Building a 2,000 square foot home accumulates as much as 8,000 pounds of waste. This is according to the National Association of Home Builders. Sadly, at least 85% of this waste could be recycled or reused instead of going into landfills. 

When you undertake a home remodeling project, it is inevitable that there will be waste that will need to be disposed of. However, there is a way to do things differently by using some of the removed material and recycling it into useful, beautiful items. You can do this in a number of different ways:

1) Refresh And Recycle

One way is by repurposing what could have been waste. For instance, say you have open shelves in your kitchen and you want to have cabinets put in. Use the same wood to make the cabinets or use it to make vanities for the bathroom instead of buying wood. Finish with an attractive stain or paint to not only repurpose but also refresh. 

2) Use Recycled Material

Another way is to do your remodeling with recycled material. For instance, use reclaimed wood, metal and even glass. These are perfect if you are going for an industrial, rustic or shabby chic look. If you want a modern or refined look, you can always finish these materials by smoothing and painting them. 

You can get recycled materials at very low prices at the following places:

●      Craigslist

●      The PlanetReuse Marketplace

●      Reusewood.org

●      Freecycle.org

●      Nextdoor.com

●      Habitat for Humanity ReStores 

●      Thrift and antique shops

●      Construction sites 

●      Neighbors, family and friends

3) Go The Other Way With Recycling

You can also help yourself and the environment by choosing alternative construction materials. For instance, go for wine cork floors and walls made out of the millions of corks found on wine bottles that are thrown away every year. They are recycled into tiles by Yemm & Hart among other companies. Newspaper wood planks and mushroom insulation where agricultural waste and fungal mycelium are used to make insulation are two alternative ways to go.Blood bricks that use the blood of slaughtered animals as a bio-adhesive are also an option and if you can stomach it, so are diaper roofing tiles.

4) Eco-Friendly Remodeling

You can also do your bit for the planet by remodeling using materials that are eco-friendly or that can be recycled. One way to do this is by using paint that has low volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are substances that contain carbon that easily turns into gases. They are found not only in paints but also in some cleaning products and coatings. Go for low-VOC paints. Also known as green paints, they have less than 50 grams of VOCs per liter. This is a requirement for Green Seal standards so look out for the certification badge.

5) Donate Or Resell

Finally, donate or resell waste that you may not be able to recycle, The websites above where you can find recycled items may be able to buy from you or you can list items for sale or to give away on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace. There may be someone who is looking for precisely that item you don't want or need anymore so give them a chance to find it or recycling plants that can turn it into raw material or another product.

Going All Out

Some people have gone all out such as with tiny homes made from upcycled trash. One of the most outstanding and inspiring ones is one in San Diego that the owner build using almost 100% repurposed materials for less than $1.500. While you may not be ready to go to such an extreme, you can certainly do your bit for the planet and save some money too.

Professional Trash Collection Services

For that waste that you will have to get rid of, hire a reliable trash pickup and disposal company to get rid of it according to waste disposal regulation. The company serves homeowners as well as commercial space owners. 

Guest Contributor: Angela Martin