Even an office move presents opportunities for us to help clients do good in their communities. You may remember event agency The iLUKA Collective from our Success Story detailing the first phase of their office move (if not, you can read about it here!) and we’re back with more good news about the organisations who have benefitted.
The second phase of the transition to a new space meant that The iLUKA Collective had extra furniture for us to rehome. First up was the first of two filing cabinets, taken off our hands by DEBRA’s Croydon branch. Next, a big wooden cupboard, which will see plenty more years of use at St Joseph’s Catholic School in Kingston-upon-Thames. Princess Alice Hospice, also in Kingston, received a wooden desk; it’s always great when we can arrange for furniture to be taken by organisations in the same area, as it helps to reduce transport emissions.
On that note, we were actually able to give the remaining pieces of furniture to one organisation, the British Pakistani Christians Association. They took in The iLUKA Collective’s second filing cabinet, a coat rack, a trestle table and branded notebooks that were no longer needed. It’s easy for companies to assume that there is no use for branded goods once they’re surplus to requirements– we think this example proves that this isn’t the case, and that good quality items need not be thrown away while they are still perfectly functional.
In fact, items don’t need to be in perfect condition to deserve a life outside landfill. There are many ways to repair and upcycle items - especially furniture - to avoid unnecessary waste. Whether it’s giving a cupboard a lick of paint so it fits into a newly-styled room, or investing time in repairing a wobbly table leg instead of buying a new one, there are always options to make your furniture last longer. If repairs truly aren’t possible, or nobody nearby has a use for furniture you are looking to replace, it’s worth checking whether it can be recycled before throwing it away.
Search for bulky waste collection options on your local council’s website, and if that’s not an option, check out this recycling facilities locator to see what else is available. At Event Cycle, we think it’s always worth taking the time to keep items out of landfill!