Reuse Projects

There are thousands of reuse projects in the UK, including furniture reuse projects that sell used furniture but also help the homeless or ex-offenders such as Emmaus or SOFA project. Both of these are part of the Reuse Network; a membership organisation for not-for-profit organisations in the reuse sector. In 2023 the combined CO2 avoided by all members was 96,643 tonnes.

Furniture and White Goods Reuse

Every year tens of thousands of tonnes of products are prevented from being wasted by the reuse sector. These are not-for-profit organisations that work to ensure that low-income households have the basic furniture and white goods that they need to survive.
Without these reuse organisations, these items would end up in landfill or energy recovery which would result in a huge carbon impact due to the manufacture of new items instead of reusing old.
If the client cannot afford the items they can often be eligible for a social fund grant from the council. Items are not free but are heavily discounted. Currently, these organisations are either self-funding through the sale of items or have some income from grants.
We will fund existing projects to expand and reach more people, process more items and also invest in start-up projects.
Many of these projects provide training to disenfranchised people such as ex-offenders, the homeless and refugees.

Source - The Reuse Network

Bicycle Repair and Reuse

Cycling is more environmentally friendly than driving a car and provides the rider an opportunity to exercise. There are many bike repair charities around the country. They provide training to marginalised people and also free transport for people who cannot afford a bike for example refugees who are pending asylum status and have no recourse to funds. Some help ex-offenders or the homeless learn a skill and get their lives back on track.

We will support these projects to do more of what they are already successfully doing and share their knowledge with those wanting to set up similar projects in areas of need around the country.

The Bristol Bike Project is a great example of projects we need more of.

Baby Banks help to achieve the following Sustainable Development Goals

Baby Banks

Baby banks ensure that families have the basic essentials they need to care for their children
The social value impact of baby banks has yet to be measured but we know that they are putting preventable measures in place that is not happening with the traditional safety nets of the NHS and councils.

Baby banks are a relatively new concept to the world. The UK has a child poverty rate of 25%, these families as well as families seeking asylum, or displaced due to other reasons such as fleeing a domestic violence situation are amongst those receiving help from baby banks. In 2015 Eva co-founded Baby Bank Network Bristol, at the time there were less than 10 baby banks, in 2024 there were around 300. Most of these have been set up by women in their ‘spare’ time and with no funding for themselves. There is no charge for these items. They work with referral partners such as Health Visitors, Social workers and other charities, giving them more opportunities to support their clients. If a family is helped with kit and clothes, they have a huge stress taken away and also have more money to spend on essential items like heating and eating.

Washable/Reusable Nappies

Disposable nappies are single-use plastic items, produced mostly from petroleum-based ingredients. Using washable nappies saves families hundreds of pounds whilst also avoiding carbon emissions and the use of non renewable resources.
We will support projects that want to run nappy libraries and give out washable nappies for free.
Real nappy projects are often run by Baby Banks or other charitable ante-natal and post-natal support groups and provide a much needed opportunity for mothers to meet and create community.

“if every child in the UK in nappies used reusable nappies instead of single-use disposable nappies, it would save the equivalent of 700 million car miles of CO2 – that’s nearly 3,000 journeys to the moon in a car!” Defra LCA report

Supporting the use of washable nappies promotes these United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - Baby steps: How to reduce plastic nappy waste

Reusable Sanitary Protection

Similarly to washable nappies, sanitary protection contains petroleum-based contents that are not easily degradable.

We will support projects that raise awareness about the environmental and health impact of mainstream disposable sanitary products and encourage reusable alternatives such as period pants, washable pads and menstrual cups or distribute these to women who cannot afford the upfront investment via period poverty awareness groups.

"A single year of menstruation for an average menstruating woman or person who menstruates using mainstream disposable products amounts to a carbon footprint of 5.3kg of CO2e."

The Menstrual products and sustainable alternatives report 2021 found that reusable menstrual products have a lower environmental impact than single-use menstrual products.