A clean clothing, a meal on your plate, a friend to talk to — these are things most of us take for granted, but for many of our fellow Americans these are comforts that they cannot enjoy. As inflation takes hold, many basic needs are simply unaffordable for families with little to no income. America is notorious around the world for being wasteful: the average person generates roughly 4.5 pounds of trash a day, which amounts to 1.5 tons of solid waster per person per year. In many cases, the clothing and food thrown away by so many could instead go to helping families in need.
Clothing
Every year roughly 12 million tons of clothing and textiles are wasted every year — the sad part is that around 90% of those items would have been taken by organizations that accept clothing donations. Although so much is wasted, in 2011 Americans recycled or donated a combined 2 million tons of clothing and textiles to various charities across the nation. Around 80% of clothing donations in the United States is used by charities to be distributed to the needy or used for funding purposes. This winter, consider giving clothing donations to charities that help clothe the cold.
Food
It is estimated that America produces around 21.5 million tons of food waste every year. If we took all of that waste and composted it, we could reduce as many greenhouse gas emissions as if we took 2 million cars off the road for good. Instead of wasting food, many Americans give charitable donations to food drives during the holidays. Helping families in need shouldn’t be confined to a single season however, as there are many charities that accept non-perishable food donations year-round. This winter, consider giving food donations to charities that help feed the hungry.
Time
Sometimes the most important thing you can give someone is a little bit of your time. There are many who need a friend, someone to listen and talk to. Volunteering your time to charitable activity not only contributes to helping families in need, it also can help each of us gain an appreciation for those things we take for granted. This winter, consider giving your time to someone who needs it.
