Re-use, Renew And Make The World Go Round.

Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of reusing and recycling items to minimize waste, contribute to the economy, and support sustainability.

Abstract

The article "Re-use, Renew And Make The World Go Round" reflects on the adage "one man’s trash is another man’s treasure," advocating for the reuse and recycling of items as a means to reduce waste and support the economy. The author recalls their father's thrifty habits, such as repurposing roadside carpets and roadkill, as a form of ultimate recycling. The piece highlights the potential of turning unwanted personal items into income through online marketplaces, emphasizing that even small earnings from selling used goods can have a positive impact on the economy. The author also points out the environmental benefits of reusing items, reducing the need for landfills, and contributing to a more sustainable world. The article encourages readers to consider purchasing secondhand items and to be mindful of the environmental crisis by actively participating in the circular economy.

Opinions

The author views their father's habit of repurposing discarded items as a form of ultimate recycling, suggesting a positive opinion on reusing materials.
There is a belief that selling

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

There is much truth in the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. My Father wasn’t a thief but by God, if he saw a carpet lying at the side of the road he would pick it up. Sling it in the back of the farm truck and take it home. If it was good enough to be used. It would be and placed somewhere on a bare floor that needed carpeting. Thinking back I’ve no doubt that today he would be classed as the ultimate recycler. He was also very partial to roadkill and I have many a memory of stopping and picking up a dead pheasant or even more cumbersome a dead deer.

But the thing is. There is so much trash around us and so much that can be reused. People are making good side hustles of selling their trash on eBay and various online groups. “That sweater doesn’t fit me anymore and I’m fed up with these shoes”. Two choices here. Bin, sell or even swap. I’ll take sell or swap every time. All of it contributes to the economy. That TV that a widowed mother doesn’t need anymore. What to do? Sell the damn thing get a bit of cash and put food on your table. By receiving money for that TV she is putting it back into the economy by going to her local corner shop and buying so its all interconnected. Money out of one pocket and into another. The laptop I’m typing this on was bought for a knockdown price — secondhand. Money in the seller’s hand, a laptop in mine.

In these current times, we probably need to diversify our incomes some more and what better way than clearing out the clutter from your home for a bit of cash. Another income stream is always good. It doesn’t matter how little it is. If it buys your cat food for a month then at least the cat will be happy. It will also help declutter your home and your mind.

There is also the holy grail of junk “the giveaway — free to collector”. There can be some real diamonds through that. I’m proud to say that I’ve never bought a sofa in my life, the writing desk was a throwout as was the hostess trolley that works as well as the day it was bought. These finds are gold.

We are a consuming society. Consume, consume to the bitter end. Well, what about consuming and when we don’t need it anymore give somebody else the chance to make good use of it. Sending things off to landfill is a travesty if someone else can make use of it and landfill is terrible for the earth. We live on the earth and don’t need to live on landfill.

The state of the Earth and Climate Change is now a very real emergency and we all need to sit up and take notice for us and for those that will come after. We owe it to those who are not yet in this life but are on their way to make the world a better place and more sustainable.

Before you get it firsthand, secondhand may well be a very good place to start.

Vee