The Green Ostrich

Have you heard of Second Hand September?

In 2019, Oxfam started a campaign with the hashtag #secondhandseptember to encourage people to avoid buying new clothes for the entire 30 days of September. The aim was to raise awareness about the environmental impact of the global fashion industry. The theme for 2023 is “Dress for the World You Want.”

I’ve covered this before in different ways, but buying second hand clothing is a wonderful way to make an environmental difference. In fact, buying an item that already exists is one of the best things we can do, short of not buying anything, to combat the environmental impact of overconsumption.  That conventional cotton t-shirt you’re wearing? Remember that it took 2,700 liters of water to make it. Buying one that is already in circulation uses no extra water. Buying second hand clothing reduces the demand for new products, which saves valuable resources and keeps clothing out of landfills. It also saves you money!  

Second hand clothing is also easier than ever to come by with resale options being offered through brands (like Patagonia’s Worn Wear), online consignment stores (like Thredup), increased opportunities for individuals to sell their own clothes (like Poshmark and eBay), and of course, brick-and-mortar resale and consignment shops. 

But why limit second hand options to clothing? Have you ever thought about what else you can buy second hand? 

My family needed to replace our frying pans. Through eBay, I found gently used options of the exact brand and style we were looking for at about half the cost. It might have a couple of marks on it, but no worse than it would get after a month or two of use anyway. And what about your phone? 

Did you know that Apple sells refurbished iPhones that each come with a new battery and warranty? Electronics waste is a massive issue, and buying refurbished products can combat that. 

And what about school supplies? September is the perfect time to think about that. How many of you went out and bought all new three-ring binders and rulers for your children this year? In the spring, when school lets out for the summer, think about keeping the folders and binder and pens that are still usable and use them again next year. Your children don’t actually need all new supplies and lunch boxes every year no matter what the Target and Walmarts of the world want you to believe! This year, we got away with buying one calculator (needing a scientific one) and a pair of headphones. Everything else on our absurdly long school supply list was reused from last year. (This last example may not make a lot of sense to any of my international readers, but in the United States, families are tasked with bringing everything from notebook paper to paper towels into our classrooms. Another problem for another day….)

Since I was a kid, and now with kids of my own, I’ve always considered September and the start of school as the start of the new year, not January. So September is as good a time as any to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the coming year. Second Hand September is a great place to start as a way to consider our consumption habits and begin that necessary mindset shift away from buying new on a whim to consuming with intention and looking for alternatives to new. What will you buy second hand in this new year?