by Toma Haines
Have you been to the Goodwill lately? Not only is it the perfect place for The Recessionista to shop, but you can take pride in living a greener life when you shop at the Goodwill. Their green motto "Donate, Shop, Recycle" reflects their 75 year long commitment to waste reduction and reuse. Their retail stores give a second life to goods and their post-retail recycling and salvage operations use non-saleable clothing articles to produce Good Wipes, industrial wiping cloths, meaning that nearly 100% of the donations they receive are reused or recycled through retail sales or salvage operations.
By shopping at the Goodwill as opposed to larger department stores you are keeping your money in your local economy. Money spent at national chain stores and non-local enterprises is often funneled to corporations that exist elsewhere. The Goodwill is dedicated to giving consumers more shopping choices and to helping reduce impact on the environment by reducing transportation costs and giving a second life to goods! Supporting Goodwill helps customers achieve a sustainable balance between community, economy, and the environment - now that's Green Living!
When shopping in Europe, you can easily seek out charity shops with a similar
mind-set to Goodwill. Look for Oxfam
resell retail shops - a non-governmental organization
working worldwide to fight poverty and injustice. Their retail charity shop aims to
raise money to help people around the world rebuild their lives. Oxfam is Europe's largest high street
retailer of second-hand books and specialist music. My favorite Oxfam shops offer good quality 2nd
hand and antique furniture at reasonable prices as well as a variety of
decorative and useful items for the home.
Vintage clothing shoppers can find oodles of retro and designer clothing
and accessories for both men and women at prices similar to that of
Goodwill!
Whether you're looking for antiques, 2nd hand goods, clothes, books,
music or more, it's well worth paying both the Goodwill and Oxfam shops a
visit. You never know what you'll find
in their collection!
To read more exciting articles written by The Antiques Diva visit www.antiquesdiva.blogspot.com or to book a European Antiques Shopping Tour at www.antiquesdiva.com)