There is no doubt about it that the average person currently living in the United States has more clothing than ever before. In fact, the typical woman will have as many as thirty outfits to choose from at any given point in time, an increase of twenty one outfits since back in the 1920s, when the average woman of the time would only have around nine outfits. And in general, the average person will consume as many as seventy garments and articles of clothing over the course of just one single year, not even including shoes. In total, it’s estimated that clothing consumption from person to person has doubled in the United States when we look even just twenty years into the past, not too distant at all.

Unfortunately, far too many of these clothes are simply thrown away, about seventy pounds of used clothing and textiles per person over the course of just one year. And when clothing is just thrown away, it will almost certainly end up in a landfill, something that is hugely detrimental to the planet and a growing problem not just here in the United States but truly all throughout the world as a whole. In fact, only about fifteen percent of clothing is currently recycled, meaning that more than ten million tons will end up in landfills all throughout the country on a yearly basis, taking a greater toll on the environment with each passing year.

So what can be done? How can we curb this waste of clothing and the detrimental impact that throwing it away is likely to have on the environment? Used clothing donations and donations to Purple Heart charities can truly make all the difference. Donations to purple heart charities and other types of charities is doing good on two different levels. For one, it’s saving clothing from ending up in the landfill, something that can have quite an impact as already two and a half billion pounds are kept out of landfills through donations to Purple Heart charities and the like on a yearly basis.

But giving used clothing donations to Purple Heart charities is also one way that you can give back to your community. Donations to Purple Heart pick up sites is an incredibly easy thing to do, as a donation pick up site is a relatively low effort way to give clothes that you no longer have a use for – after all, you simply drop them off and then you’re done! And these clothing donations to Purple Heart charities really shows the value of charitable donations, as they go to veterans that are in need.

Many veterans struggle after their service for the United States military, both physically as well as mentally. From physical injuries that they are not fully able to recover from to sky high rates of PTSD, a common mental illness among veterans, it can be difficult to integrate back into civilian life. For some people, it can seem nearly impossible – and just as impossible to find a support system. Fortunately, veterans charities are working to make a difference in the lives of many veterans of all different backgrounds here in the United States, and donations to Purple Heart charities often go directly to helping said people.

Monetary donations to Purple Heart charities are typically always accepted, but so too are clothing donations to Purple Heart charities. Giving away used clothing can be a great way to give back if you don’t have much money, as it costs you nothing to get rid of clothing. But how do you know what you should give away and what you should keep for at least a little while longer?

In some cases, it’s easy. If an article of clothing no longer fits you, you should get rid of it instead of just letting it hang and take up valuable space in your closet. In addition to this, you should also get rid of anything that you have not worn for awhile. People who live in climates with only one or two seasons should get rid of anything that they have not worn in six months.