10 Reasons to Become a Second Hand Rose (or Roger)

Buying second hand is a major way to reduce your carbon footprint on the earth. It is the REUSE in the green mantra "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle".

1. Buying used merchandise helps to reduce waste in both the manufacture of new products and the disposal of old products. Any used and unwanted furniture, household items and clothing that is reused will not have to be manufactured and will stay out of landfills longer, toxic sites which contribute to global warming and green house gases.
2. By shopping for second hand goods in charity, thrift, consignment, vintage and antique stores, you can help to support a charity or a small entrepreneurial business.
3. Second hand costs less than new items. A find in a thrift store, charity shop or flea market costs only a fraction of it's original new price especially on high-end items.
4. You can get much better quality items and pay low prices for used high-end designer items that you may never have been able to afford if purchased new.
5. Shopping for second hand items is just plain fun. You never know what you'll find and the thrill of finding something amazing that costs next to nothing is much better than shopping for inferior quality new goods at the mega mall.
6. There is a huge choice of second hand items available from a variety of venues including FreeCycle (PhillyFreeCycle for locals), Craigs List, flea markets, charity shops, vintage boutiques, antique shops and swap parties so there is no reason why you won't be able to find exactly what you want.
7. Second hand household items and clothes are more original than the typical items that you buy in the mall, you are a lot less likely to see someone owning the same thing when you buy second hand.
8. Buying second hand allows for buying larger quantities which you may not have been able to afford. You can come home with a huge bagful of back-to-school clothes from a thrift store for the same price as 2 new outfits from the children's boutique at mall.
9. You often run across vintage hard to find items items in thrift stores that are no longer manufactured or available. I once found a wooden clothesline reel in a thrift store after searching half the city for one. The guys at the hardware stores said "they don't make them anymore, last time we carried one was about 5 years ago". Now I know to preserve and keep the one I found used because they are becoming scarce.
10. You can very often find excellent one-of-a-kind original artwork at thrift stores done by students or professional artists for under $10 already framed. I once found an framed etching for $8 only to later discover it was by a well known Philadelphia artist and worth over $500!

Buying second hand is not only good for the environment, it is also good for your wallet and your eco-conscience , so it's a win-win situation any way you look at it.