In my neighborhood, also known as the east side or the other side of bluff, there is an odd collection of homes. Many are in distinct state of disrepair. Some have no windows, others their eaves are hanging by a thread. Many are completely abandoned and yet some have folks living in them. Missing or plastic windows and all.
One of these houses, the one scrap metal man lives in, is painted with what I call ”out of the can” paint. I know that all paint comes out of a can. Yet low quality paint has this certain distinction. Out of the can paint has a sortof tad too bright, cheezy color quality to it.
One of the garages for example is painted this really bright orange with purple trim. Nothing about the color is subtle. Scrap Metal Man’s house is powder blue with a brilliant other blue trim – this house is REALLY REALY blue.
He has two trucks that he fills up each and every day with anything and everything metal. He does this by combing our neighborhoods and picking up scraps that people throw away.
He gets paid by the pound, by the type of metal he finds or by what he might sell curbside. He’s the ultimate recycler.
I walk by his house daily with Marble and marvel at the sorting, the system of organization and how each day the metal is taken one place or another to be reused, and that he gets paid.
This is how scrap metal man earns his living for he and his family.
I am fascinated by HOW MUCH is simply thrown away. The sheer volume of stuff is amazing
I am also horrified.
Last fall when my son was moving out on his own a friend commented on how each May when the dorm rooms empty out that it’s a real gold mine for used things.
Perfectly good valid things just thrown away. This friend says she gets all of her school supplies for the following year from the dorm debris.
She also said that the dorm purge is so well known it’s a little scary because the locals have staked that garbage heap as their territory. Such is life in the streets
When I moved 2 years ago I had to downsize. I had a garage sale that was a total bust. A total waste of time and energy. Most of it was donated to the local resale shop – an entire garage full of stuff – packed up in the car – my stuff, now for sale. At least proceeds of which go to cause.
I had to put things to curbside. A perfectly good dryer for example - used maybe 3 times, is probably sitting in scrap metal man’s garage.
I know that I have an additional purge to accomplish this next year. I feel horrible at the waste of it all, the things I bought I thought I needed that now will end up in a resale shop, curbside or tossed only to become a burden then to the environment. I know I will do my very best to be like scrap metal man and find useful other places for my garbage. I also know that if I don’t I will be like everyone else and throw it away.
I hate that about myself.
awesome gate made from scrap flickr image credit
Karen Hanrahan ~ Wellness Educator/Nutritional Consultant/Blog Publisher
708.482.0678 ~ Websites: Nutrition, Weight Loss, and Green Clean
this is a personal treasure.realistic yet tender toward disparate elements of society.just as ZERO WASTE website in the UK exposes the underbelly of hyper-productivity.this is inspiring to the few who live from the excess of the many.soon the economy will bring much competition to the recycling medium.
Karen,We have a different problem at University of Arizona – kids get dogs and cats – when they leave, they abandon the pets (guess they feel they are disposable). I volunteer at the local animal shelter, and literally dozens of wonderful pets have to be put down because they cannot find them homes. Very sad. Living creatures – with no value to people. Doesn’t say much for society.Lori
i agree that the recycling medium is shifting – i’d like to be part of that shift – you and I can alter the planet one piece of metal at a time !!
That is positively heartbreaking. Shameful of our youth. Something I never knew happened on campus’s
I read once:Clutter drains your energy – and you don’t realize it till it’s gone. Every item in your home has an energy to it. When items go a long time unused, unloved and uncared for, they become stuck, stagnant energy that actually physically drains you of your energy.- Ariane BenefitSo perhaps you will have lots of energy when your ‘stuff’ is gone!Great blog!!!!
I love that you sourced where you read this from, I’d have to agree. I think purging is a good thing and that even the act of purging is energizing. Thanks for your kudo’s and readership.
Nancy’s right – but it’s a metaphysical universal law – in order to make room “in your life” for better “things”, you need to periodically clean house – give things away, etc. By doing this, it makes room for new and better “things” to come into our life.Works with relationships, too!!!!!!
Reminds me of nesting when I was pregnant – not sure if that happen to you , but I went crazy preparing every nook and cranny!
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, Jackie.
Good Day. Because we don’t think about future generations, they will never forget us.I am from Haiti and also now teach English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: “A former airline executive provides tips on how to fly on the cheap.”Best regards :p, Rhona.