How Do I Go Green?
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul operates one of the oldest reuse businesses in Alameda County. One of our retired volunteers recalls seeing the SVdP trailer in the parish parking lot when he was a child. “People were passing on the things they no longer needed, hoping they would be useful to someone in need,” he said. That’s the essence of reuse – and like all good things, it’s coming back into fashion as consumers look for ways to go green.
Here’s how St. Vincent de Paul can help you go green:
- Shop for merchandise in one of our four retail stores. We sell more than $2 million in goods annually, most of them gently-used goods looking for a second home.
- Donate merchandise that we can share through our Help Desk or sell in our Thrift Stores. Give your stuff a chance to be useful a second time around. Check the list of merchandise we can accept.
- Recycle your electronics through WasteNot, a social enterprise of SVdP. Donate a wide range of electronics – from TVs to cell phones, fax machines to computers. We recycle eWaste through an approved local recycler. In 2009, we will divert more than 200 tons of electronics from local landfills. The WasteNot business also provides job training and part-time employment for people who are working to re-enter the work force.
- Visit our warehouse eco-park in East Oakland for home improvement projects. We share space with Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, which offers quality building materials at low prices, and The ReUse People, which offers a wide range of building materials and equipment from deconstructed buildings. You can also shop at our Oakland Retail Store, which features new and used furniture along with clothing and household goods.
- Volunteer your time. The green movement is not only about reusing and recycling, but also rebuilding community. Volunteer with SVdP and help serve hot meals to the homeless or help us pack food boxes for needy families. You could help plant food vegetables in our parking-lot garden. You could sort books, saving them from the landfill, or help merchandise a store, helping the reused merchandise find a new home. Check out our volunteer opportunities or contact our Volunteer Coordinator