Over the past couple of months a dumpster that I hit regularly--one located on the edge of an old-money, well-to-do neighborhood--has been particularly productive. It appears that someone from that neighborhood has been doing some serious, ongoing mid-winter house cleaning, and then discarding the results in the dumpster. Today I hit the dumpster again--and, aha, there was the next housecleaning deposit.
Here's an abbreviated list of what I hauled home, most all of which is headed to our local homeless shelter or other charities serving the poor: Fifteen drinking glasses, minus two that were broken and one that featured a Coors Light Beer insignia (sorry, I don't pass on watery right wing beer advertisements). Two bowls. One plate. Two silverplated serving pieces. One Pyrex casserole dish with lid. Two home childproofing kits. One Garmin navigator set. One Nalgene water bottle (new in the wrapper, $18.50). Three cotton throws. Numerous children's books. Four pair of girls' shoes. Numerous items of girls' clothing, including a Hello Kitty tutu skirt. Countless girls' hair bows. One Okiedog child's scooter/cycle. Children's water floatie. Ski goggles. Patagonia belt. Silver belt buckle. A shopping bag full of fancy women's bras and undergarments.
And a bottle of 2003 Bell'Agio Chianti. Very nice--having a glass now, as I write.
So a toast: to putting the waste of the 1% in the hands of the 99%....
The dishes thing is annoying. I'm among the most wasteful people in Fort Worth, probably, but even I know there is NEVER a good reason to throw out a plate, cup, saucer or silverware that isn't broken. Pyrex dishes, too, are made to last longer than we do.
ReplyDeleteIt really is the laziest of us all that wouldn't think to just drop a bag of dishes off at a shelter where they are immediately used and appreciated.
Here, here. (Raising a glass.)
BTW, I'm not in the 1 percent. More like the 13 or 14 percent, if that matters.
ReplyDeleteDon't cast that net too wide. Some of us right wing conservatives enjoy curbing, hate, waste, and love watery beer advertisements. I'm sure the the 14,660 employees of Coors like the logo quite well.
ReplyDeleteI curb lots of kitchen wares and dishes. It's mostly in the rentals (99%) where people have moved out and left everything. The Kitchen wares and dishes I find thrown out in the more expensive neighborhoods (1%) is just nicer.
Waste doesn't have a percentage unfortunately it's a mind set.