February 6: Upcycling

"But our waste problem is not the fault only of producers. It is the fault of an economy that is wasteful from top to bottom—a symbiosis of an unlimited greed at the top and a lazy, passive, and self-indulgent consumptiveness at the bottom—and all of us are involved in it." - Wendell Berry

I have this continual guilt for wanting new things, but not fully utilizing old things. So, where possible, I try to recycle or upcycle before throwing things out. I am still continually amazed at the flow of goods onto the verge every Sunday does not stop, despite the education regarding recycling. The sad thing is that if the goods are not picked up, then they are smashed in the back of a garbage truck...it seems like such a senseless waste. I am under strict instructions by my family not to become a  hoarder...but there are so many things I could find a use for. On one of our little adventures at the weekend, Nic and I spotted this stunning chest of drawers on a verge...so, we circled the block and stopped to have a closer look...it was yellow and gold, and in serious need of a little TLC...so we loaded it, giggling like mad, into the back of my car in the middle of the night, and gave it a touch of paint (the only paint I could open in the garage was ceiling paint...oh well!)...I now have a shabby-chic dresser in my room!!! Very pleased that we saved something from the garbage, and it has a new life!