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An idea born from two friends in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has now grown into a national event supporting the environment.
The Garage Sale Trail will take place over the next two weekends, supported by over 80 local councils, giving people the opportunity to sell any unwanted items.
Over half a million people are expected to be involved, with at least 15,000 garage sales expected across the country.
Nicola Bates of Garage Sale Trail explains how the initiative came about.
“So, Garage Sale Trail is a not-for-profit social enterprise and was founded by two friends from Sydney, Darryl (Nichols) and Andrew (Valder) and the aim was to educate Australians about the importance of reusing and recycling and the need to take responsibility for the impact and our consumption habits.”
Figures from the Australian Fashion Council show that each person in Australia will purchase at least 56 new items of clothing per year.
84% of them will end up in landfill, thrown away by their owners, further burdening the environment.
Gayle Sloan, CEO of the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia, says reusing items, such as clothing, ensures natural resources can remain intact.
“By using less and longer, we’re not actually buying more products. Because we know that buying more products often means using more virgin material, and that 80% of emissions come from extracting virgin material. So, we’re using less. That’s why we have to look at different ownership models. Sometimes it’s reused, sometimes it’s shared, sometimes it’s rented. So we’re not actually taking more materials off the planet to buy new ones .”
But there appears to be a change in Australians’ behavior around disposable items.
A report from the Garage Sale Trail and PayPal revealed that 83% of respondents were willing to sell them, rather than simply get rid of them.
Freelance journalist Melissa Matheson, who will be taking part in the Penrith council fire sale this weekend, attributes this movement to the younger generation of Australians.
“They’re really dragging the rest of us along, which is great! They’ve made it fun and something to aspire to, rather than, you know, when I was a teenager, you went to OP shops or both.” military service stuff for cargo pants, or you went to buy a costume for a masquerade party So, they’ve really changed the conversation about second hand clothing and I think, all credit to them, they’re really encouraging the. the rest of us to do better with our purchases.”
As well as supporting the environment, there are other benefits to second-hand shopping that younger Australians seem to have identified.
This recent trend appears to be reinforced by the rising cost of living, pushing shoppers to look for opportunities in other people’s unwanted items.
With the holiday season upon us, Matheson says the Garage Sale Trail could provide some much-needed solutions.
“The Garage Sale Trail is a really excellent opportunity to give away maybe some books, maybe some DVDs that you no longer use, children’s toys… Because people are looking for Christmas gifts and not everyone can afford to buy new things brand . And if it’s second hand in perfect condition, it’s a really good opportunity for people to get some Christmas gifts that won’t break the budget but will also be quite environmentally friendly.”
Nicola Bates of Garage Sale Trail is inviting those who have their own items to give away to take part in the initiative.
It also provides a tip for first-time second-hand buyers.
“The first thing to note is that there is still time to get organized if you want to have your own yard sale, even if it’s days away. You can do it very quickly and easily. And if you’re a buyer, the first thing I would suggest is to go to the site Garage Sale Trail web and search in your area or not even in your area, simply look for some sales around you and start locating a little map so you can shop along the way.
Although for some they may be considered a relic of the past, garage sales are returning to strong growth, with at least 14,000 held in the previous year.
The Garage Sale Trail hopes to surpass that figure within just one month, while aiming to give new life to many unused materials and objects.
Environmental groups, such as the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia, say this type of community action should receive more support.
“I just think the Garage Sale Trail mindset initiative is a terrific process to pair with municipal cleanups because not everyone in the cost of living crisis can afford to buy new ones, so it’s a great way to keep products in circulation and help others, and help yourself, to have access to products instead of throwing them into landfill, so it should be supported.”