Sustainability Across Atlanta
Featuring LiveThrive and CHaRM
Have you ever wondered what to do with the old appliances laying around your home that no longer work? You moved out the old coffee maker, hair dryer, vacuum cleaner or microwave to the garage after it stopped working, but don’t know how to dispose of it. It has sat in your garage or storage for years now and it’s time to get rid of it to make space. How about the mountains of bubble wrap and styrofoam packing that come with all of our online shopping? This is where LiveThrive / CHaRM comes in. You can do the right thing by taking it to a CHaRM facility.
LiveThrive is an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization working since 2010 to create a community that cares about a healthy and sustainable environment. CHaRM, which stands for Center for Hard to Recycle Materials, is the primary initiative of LiveThrive. With their two permanent drop-off facilities, they aim to improve our environment by encouraging reuse and diverting thousands of pounds of hard-to-recycle items from Metro-Atlanta landfills and water systems.
According to their website, ninety-six percent of all items brought to CHaRM will be recycled, re-purposed or re-engineered. Items brought to them for reuse will be distributed to local nonprofits working with children, veterans or other groups in need. Some of the items accepted at Charm are appliances, bikes, books, cardboard, cartons, household chemicals, electronics, glass, mattresses, metals, musical instruments, tires, textiles and many more. Please check out their website https://livethrive.org/charm/ for a complete list.
LiveThrive has two CHaRM facilities to better serve you. CHaRM Atlanta is located off of Hill Street in Atlanta, and CHaRM Dekalb is located off of Columbia Drive in Decatur. You can easily make an appointment online and bring your items to any of these facilities. As long as your item is listed on their website as something they accept, you can be rest assured you are contributing to a healthy environment by diverting hard-to-recycle items away from Metro Atlanta landfills and water systems.
According to their website, in 2023 alone, they had more than 100,000 visitors (up from 75,000 in 2022) to CHaRM and recycled 251,012 pounds of Styrofoam, 503,225 pounds of chemicals, 453,224 pounds of glass, 3,4000 mattresses and much more, for a total of 5.7 million pounds of recycled materials during the year.
LiveThrive and their CHaRM facilities offer a valuable solution for responsibly managing and recycling hard-to-dispose-of items that often clutter our homes. By providing accessible drop-off facilities and a comprehensive list of acceptable materials, they make it easy for metro Atlanta residents to contribute to environmental sustainability. Their commitment to recycling, repurposing, and redistributing materials not only reduces landfill waste but also supports local communities through the donation of reusable goods. In addition, the organization also educates the community about the importance of proper disposal of hard-to-recycle materials. Engaging with CHaRM is a proactive step toward a healthier, more sustainable future for our city and our planet.
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