A public meeting to establish a ReUse Center in Geneva will be held on February 26, at the Geneva Community Center on Carter Road. The initiative is one more tool the City and the Town of Geneva are working together to create to divert waste from going into the landfill.
“We need to think about the items we acquire and where they go after we are through with them,” says Mark Venuti, Supervisor in the Town of Geneva. “A store that accepts all kinds of goods, including items like electronics, construction pieces, or things in need of light repair, would take these goods out of the landfill while offering consumers a low price on things they need or want.”
While established second-hand stores such as the Salvation Army Store and the Center of Concern are great places for the resale of many items, planners are confident there are plenty of goods that would fill the shelves of a ReUse Center here.
“The demand is there,” says Venuti. “The Town and City of Geneva want to help encourage this momentum and make a more permanent home for reuse in this area. We want to understand the capacity at places like the Salvation Army and Center of Concern and figure out how to fill the gaps.”
In addition to the environmental impact, the ReUse Center in Geneva will impact economic development. Job training opportunities in repair, environmental sustainability, and retail sales and management will play a large part in the Center’s operation. The Center will especially reach out to individuals who may have had difficulties securing long-term employment.
The concept is not a new one in the Finger Lakes. Over the past 16 years, Tompkins County has helped launch successful ReUse Centers in and around the City of Ithaca, headed up by Diane Cohen, a consultant for the Geneva project.
Both the Town and the City have been pursuing numerous projects in recent years with the goal of waste diversion. In the town, regular “Free Stuff Days,” accept all kinds of goods before opening the doors for free “shoppers.” “It is remarkable what people are willing to contribute without any compensation,” says Jacob Fox, sustainability officer in both the Town and City. He recalls items like a perfectly good pool table, multiple baby strollers and a vast array of household goods that found new homes through these events.
A Zoom alternative will be offered for the February 26 public meeting. Those wanting more information can go to townofgeneva.com/reuse or contact Town of Geneva Climate Smart Coordinator Jacob Fox at [email protected]