling explanation.

Since I’m not in the market for clothes or any major purchases this month, I’m focusing on creative ways to pass along the things I no longer need. My goal is to avoid donating items to donation centers like Goodwill, since that’s basically the same thing as throwing stuff directly into the trash. I’m guilty of both, so this experiment is definitely proving to be a learning experience. And Leah offers an excellent look at the complicated nature of the second hand market.

September is the perfect time for this challenge, since it’s Back to School season, as well as the release of new fall fashion lines. What better way to stretch your sartorial creativity than by recycling your mother’s vintage pieces into a new outfit or swapping children’s clothes with your friends? There are so many different ways to reuse what’s out there without buying new, and we’re planning to share these ideas with you.

Be sure to follow my fellow Ethical Writers, including Leah, Elizabeth, Kamea, Sotela, and Juhea and team, as well as our Pinterest board and the hashtag #ethicalwritersco on social media.