Eminem claims you only get one shot — but the Reuse Centre knows there’s always room for second chances. This sustainability sanctuary has shown that with a dash of creativity, even the most overlooked items can bloom into something new.
The Reuse Centre, founded in 2007, offers reusable items to Edmonton residents completely free of charge (you heard that right — completely free) and encourages individuals to donate goods for others to reuse. Liane Little, community coordinator, has been with the centre for a decade and has witnessed its growth firsthand.
“The Reuse Centre is entirely focused on waste reduction and helping residents do it,” she says. “We’re starting to expand business partnerships, but for the most part, our focus has been residential.”
The centre provides a list of accepted items on its website. You can drop off donations at the centre or through any of Edmonton’s four eco stations.
“They will accept our donations for us, and then when they have enough pallets, they ship it over here for us. A little bit of a side trip, but it does get here — it gets to where it’s intended to go,” Little explains.
One of the centre’s signature initiatives is DIY Thursday workshops. These two-hour, volunteer-led sessions teach skills that directly contribute to reducing waste. Recently, participants learned to make cross-stitch bookmarks. And tomorrow, those same stitches could help mend a torn shirt or jazz up an old tote bag — because waste reduction is about thinking outside the (recyclable) box.
“Though it might look like just crafting, there’s a skill here that helps you reduce waste in a meaningful way. The same techniques used for a bookmark can help you mend clothing, too.”
To lead these workshops, “anyone can volunteer, as long as they have a skill that they’re willing to share and they’re comfortable sharing it… we work with the presenters to figure out dates, supplies needed, and set it up.”
The centre’s influence stretches beyond workshops. Every month, it hosts swap events where items not typically accepted at the Reuse Centre circulate through the city. And in March, the Reuse Centre will sprout something special — a seed and plant swap where you can grow your eco-friendly habits.
The Reuse Centre offers free room rentals for programs and workshops for those eager to launch their own waste-reduction initiatives. The core requirement for being able to rent that room is “your program or gathering has to have a waste reduction focus.” The centre also offers school programs, both virtual and in person, to teach kids about waste reduction, textile waste and sustainability.
Looking to the future, the Centre is prepping a brand new program this year — a sustainable fashion week where teens will spend the week creating outfits from reused materials.
“We’re inviting individuals between 14 and 18 to spend the week getting waste reduction education, but also they get to focus on actually creating their own outfits out of reused materials. It’s going to [finish] with a fashion show at the end — so that one’s really fun.”
The Reuse Centre doesn’t throw away potential — it repurposes it.
