What to buy secondhand and what to buy new
Shopping for antiques and vintage finds is a great way to shop green, but there are a few things you should just buy new.
Photo: Svadilfari/flickr 
The truth is, I'm just a secondhand sort of girl. I like my objects to carry an air of mystery, to enter my life with a little life of their own. In my eyes, well-made clothing is straight-up art (you can read more about my fashion philosophy on my blog, Bonzai Aphrodite). A chip on a vintage dish is testament to good living! And like the finest of wines, craftsman-made furniture will only develop character and complexity as it ages. Quality items always wear their maturity well.-
Cups, saucers, and other dishes in glass or ceramic (avoid plastic).
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Pots, pans, and bakeware in stainless steel or glass/Pyrex.
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Flatware, utensils, or serving spoons made from any metal (avoid plastic or wood).
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Wooden furniture - from desks to dressers to dinner tables, wood is easy to clean and ages beautifully.
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Media like books, CDs, DVDs and video games.
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Non-electric tools.
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Garden supplies, healthy potted plants and flower pots.
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Large appliances like washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.
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Cast iron cookware (who knows what it's been seasoned with?).
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Cribs (with all the recalls and all the accidents, it's just not worth the risks).
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Car seats and other safety gear such as helmets (these are made to withstand a single incident, and without a complete history, you can't be guaranteed that they'll do their job).
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Dirt (don't buy dirty dirt - you don't know what kind of contaminants are present).
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Mattresses - Mites, bed bugs, mold, and other nasties, are a very real concern.
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Blankets and other bedding - Again, if you're in a bedbug red zone, skip it. Otherwise it's fine, but do wash the ever loving criminey out of it, please.
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Electronics, including power tools, DVD players, vacuum cleaners, etc - Purchase these only if you can score a super deal, because there's a good chance they won't last long.
Comments
You want to get vintage pyrex. The new stuff is now made by a Chinese company and they changed the formula. It is no longer as freezer to table ready and a drop of water on a hot dish can cause it to shatter.
Be wary of china or other dishware manufactured prior to 1971 or so - otherwise the glazes used are highly likely to contain lead.
If you have non-stick cookware from less than 4 years ago or so...and it has become scratched...be wary of the toxicity once it is heated.
I would like to suggest that you are being much greener if you buy your major appliances like refrigerators and dryers new. The energy efficiency of today's latest models go above and beyond anything you'll find in older models. this saves you money, but also conserves energy and lowers your household carbon footprint. Many companies are now also using recycled materials to build their appliances, making them about as Eco friendly as a household appliance can be.
Great advice. Although I inherited my cast iron from my mother. They were her grandparents. So I have my great-grandparents cast iron. :)
