At first glance, it was just a photo in a magazine of a cute purse, an espresso machine, and a watch in the magazine Veranda (1-year)
Then I turned the page and found a well-designed advertisement for an ebay recycling initiative.
It got me to thinking about how much I could be reusing in my life if I were more thoughtful about such things. In the rush to get things done, I go out to buy something that I probably could have found on a resale web site. The products I buy at the store are likely to be a compromise because I can’t get exactly what I want or they are of cheaper quality than an older version.
Books are a good example of things that I actually do reuse and swap with other readers.
Sometimes it’s hard for me to give up books, because over the years I have learned that I often reread books and I rarely get them back when I lend them out. As I move toward the “condo” time in my life, I know that I have to readjust my thinking. I should be happy that my books have moved on to live again in another person’s mind. In addition, most of those favorite books are in the library just waiting to be checked out. I don’t have to have a whole room of books in my house languishing and gathering dust just in case I want to read them again. The ebay Green Team blog had a recent post about what to do about books that gave good ideas for all of us bibliophiles. Paperback Swap is another place to share books for free. All you have to do is pay for postage to send them to a new home.
And then there’s clothes.
There is so much vintage wear available that it’s really a shame to buy something new, especially if you are only going to wear it once. Just a quick scan of ebay uncovered a Valentino fur coat, a Laura Ashley dress from the 1980s (sadly, I wore a similar dress and what was I thinking?), and a pair of “vintage” granny panties with embroidery. I mean, if Sarah Jessica Parker can wear vintage, why not we mere mortals? (She’s probably not wearing the used granny panties.)
The point is, of course, that we can protect our earth by buying and using items in a more thoughtful way and teaching our children to do the same.
Do you have a recycling story or source to share? Leave a comment!
