Buying a set of dishes that will last for decades is obviously a great move to cut down on your household's future waste. It does beg a question of what to do with the old, struggling set that preceded it.
A Redditor wisely went to the r/ZeroWaste subreddit looking for answers on how to repurpose or dispose of their old set with as little waste as possible. In their post, they noted that their set was about 10 years old and cost around $40 from Target.
"Through multiple moves and the accidents of daily life we're down to 3 dinner plates (one with a pretty sizable crack that gets worse with microwaving), 7 side plates, and somehow still have all 8 original bowls," they revealed.
The community was the perfect sounding board and provided a wealth of suggestions.
"I often see used dishes at Goodwill," a user revealed. "I bought a nice set of dessert dishes there once."
A user clarified that incomplete sets were fine to donate, and another user suggested that thrift stores of all types might accept them.
Perk up the winter blues with natural, hemp-derived gummies Camino's hemp-derived gummies naturally support balance and recovery without disrupting your routine, so you can enjoy reliable, consistent dosing without guesswork or habit-forming ingredients. Flavors like sparkling pear for social events and tropical-burst for recovery deliver a sophisticated, elevated taste experience — and orchard peach for balance offers everyday support for managing stress while staying clear-headed and elevated.
Learn more → |
Another option was putting them up for sale for free on Craigslist, which a user said worked out for them.
"Anything that isn't actual garbage is usually very quick to go on free Craigslist," they added.
NextDoor was another option the community proposed, allowing neighbors to pick up the items for free. Buy Nothing groups was another popular suggestion.
"I brought incomplete dish sets into my office to encourage others to use real dishes instead of paper plates," another Redditor suggested. Considering how many disposable items go through most offices, that could be a nice waste-saving move.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
$200 or more 💰 This being the Zero Waste community, Redditors got very creative with some more outside-the-box ideas.
"I use old plates and bowls to catch water or set under pots to protect surfaces," a user suggested. "Since there aren't many left, seems like that might work."
Other suggestions included using them for trays, paint palettes, drainage at the bottom of plant pots, and even to fill in spots on a gravel driveway.
Overall, the OP gained numerous eco-friendly ideas to avoid sending their old plates and bowls to a landfill. They were receptive to many of the ideas, including putting their old set up for free, using them as catch or trinket dishes, and using the shards for their plant pots.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
