Scottish Housing Day 2021 – Are you resource conscious?
Osprey Housing are proud to be supporting Scottish Housing Day 2021 on the 15th September.
This year’s theme is tackling the climate emergency. There are many different areas where we can make changes to aid the transition to net zero, but Osprey have decided to focus on becoming more resource conscious, and we’d like to share some advice on how we can all join in, and what we will be changing as an organisation.
So we all know that using less energy at home, and driving less, will reduce our carbon foot print, but have you thought about the resources and raw materials consumed by the clothing, furniture, electronics and any else that we buy? Even producing something simple like a t-shirt uses resources in growing the cotton, spinning the fibres, making the garment and then shipping it across the world – all that can be avoided if we buy only what we need, and purchase second hand where possible.
Firstly though, it’s worth acknowledging that this is difficult - with the ease of online shopping and super quick delivery it’s all too easy idly click away and purchase something new. We’ve all been sold the idea that a nice shiny new thing will make us happy – but does it really in the long term? Perhaps consider before clicking ‘checkout’ whether you really need that new thing, and if you do, could you find it second hand? Taking a minute or two to think can help us avoid those impulse purchases.
That said, sometimes we genuinely do need something brand new – that’s fine, we’re not here to guilt trip anyone! The idea of being a ‘perfect’ eco warrior type can be so off putting, but in reality we need lots of people open to small changes, rather than a few people doing everything ‘perfectly’.
So where to start? Well, Oxfam UK are currently running their ‘Second hand September’ campaign, asking supporters to buy only second hand clothes for a month, could you commit to a month initially, maybe the rest of the year?
Charity shops are the obvious place to start looking for those second hand finds, and some of them even sell on online now too. Did you also know that there’s many local charity shops selling furniture and other home goods? We’ll ask you to share your favourite local second hand shops on social media on Scottish Housing Day, we’ll be asking our staff for their favourites too.
We’d also recommend online auction sites, social media market places, and apps- all of these can help you both declutter, and find second hand items locally. It’s not just a money saving tactic, buying second hand really is better for the planet too.
As an organisation we like to practice what we preach so we’re working on a pilot project to avoid useful items ending up in landfill. We will be engaging with local charities to ensure items of furniture left behind in properties at the end of a tenancy can be redistributed to people who need it or sold in charity shops to help local causes. We’re also working on the other side of this, and sourcing items for our vulnerable tenants who need some assistance.
We will continue sharing our tips and resources on social media beyond Scottish Housing Day, so if you’re aware of local organisations doing good work to encourage reuse and repurposing, then please let us know.
