Ever looked at how much stuff you throw away on a daily or weekly basis?  Chances are, it’s a lot!  That’s why you should make one big New Year’s Resolution this year - don’t throw it out.  Donate it!  Plenty of the things we throw away are perfectly usable, from out of style clothes to CDs and DVDs.  They could be used by someone else, instead of taking up space in a landfill.

Sure, New Year’s was a while ago, but that shouldn’t stop you from making a late resolution that’ll make a big impact on the world around you.  When you next upgrade, get rid of clothes you never wear, or need to remove a whole lot of stuff from your life, make one change.  Donate them instead of dumping them, and keep them out of the waste stream.

America is known everywhere in the world for being a society that throws just about everything away.  Each of us throws away about four and a half pounds of stuff daily, and that adds up to about two hundred and forty-five million tons every year.  Some of that really is garbage, but a lot of it is stuff that could still be used by people who can’t afford to buy new.

That’s why donating to your favorite organization can be a real help.  Sometimes it’s even easier than throwing it away - the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, and other charities will come pick up usable furniture from your home for free or at only a small cost, while the trash pickup charges a lot to get rid of that old couch.

Most towns have a collection center for toys, books, clothes, furniture and more, either at the thrift store itself or in another location.  Materials must be in good shape and clean - don’t drop off broken electronics or soiled sofas - but almost anything will be taken as long as it’s in good enough shape for someone else to use.

These aren’t the only places to get rid of unwanted stuff, either.  Women’s and homeless shelters will take many items, especially unused toiletries, cosmetics and other personal items.  Local food banks are a good place to send food you don’t need in your pantry, as long as it’s not past expiration, and many communities and churches hold neighborhood garage sales and are looking for donations.

You can also share directly with the community using online classified ads like Craigslist (which has a section for free items) and groups like Freecycle.  This is a web group that allows people to post requests for items they want and list items they have but don’t need.  If you’ve been cleaning the garage and have things to get rid of, someone else probably needs them.

You’ll be surprised by what you can Freecycle, too.  Everything from electronics to vehicles to kids’ toys to old taxidermy have found new homes through this incredibly useful list.  Just be sure to follow the rules of your local group carefully.  Most will not allow the Freecycling of firearms or illegal materials, and some don’t allow pets or food to be given away, so read carefully.