With how much politicians have been discussing income inequality lately, it is not secret that some Americans are better off than others. Those that need assistance that they cannot obtain by their own means are often helped by charitable organizations, which operate on donations. Clothing and other secondhand items are common ways to fund such enterprises, making bins for veterans clothing donations, among others, a common sight. In an effort to encourage more people to help, here are five benefits of recycling clothing.
- Feel Good: It may be self-centered, but feeling good about yourself is a strong reason inspiring the charitable donations of many, if not most. Perhaps in an ideal world, altruism alone would be enough, but in the imperfect reality in which we live, people need to receive something in return for their efforts, even if only a bump in self-esteem.
- Good For The Environment: Over the last two decades, the amount of clothing the typical American purchases has doubled. Unfortunately, only 15% of those used textiles are recycled. The result is municipal landfills that are 5% textiles, 100% of which were recyclable. The state of the environment demands that each person does their part, putting new urgency to charitable clothing donations.
- Inspire Others: Peer pressure and the desire to conform with a group exists in all people to a certain degree. Consequently, if a person that shares on social media about helping disabled veterans by donating clothes to charity, a person in their social circle will likely follow their lead.
- Tax Write Offs: It may sound mercenary, but the fact of the matter is people either want or need ways to reduce their taxes. Charitable donations are a legal means of doing so. A man?s suit alone, in good condition, represents a $60 tax write off! There are some rules that are involved, such as needing a receipt for a donation over $250, but charities will be happy to explain.
- Altruism: Each time a person deposits clothes somewhere marked veterans clothing donations, they are helping those veterans achieve a better quality of life. The same for every other group helped by secondhand clothing donations. There is no better reason than that.
With the benefits to donating used clothing, few would decide against it. The problem is people do not decide against it. They simply forget. So, to ensure you do not forget, or forget again, do it today.