by Odetta King

I have always been passionate about reducing my consumption and waste as well as repurposing and extending the life of my items while saving money. I try to reflect this commitment in my day-to-day life.

For example, I would rather purchase goods from a thrift store, which helps reduce my own waste while prolonging the life of the items I buy. Especially today with a culture of “fast fashion,” it’s important to be mindful that constantly purchasing new clothing is taxing to the earth’s natural resources.

Swapping is one of the solutions to managing your waste from consumption and conserving the environment. Here are the top 3 reasons to swap:

1. Save Money and Get Goods for FREE

Swapping saves you money because you are trading, rather than spending the money to shop new. You can trade the items you no longer want for practically brand new and gently used items you do want, without any cost.

2. Help Conserve the Environment

Recycling is a major way to conserve the environment. By prolonging the life of your items, you are diverting them from the landfill and therefore saving resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

3. Promote a Culture of Sustainability

The items you wear and use demonstrate your concern for the environment. Most people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. If you clean out your closet and recycle or swap the clothes you do not wear, you are contributing to a sustainable solution.

Odetta King is an alumni of NYU School of Professional Studies where she studied Tourism & Sustainability. She is the creator of “I Luv 2 Swap Inc.,” which allows its community worldwide to swap and trade goods. Learn more at iluv2swap.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope and Snapchat @iluv2swap.