Have you ever gotten that gut-wrenching feeling from throwing something out that’s still good, still useful, but you don’t have anywhere else to put it? This is especially disheartening at work, where you might handle that same type of item countless times. If only you could find someone, or somewhere that could use that thing! And that someone/somewhere would be so happy to get the magical thing from you instead of paying top dollar to get it new. Today, I’m happy to announce a program that finds that special someone/somewhere to treasure your stuff at work, or might have stuff for your team to treasure.

Introducing the Materials Exchange Program! What is it? It’s a matchmaking program for all that good stuff: office furniture, equipment, textiles, particularly useful containers, anything that could potentially be reused. Whether you have something that needs a home, or need something who’s home is unknown, this is the connective tissue (to use a hospital metaphor).

We at UHN have just joined forces with Partners in Project Green, the wonderful group that runs this here program for businesses and non-profit groups, and hope lots of people will post their items (from work, not home – there are a ton of options to swap/sell at home). It’s easy to get started, and we’ve even put together all the information on one handy page.

Wish Lists are free!

If you are a part of any local (Greater Toronto Area) non-profit organization or recycler looking to accept material, you can register for free and let them know what you’re looking for. When another organization offers up that material, they will make a match. If you are at UHN or any member site, you can simply email them at exchange@trca.ca.

Happy Exchanging!

P.S. For stuff at home, try the Freecycling community. They have chapters all around the world, including here in Toronto.

P.P.S. It’s too big to give it’s full due here, but the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) released their latest, greatest, and direst report on the Climate Crisis (Climate Change is too soft a name to describe what’s happening). The big takeaway is that we humans have created this mess, mostly by burning a lot of fossil fuels … coal, oil, gas, natural gas … for energy, industry (stuff) and transportation. Business as usual will result in an unlivable environment everywhere … rising oceans, increased extreme storms, heat waves, floods, droughts, wildfires, famine … not a bright, sunshiny day. Though we have already baked in a certain amount of warming, we can still help our future selves a whole lot by changing how we do things (sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, reducing consumption). Mike shows us what to do at home, though for a really massive difference, we need to hold governments and businesses accountable for their climate plans and actions. For each of us and all of us, it’s today’s to-do list, not on the back-burner for tomorrow.