Living in the country, we have to take our rubbish to the dump ourselves. No truck to pick up the bin and dump it in the back (which is a little sad because both Meg and Toby loved the garbage truck – for a while garbage day was our favourite day of the week). Instead Country Boy backs up the farm truck to the gate pulls on the garbage bins and recycling bins, then drives into the village dump (5 minutes away).
Yesterday, after I had tackled Mount Washmore, and Toby had emptied the Lego all over the floor, Country Boy announced he was going to the dump. I had been meaning to go into the village and take some photos to show you all, and so I decided that we would all go.
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Country Boy is notorious for returning from the dump with ‘useful’ things – usually 44 gallon drums which he can use as tree guards, or planks of wood to build a bridge over the creek. I generally shake my head in bemusement and leave him to it. But to be honest I am also proud that he is able to find things that can be useful around the farm.
So we piled the kids in the truck and rocked up to the dump. I couldn’t believe what was in the pit where we all throw our stuff. There was a complete nursery set – cot, change table etc, multiple bikes, bags of clothing, a new looking swing set. It looked like someone had done a massive clean out. But here is my point: most of the stuff was still in good condition (well it was before it was sitting in a garbage pit). Surely it could have been reused or recycled rather than being put into a pit to be burnt and buried. I have written about how we don’t pay the true cost for many items, and this confirmed it to me. I have no problem with throwing out broken, soiled furniture, but surely someone could have used some of these items!
As a general rule, we love to reuse what ever we can. Last year when we lived in the mountains, we toured the council clean up (also known as the community junk swap) and got some fantastic things. I am still proud that I found a heap of Thomas the Tank Engine stuff in great condition! I found things I later sold on a garage sale!
In the country there isn’t council clean up, and it is quite a drive to a clothing bin or Vinnies. It really is hardly surprising that all that stuff was there.
On the way back, Country Boy and I were lamenting that people will go to so little effort to recycle, or reuse things which are still useful.
Am I being stupid and naive? Or are we really wasting so much stuff? Would love your thoughts!
My husband and I are both from large families so all our children's stuff was endlessly recycled through the families and is probably stored in someone's attic ready for the next generation. Our High Street seems to have more Charity shops than proper ones, so there's always somewhere to donate good things and browse around for a bargain.
Jo, I am a big donater. Local hospitals, child care centres etc. To me the effort of selling on eBay is not worth the pleasure I get from giving it so someone in need. We are lucky that we have a Good Sammies bin in town that is frequently chockers. I have also contacted the Child Health Nurse in the past and given her some baby gear that went to parents who really needed it. Throwing out broken stuff is fine. The rest of it needs to be found a new home!
And I agree with Anne – there is much better second hand stuff around than the rubbish in cheap shops.
Loving how thoughtful your blog is at the moment. (As opposed to mine which currently has the depth of a muddy puddle….)
Thanks for your kind thoughts! Hopefully as I get to know our local town better. I will find where we can donate some of our excess stuff. I find it so frustrating when people throw away perfectly good stuff. I don't need it myself (Definitely don't need more junk), but there must be some one out there who could use some of it.
I've been surprised by the quality of kids stuff that I can buy on eBay and Gumtree. Our most recent acquisition was Duplo which new costs $40 for a small box with less than 50 pieces in it. We got 200 pieces of it from eBay for $30, the worst of it being that we had to drive about 30 minutes in the pouring rain to pick it up!
I totally agree with you Jo. I'm not sure whether or not it's because I have old fashioned values or because of the way I was raised but it really gets me that it takes so little to recycle stuff. My ex husband was one to just throw it away. There are so many places to recycle stuff now like the local paper, freecycle and council clean ups (although ours doesn't do it either). I got my first push bike when I was around 12 and it was a second hand one, done up. My son only got his first new bike last Christmas. Before that they've only ever had second hand. Most of their Christmas toys for the last 2 years have been from Freecycle. I really can't see anything wrong with the stuff. If you're worried about germs, just give it a wipe with some soapy water. I think the same with every though. Stuff for the house, kitchen, clothes etc. Just imagine if everyone did it. There'd be less and less $2 shops and cheap, nasty furniture and electrical stores around. xx
Good idea to the above post! What about a car boot sale? I too hate to see functioning things thrown out.
No Jo you are not being naive. It's too much effort for most people to figure out how someone else can make use of their rubbish. Recently I hosted a White Elephant Sale to raise funds for a charity. I was amazed at what nice 'junk' people had. Perhaps this is an annual event you could organise in your Village to give people a place to off load their goods?
Great Idea!