Environmental clutter

[juliet]

I am a great believer in Not Hanging Onto Stuff (or at least, not hanging onto too much stuff). The "it might come in handy" mentality is a recipe for winding up with cupboards full of crap, unable to find the things you *do* want. And living with *stuff* all over the place is stressful, at least for me. If it turns out that X years down the line I need whateveritwas, I can get another one.

The flipside to this is the environmental one. If I get rid of things because they don't have an obvious/immediate/probable use, isn't that wasteful? I do my best to get rid of things responsibly (charity shop, Freecycle); but nevertheless, if I wind up needing X, and buying a new X, then that's wasteful consumption.

Buying a second-hand X in that event is one solution (although not always practical). And there are some things that I will hang on to (extension leads being one; also bits of wood, especially now we have the allotment). But there's a lot of stuff that could be repurposed, as and when something comes up - should I hang on to all of it, as a grown-up version of the "stuff to make things with" box that parents sometimes keep for tinies?

Currently I think the Not Hanging Onto Stuff is still winning; but I am starting to think a bit harder about this of late.

(Of course, my consumption in general is a bit high, which is a whole 'nother matter; maybe I should think about that harder first. I am a rubbish hippy :-/ )

Comments

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I would be a hoarder if I didn't keep myself in check! I threw away so much junk before I moved though, mostly stuff I thought had sentimental value but was actually Just Rubbish. I did keep the broken Chairman Mao lighter that plays an awful birthday-card-esque atonal noise when you flick it EVEN THOUGH I quit smoking and it DOESN'T WORK, but it's just so awesome... But yes, I Scope-binned 3 sacks of clothes & shoes and left behind my digital box & router for my housemates (as Rick already had perfectly good ones). I felt terribly guilty about chucking away a load of old CDR promos though. Why Oh Why is there not a CD recycling facility?

I've got a lot better recently at the not-using-carrier bags thing (my Glasto yoghurt bag has come in very useful indeed) and buying loose veg where possible etc. And we have Proper Recycling round our way that takes all sorts of shiznit, incl batteries and my rubbish old army coat. Hooray!

[thekumquat.livejournal.com]

CDs can be recycled - places that collect them include most central government buildings and various other workplaces. My work has 3 bins near the entrance for CDs, mobiles+accessories, and dead batteries.

When I worked in RealHippyEnviroStuff I kept being given free 'environmentally friendly' cloth bags at events. I need to try dyeing them to hide the hideous branding and then I/friends might actually use them!

[juliet]

Unless the branding is *really* hideous, if you want rid of 'em I could use them!

I didn't know you could recycle CDs. That is v useful to know; thanks!