Turn Your Trash and Clutter Into Cash
Author Edward Humes states in his book: Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair With Trash, (Avery, 2012) that the average American creates 7.
1 pounds of trash per day, and 121 tons of trash over a lifetime, more than any other nation in the world.
Our waste costs money to create, to dispose of, and can have serious environmental impact.
Far too often, we buy more than necessary, or we pay money for packaging that we don't want, and then throw it away when we are done with it.
That's the equivalent of throwing money in a trash can.
As a nation, the United States sends 69% of its waste to landfills, compared to countries like Denmark and Germany that send almost nothing.
Denmark, for example, recycles 42% of its waste, and burns 54% in heating and power stations.
Humans have argued about taking out the garbage since civilization began.
From the ancient Greeks, who created the first municipal dump, to the present day, garbage generates methane gas in landfills, and heated debate in city councils.
I remember relatives who talked about rationing and conservation during World War II, as part of the home front war effort.
Americans salvaged aluminum, iron, steel, rubber, and children organized paper and scrap drives, united in an effort for the common good.
I also remember the old proverb: Waste not, want not.
However, our personal recycling efforts, while important, can't resolve waste management issues on a state or national level: Only 5% of waste produced in the country comes from residential or private homes.
Nonetheless, our personal waste stream represents something that we can be aware of, control, and manage for our own benefit, and indirectly, the benefit of our community and the environment.
By refraining from buying things we don't need, we both save money and prevent waste, and we teach our children to do the same.
We create a simpler, less cluttered life, focused on what we actually value and enjoy.
Here are just a few suggestions for turning trash into cash: Clear out the closets and donate clothes to thrift stores, or sell to consignment shops.
Donate old furniture or sell it.
Hold a garage sale and pay some bills or give a donation to charity.
Recycle aluminum cans at vending machines, or take with plastic and glass bottles to recycling centers.
(This is something that children enjoy doing for extra money.
) Recycle electronics: Staples gives store credit for printer cartridges; many companies offer cash for used cell phones, computers, TV's, VCRs, and printers.
Let me conclude with a story about Zhang Yin, who came to Los Angeles in the 1990's, and, along with her husband, founded a paper exporting company.
They started out driving around in a van, begging garbage dumps for scrap paper.
As it grew, the company collected waste paper from the United States and Europe, and shipped it back to China to be recycled and turned into corrugated cardboard.
Zhang Yin's personal wealth is now estimated at 1.
5 billion, or more.
Waste not, want not.
1 pounds of trash per day, and 121 tons of trash over a lifetime, more than any other nation in the world.
Our waste costs money to create, to dispose of, and can have serious environmental impact.
Far too often, we buy more than necessary, or we pay money for packaging that we don't want, and then throw it away when we are done with it.
That's the equivalent of throwing money in a trash can.
As a nation, the United States sends 69% of its waste to landfills, compared to countries like Denmark and Germany that send almost nothing.
Denmark, for example, recycles 42% of its waste, and burns 54% in heating and power stations.
Humans have argued about taking out the garbage since civilization began.
From the ancient Greeks, who created the first municipal dump, to the present day, garbage generates methane gas in landfills, and heated debate in city councils.
I remember relatives who talked about rationing and conservation during World War II, as part of the home front war effort.
Americans salvaged aluminum, iron, steel, rubber, and children organized paper and scrap drives, united in an effort for the common good.
I also remember the old proverb: Waste not, want not.
However, our personal recycling efforts, while important, can't resolve waste management issues on a state or national level: Only 5% of waste produced in the country comes from residential or private homes.
Nonetheless, our personal waste stream represents something that we can be aware of, control, and manage for our own benefit, and indirectly, the benefit of our community and the environment.
By refraining from buying things we don't need, we both save money and prevent waste, and we teach our children to do the same.
We create a simpler, less cluttered life, focused on what we actually value and enjoy.
Here are just a few suggestions for turning trash into cash: Clear out the closets and donate clothes to thrift stores, or sell to consignment shops.
Donate old furniture or sell it.
Hold a garage sale and pay some bills or give a donation to charity.
Recycle aluminum cans at vending machines, or take with plastic and glass bottles to recycling centers.
(This is something that children enjoy doing for extra money.
) Recycle electronics: Staples gives store credit for printer cartridges; many companies offer cash for used cell phones, computers, TV's, VCRs, and printers.
Let me conclude with a story about Zhang Yin, who came to Los Angeles in the 1990's, and, along with her husband, founded a paper exporting company.
They started out driving around in a van, begging garbage dumps for scrap paper.
As it grew, the company collected waste paper from the United States and Europe, and shipped it back to China to be recycled and turned into corrugated cardboard.
Zhang Yin's personal wealth is now estimated at 1.
5 billion, or more.
Waste not, want not.
Source...