Guest Op-Ed: Join the Circular Economy

By Wendy Millar Page, Maryalice Sharkey, Christine Kinsey

The Town Council has approved a new ordinance that requires residents to pay for additional town approved trash bags to dispose of trash that exceeds each household’s one-barrel limit.  This is therefore the perfect time for Winthropites to join the circular economy, by offering and seeking out previously used household goods and clothes, rather than buying new and disposing of unwanted goods in the trash. 

Engaging in the circular economy saves residents money and reduces Winthrop’s disposal burden and costs, and has the added benefit of being good for the Earth!  There are several opportunities to participate in the circular economy:

First, you can join Winthrop’s Buy Nothing Facebook group and/or download and use the BuyNothing app.

Second, you can participate in, and shop at, the Town-Wide Yard Sale sponsored by the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce.  This year the Town-Wide Yard Sale will take place on June 3, 2023, starting at 9:00 a.m.

Third, bring your electronics to Winthrop’s Electronics Recycling Event on Saturday, June 10, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Parks & Recreation Parking Lot.

Finally, come to Winthrop Mothers Out Front’s Second Annual Swap Shop, sponsored in conjunction with the Winthrop Zero Waste Committee, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on June 4, 2023 (the day after the Town-Wide Yard Sale) at Ingleside Park.  Bring your no-longer-needed household goods, novelty items, clothes, accessories, and jewelry and browse what other residents have brought.  Everything is free!  Anything left at the end of the event will be removed by CMRK, the company that manages the blue used clothing and textile bins around town.  CMRK pays the Town of Winthrop for textiles by the pound so participating in the Swap Shop by bringing unwanted clothes and textiles also benefits Winthrop.  Donations received by the company ultimately benefit the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation.

We hope you will recognize the multiple benefits of joining the circular economy!

P.S. Another way you can reduce your solid waste load and help avoid the extra bag fee is to sign up for Black Earth Compost ($69.99/six months).  Signing up for Black Earth entitles you to a bag of beautiful compost for your garden each spring.

Please always follow Winthrop’s guidelines for your recycling barrel to avoid extra cost to Winthrop for contaminated loads.

Maryalice Sharkey and Christine Kinsey are Co-coordinators for Winthrop Mothers Out Front. Wendy Millar-Page is the Solid Waste and Recycling Manager for the DPW in Winthrop.