One Man's Trash Another's Treasure, Celebrating Earth Day

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by Jacinda Garabito/ Photo Journalist Mark Phillips

Story Created: Apr 22, 2012 at 9:26 PM EDT

Story Updated: Apr 22, 2012 at 11:44 PM EDT

The first Earth Day was celebrated 42 years ago.  Today it continues to bring  awareness to issues that threaten our environment.

IKEA and Crisis Assistance Ministry teamed up for the 'Spring Cleaning and Greening' event.

Brian Gott, the local Marketing Specialist for IKEA says people were able to donate their old furniture, "We've seen people drive all the way from Raleigh with items that they've dropped off and people that really will reach out and help their neighbors and I think that it's really really cool."

Rebecca Warner and Mark Hwang are the ones who drove from Raleigh.  They donated an antique table, hoping to give it to a family who needs it more than they do.  Rebecca says, "You get such a good feeling to donate I mean you  don't want it anymore somebody else wants it and somebody else needs it.  And you don't anymore so you should just donate."

Nick Price volunteers for Crisis Assistance Ministry.  He knows what its like to watch a family receive much needed furniture.  He says, "Their faces are so much brighter whenever they get to receive these things and take them home."

Another way to give back, is using creative ways to reduce trash and turn it into beautiful pieces of furniture.  That's what businesses like Rug and Home do.  CEO and Founder Rakesh Aragwal says, "This chair is made from old pieces, antiques and semi antiques and doors and stuff where they couldn't use it in the door itself they would just pull it and make it into a chair."

Hard to believe this wood is possibly 40 or 50 years old.  One man's trash is another man's treasure chest.

Aragwal says, "Here you're not cutting forests what you're doing here is recycling things here and preventing it from going to the landfills."

More people are recycling hazardous waste in Mecklenburg County, keeping it out of landfills.  462-thousand people visited the county's four recycling centers last year.  That's up 23 percent from 2006.

 

Contact Crisis Assistance Ministry if you have furniture to donate. They will come to your home to pick it up. www.crisisministry.org

IKEA is always looking for charitable organization to partner with in the community.  Contact Brian Gott 704.777.2345.

 

 

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