Psst….It’s Pass It On week!

This week is Pass it on Week – a week in which people are being encouraged to think of ways that they can pass on to someone things they have finished with rather than throw them away; whether that is clothing, other textiles such as curtains, toys, books, furniture and other household good. All over Scotland people are taking part in events to highlight reuse.

On Saturday there was a ‘Swop Shop’ with recycling/upcycling workshops held in Old High Church Halls, Inverness, organised by the Ross-shire Waste Action Network (RoWAN). Meanwhile New Start Highland and The Highland Council Waste Awareness Team were braving the elements outside the Eastgate Centre with a ‘Room in a Tent’ event at which New Start demonstrated how a room could be beautifully furnished using items donated to their second hand shop.

On Monday (9 March) Blythswood Care Superstore at Evanton held a clothing clear out, coffee morning and bake, marking International Woman’s Day, while at The Living Room, Fairways, Inverness a swap shop for baby/toddler clothes, toys and equipment is running all week until Friday.

Meanwhile many Charity Shops, which have always played an invaluable role in facilitating and promoting reuse, have decorated their windows in a ‘green and cream’ colour theme to highlight the week.

Highland schools, including ones as far apart as Dingwall, Thurso and Portree,  have also been taking part with events such as clothes and book swaps/sales and clothes swishes.

Pass it on Week is organised by Zero Waste Scotland to encourage more re-use of items as a way to tackle the huge amount of re-usable items that are sent to landfill each year in Scotland. Director of Zero Waste Scotland Iain Gulland said: “It’s fantastic to see so many events being held across Scotland this week for Pass it on Week.  Re-using items has a huge benefit to Scotland’s environment, and passing on, swapping, repairing and sharing things is also a really great way to save money, have fun, meet people and help the environment at the same time.”

Further details of events planned during the week can be found on the Rubbish and recycling page of The Highland Council website: http://www.highland.gov.uk/ and at www.passitonweek.com