4 Benefits of Selling Gear

by Sarah Hoots

According to JSTOR Daily, Americans fill our landfills with 12.8 million tons of textiles a year- a staggering amount! But what’s even crazier is that almost everything within our textile waste stream can be repurposed. And by selling your gear with Out&Back, you’re helping us keep that number from rising - AND earning cash while you’re at it.

Here are four ways you are helping the planet today just by selling ONE item:

  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A lot of gear is made of organic material, meaning that it is derived from natural sources and is actually biodegradable. But landfills lack the oxygen needed for organic materials to break down so, when gear does end up in a landfill, it decomposes by releasing harmful greenhouse gasses (EPA). By recycling millions of pounds of clothing, we can prevent the greenhouse gas emissions that would have otherwise occurred. 
  • Saving landfill space. Landfills aren’t just an eyesore and bad for the environment, they also take up a LOT of space! And with the annual 12.8 million tons of clothing (JSTOR Daily) being added each year, they are requiring more and more real estate. Landfills also cost millions of dollars to build and operate. But recycling gear keeps landfill costs down for everyone, thus increasing their available budget for more critical needs.
  • Conserves energy. Producing gear is expensive. In fact, according to GreenStory, an average cotton t-shirt requires the energy to power an LED light bulb for 50 days straight! Plus, it has a carbon footprint of 12 times its weight. By recycling clothes when they are no longer wanted, you ensure that all that energy doesn’t simply go to waste.
  • Helps another human. One of the worst things about tossing gear to landfills is that it robs someone else of the chance to love your gear and  have countless adventures with it. You know the saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure?” It couldn’t be more true! By selling your unwanted gear, you’re giving another human the opportunity to experience joys they might not have been able to afford otherwise. 

Selling gear does so much more than one would assume! Who knew that one piece of gear could impact the planet in so many different ways. It’s why we started Out&Back and why we are SO thrilled to have you (and your gear) on board with us. 

What are you waiting for? Start selling your unwanted gear today with Out&Back! 

 Sell Your Unwanted Gear Today! – Out&Back Outdoor (outandbackoutdoor.com)

 

Sources:

Fast Fashion Fills Our Landfills - JSTOR Daily

2021 Fashion Resale Market and Trend Report | thredUP

Thrift Store Shopping: How to Dress Greener - Water Footprint Calculator (watercalculator.org)

Frequent Questions about Landfill Gas | US EPA



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