Clearance rack and the Green movement?

Question

Does anyone know if there are any environmental benifits to shopping in the clearance section of a store? Thrift store shopping is clearly an environmental practice, as it re-uses products that would otherwise be at the end of their life. What about the clearance rack? They drop the prices because an item is not selling usualy, so by buying them are we rescuing them from the dumpster?

Just wondering if my frugality could also be an environmental habit, or if I'm just saving money.

Answer 1

Saving money is good for you and the environment - even on the clearance rack. By not over spending and buying the "latest and greatest" you reduce consumer demand and therefore help reduce waste.

Answer 2

It depends on what the store does with the items after they don't sell on the clearance rack. Some stores send the clothes to be sold at outlet stores across the country, some destroy them, some donate them to goodwill or other charity's and some keep them in a storage unit to be brought out later as a new retro look. I've even heard of a company that uses blue jeans as home insulation. In any case you are saving money that can be used to buy some more expensive environmentally friendly products.

Answer 3

They don't put them in the dumpster. They send them to outlets and smaller stores that buy cheap seconds, like daisymaze.com, Sharpes and Alco. If they still don't sell from there, they usually get donated to goodwill or other thrift stores.

Answer 4

I love Clearance!

I am frugal as well. I think it saves waste and money.


(Check out Americas Cheapest Family [a book])
Bless

Answer 5

If Gap doesn't sell their clothes, they end up in other countries clothing poorer people, they don't end up in the dump. You just save money, not the environment.