August has been a busy month work wise, so I haven’t had as much time (or inclination) to blog. I’ve also been experiencing some blogging fatigue. Sometimes it feels like I’m just writing into the void. It also feels ridiculous to write about stuff and consumption habits when so many horrible things are happening in the world. I mean, the rainforest is literally on fire.
So, today I thought I’d blog about something that feels more helpful and positive. I’m starting a feature on the blog called Field Trips where I visit places that are doing something interesting when it comes to sustainability. The first destination is SCRAP SF.
The first aisle at SCRAP SF.
Reduce, reuse, recycle. We’ve all heard that, right? The order of this phrase is not random. It indicates what we should prioritize: reducing our consumption in the first place. SCRAP helps us with the second part of that phrase: reuse. It’s a nonprofit reuse center in San Francisco that consolidates and organizes art, craft, and office supplies. It then sells them for super cheap. SCRAP also gives away supplies each month to teachers. In fact, I originally learned about SCRAP from a teacher.
Cardboard tubes and wrapping paper galore.
It’s a great resource for artists too. SCRAP also holds art workshops, like drawing and crocheting. You can also learn how to make objects out of stuff found at SCRAP, like collages, jewelry, and clothing. According to SCRAP, the organization diverts 200 tons of materials from the landfill each year.
I just love when things are organized by color!
As someone who hates throwing useful things away, I love this place so much. It’s one of my favorite places in San Francisco. I’ve donated art supplies, stationery, and office stuff to them, but I shop there as well. They take donations of items (as well as money) from individuals as well as businesses. Sometimes events drop off leftover swag and you’ll come across a whole bunch of new reusable water bottles with some random logo on it. The last time I was there, it seemed like a tailor shop had closed and given them their contents. There were boxes and boxes of high-quality buttons that were made in the USA and England. They seemed like they were midcentury — certainly better than anything you could buy at your average big box craft store today.
Vintage high-quailty buttons.
I’ve brought them random spare buttons; I’m definitely not the only one. There’s a large box full of buttons to sift through. Cost? Just $1 a scoop.
SCRAP also has fabrics, frames, greeting cards, foam core, mat board, tins, hardware, old National Geographic magazines, maps, vintage photos, carpet samples, trophies and on and on and on. Some of the more unexpected things I’ve seen at SCRAP: synthetic grass (brand new in the packaging), a barrel full of nail polish stickers, piano keys.
You can also donate costumes and theater set pieces. So you never know what you might find. Perhaps a large puppet like this:
The mister and I went in there recently with a random shopping list:
– adhesive mailing labels
– a black Prismacolor pencil (we have a set of Prismacolor pencils at home but are missing the black)
– sew-on snap (I needed just one to add to a piece of clothing)
– buttons for my mother-in-law’s knitting project
Remarkably, we found all these things — even the exact black pencil we were looking for. We also picked up some lightbulbs to replace the ones in a table lamp that had just gone out.
Our grand total was $2.17. Purchasing a box of new labels and a package of snaps would have cost at least $8. So we saved both money and stuff from the landfill.
There’s also a section with free stuff just inside the entrance (you can always find binders, calendars, and CD cases there). The exterior has piles of free stuff as well like buckets, plastic bins, pottery, etc.
Last year, there was a scary moment when it seemed that SCRAP might be evicted. It’s located in a warehouse owned by the San Francisco Unified School District and the fire department said the building had some violations and needed costly repairs. Happily, the issues were resolved and SCRAP is still open. Volunteers (and just a few staff) keep it running.
In Oakland, there’s a similar org called the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse. I wish that every community had a place like this, as well as repair cafes and secondhall malls like this one in Sweden.
Is there a creative reuse center in your area? I’d love to hear about it.
SCRAPSF, I miss ya all. You are one of the unique places that I remember when I hear “I left my Heart in San Francisco.”