I'm a trash picker. Yes, I am. My answer to society's disposable mentality is "If you don't want it, give it to me!" ( Thank goodness that mentality is shifting!!) I'm talking about the big-ticket items, though. I don't root through garbage cans ( you have to draw the line somewhere....). And although I'm not alone in my trash-picking, I believe that the majority of people would not stop and examine what someone is throwing out, nevermind pick it up and keep it, or give it to someone who can use it. I knock on doors and ask if I can take the item on the street. The most they can tell me is "no."
In five years since I had my daughter, I have seen enough tricycles, easels, little-girl vanities, children's keyboards, and other large children's toys being left out on the street to fill a playroom. Granted, some of these things are broken beyond repair. But a tricyle with a missing bolt or only one side with tassels? A vanity with no chair? An easel with one side scribbled on it but the other side still good? All of these items, post bleaching and with a little elbow grease and a $ 2.00 investment for a bolt or a tassel, have provided my daughter with hours of entertainment.
I'm amazed and saddened by society's concept of what is disposable and what someone else could use. Maybe it's because I was brought up by two little aunts who grew up during the Great Depression and saved EVERYTHING. ( I have a book from the 40's called "365 Things to do with Hamburger"...but I digress.) We continue to put re-useable things out on the sidewalk for the trash guy to take way. Take away where? To a landfill where the item will sit for eons, unused and sniff.. unloved by another child? Even worse, it breaks down into particles that pollute our environment.
And let's talk about budgets! Do we want our kids to go to college someday? Do we want to put away money for retirement? Then why are we spending so much money on new stuff? Are we really that blind to the daily media assaults that "new and disposable" is the best thing we can do for ourselves and the planet?
Yes, there are lots of wonderful new products and toys that will not pollute the environment and I applaud all of the toy companies that have made the committment to "go green." But for now, while there are all of these items that people don't need out there waiting to be picked up by the trash man, let's think about what we can do with those things and all the resources that are at our disposal ( no pun intended!)
- Contact your town recycling organization and see what kind of items they take and what they will pick up.
- Have a good old-fashioned yard sale and the kids can sell lemonade. Even better, have a multi-family yard sale.
- Donate your toys to a local women's shelter or non-profit childrens' organization.
- Find a local preschool or daycare that could use "gently used" toys.
- E-BAY or CraigsList your items.
- Find a local consignment shop ( I like Mother and Child in Nashua www.mothersays.com ) ,to both buy and sell your items.
- try Freecycle, a Yahoo-based organization that lets you connect with other people in your town to give things away or to request items.
All of these things take less than a few hours to investigate and act on. Your two hours end up as 22 hours for some other child who would love to play with the stuff that you want to throw away.
To me, that equation is worth the effort.
In five years since I had my daughter, I have seen enough tricycles, easels, little-girl vanities, children's keyboards, and other large children's toys being left out on the street to fill a playroom. Granted, some of these things are broken beyond repair. But a tricyle with a missing bolt or only one side with tassels? A vanity with no chair? An easel with one side scribbled on it but the other side still good? All of these items, post bleaching and with a little elbow grease and a $ 2.00 investment for a bolt or a tassel, have provided my daughter with hours of entertainment.
I'm amazed and saddened by society's concept of what is disposable and what someone else could use. Maybe it's because I was brought up by two little aunts who grew up during the Great Depression and saved EVERYTHING. ( I have a book from the 40's called "365 Things to do with Hamburger"...but I digress.) We continue to put re-useable things out on the sidewalk for the trash guy to take way. Take away where? To a landfill where the item will sit for eons, unused and sniff.. unloved by another child? Even worse, it breaks down into particles that pollute our environment.
And let's talk about budgets! Do we want our kids to go to college someday? Do we want to put away money for retirement? Then why are we spending so much money on new stuff? Are we really that blind to the daily media assaults that "new and disposable" is the best thing we can do for ourselves and the planet?
Yes, there are lots of wonderful new products and toys that will not pollute the environment and I applaud all of the toy companies that have made the committment to "go green." But for now, while there are all of these items that people don't need out there waiting to be picked up by the trash man, let's think about what we can do with those things and all the resources that are at our disposal ( no pun intended!)
- Contact your town recycling organization and see what kind of items they take and what they will pick up.
- Have a good old-fashioned yard sale and the kids can sell lemonade. Even better, have a multi-family yard sale.
- Donate your toys to a local women's shelter or non-profit childrens' organization.
- Find a local preschool or daycare that could use "gently used" toys.
- E-BAY or CraigsList your items.
- Find a local consignment shop ( I like Mother and Child in Nashua www.mothersays.com ) ,to both buy and sell your items.
- try Freecycle, a Yahoo-based organization that lets you connect with other people in your town to give things away or to request items.
All of these things take less than a few hours to investigate and act on. Your two hours end up as 22 hours for some other child who would love to play with the stuff that you want to throw away.
To me, that equation is worth the effort.
