It's not always easy to see, but in every landfill and in every community, you have a pretty good chance of finding something useful. In Wilson County, we found this couch and two TVs just today. Items like these could still be useful with a little work, so beginning soon, Wilson County will offer items like these for free to anyone who wants them. The owners will simply drop them off at a "swap shop" instead of the landfill.
"This, we hope will allow people to bring things in that they don't want any longer and then it will be there for people that can't afford them, or just want to come out and take a look around and see if there's something they might want to use," Environmental Engineer Jan Manning said.
You'd be surprised how many people swipe things like this from dumpsters. Everyone from college students to people hosting yard sales. The "swap shop" will take the danger and dirt out of bargain hunting.
Organizers say this effort is also designed to encourage people to think twice about the way they throw things away. Often, many of us are happy to throw away things around the house, not because they're unusable but because they're inconvenient.
"People have gotten so used to using something and then if it doesn't suit them exactly, they throw it away," Solid Waste Director Steve Clayton said. "They don't think that there might be other people who could benefit from that use."
If things go smoothly, Wilson's swap shop could be in place as soon as next month.
Organizers say toys, sporting goods and furniture are expected to be popular items. Used clothing, however, will not be permitted.
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