It’s (nearing) the end of the month, so many people will be moving and that means a lot of stuff is going to be discarded, things that I don’t see as trash.
In the middle and the end of the month there are a lot of household items, furniture, clothing, unopened food, toys and yes even live kittens in the dumpsters.
The landfill does not need these items, however there are many people who could use these things. Phone the women’s shelter, put a ‘free’ sign on it, advertise items on a bulletin board ‘free – yours for the taking’, put an ad in the paper or haul it to Catch 22, Barachah Place or Loaves and Fishes.
There organizations will make sure the needy gets the items. There are also places like Value Village and Bibles for Missions.
The clothing bank always needs used clothing. Blankets are made for the homeless from old jeans.
As for the food, drop it off at People’s Place, Loaves and Fishes, Potter’s Hands and the food bank.
Kittens just don’t belong in dumpsters. I found three six-week-old kittens in a dumpster. Place them on KG (radio), take them to the SPCA or better yet have your cats spayed or neutered.
I sent a bunch of Teddy bears to Silver City, Mexico to an orphanage. A lot of these children thought we gave them a million bucks. One small boy offered me his only toy he had for my food, which was a small Tonka toy in his pocket. Again, these items can be given to Value Village, Bibles for Missions, the women’s shelter or local churches.
Stores that sell furniture need to place an environment charge or have a trade-in so these old items don’t end up in the landfill. I know there are some mattress companies that accept used mattresses so less fortunate people have something to sleep on.
Bigger items also do not get picked up with the trash and are left behind. Often these things get wrecked and become eyesores.
I know firsthand what it is to live in poverty. When I got my first place I furnished it with items found in a dumpster. In fact, I was grateful for the kitchen table that I was given. It meant not sitting on the floor and having somewhere to eat my meals, so we could eat as a family.
Not everybody is rich. Not everybody has the money to buy new stuff when they move. I see too much thrown away.
Ask yourself when you are going to throw something out ‘Is it broken? Can someone else make use of it?’ If you answered no to the first question and yes to the second, then it doesn’t need to be classified as garbage.
Keep in mind the three R’s – recycle, reduce and reuse.
It might not be valuable to you, but if somebody else can use it, please take it somewhere like Value Village, Bibles for Missions, People’s Place or just give it away.
It is a treasure for somebody else who can use it.
Mickaylehea Kien
Red Deer
