Celebrate Earth Day with Room to Grow!

by Allison Luciano, Site Operations Manager at Room to Grow New York

While Room to Grow may not be your first thought when considering how to celebrate Earth Day, here are some reasons why we should be part of your plans.

As you may already know, discarded clothing and textiles make up a large portion of what ends up in landfills. This matters because the more waste in landfills, the more methane gas being released, and, as a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, methane contributes to climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that in 2018, 11.3 million tons of textiles were dumped in landfills — 7.7% of all municipal solid waste. That’s a lot of t-shirts and socks. 

So how does Room to Grow fit in? In 2019, Room to Grow distributed over 65,000 articles of children’s clothing to families in Boston and New York. The overwhelming majority of those items were “nearly new” or “very gently used” pieces donated by our local communities. Families clearing out clothing their children have outgrown (sometimes before they even have the chance to wear it!) and donating it to our Family Centers enables us to provide necessary items, such as pajamas, onesies, coats, linens, and more, to more than 1,500 families. Even during the past year, when the families enrolled in our program were not able to select their items in person, our teams put together bundles of clothing, toys, books, and accessories to ship directly to families’ homes. These bundles were filled with items donated to us by individuals in the community.

Additionally, donating your items gives you the opportunity to say goodbye to pieces that hold a lot of sentimental value and ensures that these memories stay out of landfills. We love being a part of your family’s journey and understand how special these pieces are, as they represent so many moments in time. The pants your baby was wearing when he took his first steps? That special outfit your toddler wore for birthday photos? Those special memories are shared with Room to Grow and the families in our program. 

Clothing is just one example of how Room to Grow helps to divert thousands of items from landfills each year. As most people can agree, children have a lot of stuff. Even as small infants, there is so much gear that can pile up. Bouncers and baby swings? Pack ‘n plays and strollers? Toys, books, and accessories? All items that can be so useful as children grow, but take up so much space once no longer in use. Donating these things to organizations like Room to Grow ensures that they will continue to bring joy to a whole new family, while staying out of landfills and reducing the amount of trash we are producing. 

So as you take a moment to celebrate the Earth and do some spring cleaning this year, try to look for places that will ensure your cherished items are passed along to new homes ready to create all-new memories, and avoid trashing items that are in demand by local families wherever you are.

To learn more about Earth Day, visit earthday.org.