Green Living? Or, Just Making More Trash?

Greenies beware!

I am about to be a bit of a green snob.

I am so tired of everyone and all the publicity going towards buying "green".

Really, what does that mean, "buy green".  It means replacing something that you already have with something that is energy efficient and should have a lower carbon footprint.  In essence this sounds pretty great.  Good for the environment, and good for the economy.

Wait!  What did you just do with that old car you replaced?  You scrapped it?  But, wasn't it running just fine?  So, now that old car is going to sit in the junkyard.  Luckily, there are a lot of scrap yards that will then recycle as much as possible of the metal and other parts.

But, what about that shirt you just threw in the trash?  Or, the plastic ware?  What about that old garden planter?  Ah, yes, it is more "green" to use the biodegradeables, but what happened to the plastic planter?  It just ended up in the landfill.  Plastic does not biodegrade.  It's one of the wonder of the invention, and one of the horrors of it as well.

If you want to green up your driving, then there are other ways as well to do it without adding to the landfills and junkyards.  I love old cars, and there is no reason that an older car cannot be made more energy efficient.  Most deisels can run on biofuels, and many other vehicles can be retrufitted for so much less than buying a new car.

Clothing can be bought at resale and thrift stores for less while reducing your carbon footprint.  Not to mention, thift store clothes can be unique.  I know I don't like wearing all the same outfits as everyone else.

Next time you go to buy green, think about it.  Are you really buying green?  Or, are you just making more trash with what you are throwing away.

Findings - It's all in the "Picking"

I admit it.  I do it.  I'm a bit of a picker.

In the area of Florida that I live in, it is common for people to put out next to the dumpster or on their curb in front of their house, things that they don't want anymore.  Now, sometimes these are big pieces of furniture, but not always.

A lot of the time, it's other things, lamps, even dishes or a laundry basket full of shoes.

So, if I come across things, I may just pick them up.  To me, these are hidden treasures.  They make my home unique.  After all, how many people have hand painted tiles of beautiful Japanese ladies hanging on their wall.  It was a finding.  That's right, these beautiful tiles were sitting next to the curb, propped up against an old bookcase that someone was also not wanting anymore.  Needless to say, the tiles came home with me.  The bookcase did not.

I enjoy the search for treasure.  I never know if I will find something or not.  Days can go by, even weeks or months with no findings.  Then, all of the sudden.  It's a bonanza!

This past weekend, I found a really need bar table.  I knew the girl's upstairs were looking for one, and I found it!  I was so excited.  I took a picture and texted it to one of them.  She quickly sent her other half over to where I was with her truck and now it has a new home, along with a number of other decorating goodies.

So, next time you have something you don't want, don't throw it away.  If you don't want to donate to a local thrift shop, consider putting it out on the curb, you never know who may find it.

P.S.  Another good resource is FreeCycle.  They are a great group of people and are all over the country.  It's not picking and shouldn't be confused with it.  It's however a great way to recycle your clothes and other goodies around the house.