1. Be mindful about your consumption
• The more mindful you are about your purchases — i.e., being thoughtful about needs vs. wants — and the more you reduce purchases of “optional” items, the less energy will be consumed on your behalf and the less waste will be generated in the end. Both lead to reductions in carbon emissions. First, recognize that sometimes we choose to buy new things only to make ourselves feel better. Make a conscious commitment to think through each potential purchase and identify whether it is a true need, or more of a “want.”
• Consider a 30-day challenge NOT to buy optional items; then reflect on your experience and think of ways to incorporate ideas gained into your life permanently.
2. Go secondhand!
• Commit to shopping secondhand and purchase new only if what you need is not available used. Local thrift stores and consignment clothing stores offer secondhand clothing and household items in good condition at deeply discounted prices. Williamstown’s Nextdoor, Front Porch Forum, and Craigslist Western MA, as well as the Buy Nothing Williamstown group on Facebook offer many used items for sale or for free. Freecycle is an online forum for the exchange of goods for free.
• Challenge yourself to go six months without buying new clothes. Stick to the motto “Use it up, wear it out, or do without.”
3. Repair it!
• Have a hole in a sweater? Tailor, repair, or mend clothing or apparel items; find a neighbor or local tailor if you need help! Or look at online sites like Pinterest or Etsy for creative repair ideas.
• Adopt an attitude of repair rather than replace: think about the amount of space a broken item will take up in a landfill. Can it be fixed? There are numerous videos online that explain how to fix standard household items. 3D printers can sometimes be employed to replace broken parts. If the item really can’t be fixed, is there some other use for its parts?
• Check out local repair services or volunteer “repair clinics/cafes.” South Williamstown Community Association offers repair clinics twice a year, in May and November.
4. Borrow it!
• Let friends and neighbors know you welcome sharing! Borrow or share tools, unusual kitchen items, and technical equipment. Strengthen your neighborhood’s ties through sharing and lending.
• Check out the Thingdom at the Milne Public Library, a lending library for things. Borrow a sewing machine, a pair of hiking poles, a board game, and so much more! All it takes is a library card and the time to browse the collection!
5. Don’t trash it!
• Sell or donate unwanted items for others to use, to keep them out of the landfill and pay it forward. Remedy Hall is a local clearinghouse that takes donations to distribute to families in need. Or drop items off at Goodwill in North Adams. In addition to the Buy Nothing group on Facebook, other social media platforms such as Nextdoor and Front Porch Forum are good ways to find people who want things you no longer need.
• Ask around! A recent post on Facebook yielded suggestions of more than ten places children’s toys could be donated or repurposed, including the Louison House in North Adams and Kidding Around consignment shop in Pittsfield.
• Don’t throw away your packing materials! Local small vendors often welcome used boxes, cushioning materials, or bubble wrap to be used for shipping. Watch local social media for their requests.
• Check out the 2025 “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Guide” published by the Berkshire Eagle, especially the section “What Do I Do With…?”, pp. 10–20.
6. Make your own!
• A quick Internet search will lead you to DIY recipes to make your own skin moisturizer and deodorant. Learn how to make safe household cleaning products from ingredients you likely already have in your home. Use washable tea towels instead of paper towels in the kitchen. Even better, use scrap fabric to sew your own dish towels or handkerchiefs. Make your own candles, reusable beeswax food wraps, and reusable shopping bags. It’s fun and creative!
7. Reduce your paper clutter
• Remove yourself from merchant mailing and email lists. Catalog Choice can help with reducing unwanted marketing mailings and junkmail.
• Love books? Borrow from the library rather than buying new volumes. E-resources reduce the use of paper. Or if you really love to own books, check out our wonderful local used book store, Chapter Two Books, run by the Friends of the Milne Public Library. You can also donate books you no longer want to Chapter Two by dropping them off at the Friends’ Donation Center at the library at 1095 Main St.
8. Get inspired!
• Find inspiration from articles or blogs by others who have experimented with buying less (search “buy nothing challenge”).
• Talk with friends from other backgrounds and cultures, who may have more experience with some of these resource-saving practices. If you have friends or relatives on this “conscious consumer” journey, ask them to share their tips.
9. A few additional sources
• “Useful Links: Recycling, Low-Impact Living,” Green Acton website.
• For three months, write down things you would normally order online; at the end of that time, consider whether you actually do need those things.
