>> Oh the things you can scavenge. A day with the scrappy authors of The Scavenger’s Manifesto.
In today’s dire economic climate, Lawson and Rufus invite us to think of ourselves not as cash-poor consumers with so much less to spend but as resourceful thrift shoppers, yard salers, discount shoppers, free-box foragers, clothing swappers, freecyclers and maybe even Dumpster divers….
Scavenging turns you into a kind of amateur urban archaeologist by offering a window into other people’s lives, which is one of the aspects that Rufus, especially, loves — imagining who might have owned something, why they got rid of it, and the sense of serendipity that comes when something you really want just falls into your hands.
>> Oh the water you could save. Julia Frey at Metblogs LA provides photographic proof that 4 of her neighbors have “gorgeous water saving front yards.” Says Julia: “These gardens have inspired me to find more succulents to plant and to continue to keep my sprinklers off (they have been since January).”
>> Oh the pedal biz you could peddle. Pedal People Cooperative is a successful “human-powered delivery and hauling service” in the Northampton, Mass. area. “One of the biggest draws for customers is that Pedal People’s service is a much greener, quieter alternative to garbage trucks, which waste fuel with frequent stops and starts. Bicycles can also maneuver easily around the city streets, unlike the large trucks.”
>> Oh the weed you can smoke. David Sirota’s optimistic about the Obama administration’s pot-friendliness. “Though President Barack Obama childishly laughed at a question about legalization during his recent town hall meeting, his government implicitly admits that marijuana is safer than light beer. Indeed, as federal agencies acknowledge alcohol’s key role in deadly illnesses and domestic violence, their latest anti-pot fear mongering is an ad campaign insisting — I kid you not — that marijuana is dangerous because it makes people zone out on their couches and diminishes video-gaming skills.”
Scavenging is great. I’m amazed at what people will throw out. A couple of months ago, Mr. Nonymous spotted a discarded bunk bed that was in good condition. We don’t need a bunk bed, but we did need a stand for our rain barrels. Some nails and labor later, that’s what they are.
Comment by KateNonymous — April 5, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
Scavenging can be good, but look out for bedbugs! Some websites suggest people mark things when they are thrown away because they have bedbugs, but I doubt all people do it.
Comment by M — April 6, 2009 @ 6:39 am