To quote social philosopher Thomas Hobbes, life before civilization was “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,” for this reason our ancestors decided it would be best to lay down our arms and focus on helping one another. Today that sentiment is scarcely found in our world it would seem; the news has a way of making the world seem to be a more hostile place than it is in actuality. We have the power to choose what kind of world we wish to make for future generations, here are some examples of how each of us impacts that world.
The Waste We Produce
Consumerism has transformed the lives of Americans as one’s possessions seem to be a direct reflection of their status — getting the newest or most fashionable version of things seems to be a priority for many people. Consequentially, this means that Americans are prone to send around 10.5 millions tons of clothing to landfills every year; this means that the average American throws away around 70 pounds of clothing, linens, and other textiles every year. When generosity does strike the hearts of people, it often occurs during the holidays around Thanksgiving and Christmas time when the sentiment of giving is in full swing — around 43% of those surveyed gave more during the holidays than the rest of the year, unfortunately “more” may mean some instead of none.
How Much We Can Give
Although an evaluation of textile waste may seem to leave some with little hope for humanity, rest assured that donations outweigh waste. There are approximately 4.7 billion pounds of clothing donated by Americans each year to charities to benefit the homeless and military veterans in need of aid. There is always more room to give however as Americans recycle or donate only around 15% of their used clothing; 45% of recycled and donated clothing is worn as secondhand clothing by those unable to afford new clothing purchases. Experts suggest that almost 100% of the 10.5 million tons of clothing and textiles sent to the landfills every year could have been recycled and used in some way regardless of quality or condition — before throwing it in the trash, consider donating it to a local Purple Heart veterans pick up charity.
Finding the Best Charities to Donate to
There are a number of Purple Heart veterans pick up services available to pick up donations directly from the homes of generous donors. For those thinking about having a Purple Heart veterans pick up collect clothing donations in your home, make sure you follow these tips for choosing what you give. Experts suggest donating clothing that has not been worn within the last six months to clear out clutter and ensure that that item will get use; this is especially so for those who live in a one or two season climate. In order to make sure that your donations will be used responsibly and in the intended manner, it is suggested that donors only support groups that have been granted a tax-exempt status according to the Internal Revenue Code as these are non-profit organizations that are wholly committed to benefiting veterans and the homeless. Additionally, donors have the capability of benefiting from their donations in the form of tax write-offs: donors ought to keep receipts for any charitable donation worth over $250 in order to benefit as a write-off during tax season. As a society we have the power to help or ignore those in need; a number of non-profit organizations have made the choice to help their fellow Americans, will you do the same?
