What’s In Your Trash?

One of the reasons I am inspired to share my old world lifestyle is to help people learn how to reduce their carbon footprint, simply. From hanging the laundry instead of running the dryer to shopping at a flea market where I find items that I can give a second life to, it helps ease my conscience knowing I am living a greener life. When I buy a piece of furniture or home accessory at a Flea market, it falls into one of two categories: it’s either for

1) Me and my home, or for

2) Someone else and their home

I see so many wonderful pieces with really good bones that are just lying in the furniture graveyard, victims of neglect, a little worse for the wear, but take these two sofas I rescued $125 each. Wait until you see the reveal. I”ll keep you posted with “after” pics. Not only will I save them, but I will make a profit that feels just right for my Etsy shop CREATiVE CONVERZeNS.

Haven’t we heard the warnings about pollution for too long? I know I have, ever since I was a kid, “Woodsy the Owl (the accidental acronym for Old World Living) says, Give a hoot, don’t pollute” (yeah I’m dating myself). What took us so long to gain environmental awareness? When did we reach the tipping point? Some say Americans only react when they should act. Or when it hits them in the wallet. What do you think?

I hope as a nation, we’re getting the message that too much consumption and consequently, all the waste that goes with it, can’t be a good thing (don’t even get me started on “Hoarders”). Seriously, look at this Infographic that details the story of waste. Nearly 90% of what we throw away could bypass the landfills, but hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic chemicals, plastics, and materials of all kinds make it in anyway.

Happily, the Fleas are part of my lifestyle that helps avoid the landfills. The original green business model that embodies the old world saying I live by, “waste not, want not”. It’s a mindset that’s also evident in the emergence of the “fix-it” society which is very closely related to the DIY tribe. While many of us grew up in a “disposable” society, perhaps the tide is turning.

Unlike last week’s posting, when I said I didn’t want to know “too much” about the Fleas, this week, I do want to take the mystery out of waste and share what I have learned about it with others who want to is know more about Old World Living. One of the best ways is to watch “The Story of Stuff” by Annie Leonard. Knowing what goes into our economic systems of production and the consequences is taking responisbility for our actions. It’s really the gown up thing to do, isn’t it?

In the Netherlands, “repair cafes” have given traction to initiatives like the “fixers collective” in Brooklyn. Although it’s not representative of the average American city, it is still a culture shock to think that Americans are adopting a green mindset about our stuff — whether it’s consuming less, recycling, upcycling, or trying to fix it – ultimately this approach means less waste for the landfills and greener space for all living creatures.

Knowing the consequences of your actions, or inactions; where things come from and where they go, will make a tremendous difference in the survival of people on our planet. There’s a line in Eleventh Hour, and one of the scientists reminds us that we’re not adopting green living to “save the planet,” we’re doing it to save ourselves! Earth will be here long after it is uninhabitable. It will continue to spin and rotate around the sun, but it is we, humans, who will become extinct.

Pssst: Figured out last week’s “facebook” prompt?

http://dailyinfographic.com/whats-in-your-trash-infographic

http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-stuff/

http://repaircafe.nl/

http://fixerscollective.org/

http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/the-emergence-of-the-fix-it-society/?ref=fc_more#comment-743462

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/world/europe/amsterdam-tries-to-change-culture-with-repair-cafes.html?_r=1

http://www.eleventhhourthemovie.com/