Interesting event of the day/rant: I was bringing my last bit of trash to the dumpster, and I saw several plastic garbage bags mistakenly placed inside of the loading dock door by some mistakenly placed cardboard (everything is supposed to be taken to the bins outside).
I had written a nice long description of the events that followed, but word decided to randomly crash and get rid of it. I’m over it.
Insert rant (indignant confusion) here: You would not believe what people throw away at the end of the year here. It’s disgusting, and there is no good reason for it. If you go to college, you probably know what I’m talking about. If you go to a school where there are wealthy people who pay full tuition, you definitely know what I’m talking about. I will now continue to debunk any reason why people would throw perfectly good stuff away.
Potential Cornell excuses for throwing perfectly good stuff away:
1. There’s no room in my luggage/I’m taking a plane.
a. It’s called bigger suitcases and more of them.
b. Guess what? You can ship boxes anywhere in the world.
c. You’re coming back to Cornell, right? There are plenty of storage options.
2. Storage is too expensive.
a. It is, but can you share costs with a friend or friends?
b. Do you have a friend’s house you can dump your stuff in for the summer? Some people stick around and may be fine with you leaving a few things there.
3. I don’t have time to go store my stuff.
a. Well, that doesn’t excuse you from throwing it away. See 4 b.
4. I don’t want this stuff anymore.
a. It’s completely fine to edit your possessions- just do it in a more responsible way. See b.
b. Put the stuff you no longer need (if it is unbroken and in decent condition) in or by the large bins about 10 feet away from the loading dock. These are the dump and run bins. What you put in here will be sold and the profits will go to local charities. You can help others and get rid of your stuff.
5. I’m too lazy to walk the extra 10 feet.
a. You’re at Cornell, you already have walked thousands of feet more than that. It takes seconds.
b. You shouldn’t be at college it you’re too lazy to walk 10 feet.
c. You have at least one friend who is not as lazy as you. Ask them to put your stuff in the dump and run bins.
6. I didn’t know about dump and run donation bins.
a. Do you read posters plastered everywhere? Maybe you should. I bet you did.
7. What about my unopened, non-perishable food items? Dump and Run doesn’t take them.
a. The food drive does. Downstairs RPCC has been a donation point for weeks.
i. Starving children should make you cry.
8. I don’t go to Cornell.
a. Put a large sign that says “Free” on top of your stuff and leave it at a key point on campus. Win.
Why am I writing this? Well, during the time while I was packing, I have seen things being thrown away that most certainly should not be: clothing in perfect condition (and not ugly either), perfect condition 3 ring binders, unused cosmetics/shampoo, notebooks, unopened and unexpired non-perishable food, and more. It made me want to cry. Seriously. I can see how this world has a problem with garbage accumulation and overconsumption. So these past few days, I did something slightly embarrassing. I “dumpster dived.” I never entered a dumpster bin or touched food, but I did pull out a few bags of clothing and put them in dump and run, separating things I liked or could use. I also looked inside some garbage bags on the floor by the cardboard recycle a few times. My best find? A digital camera that worked, with the SD card still inside. It’s only 5 megapixels, but it will be a great backup for me or camera for someone who needs one. That was my best find, until today at least. In that misplaced bag, I found a charger for something. Then I found what it was for: a small black HP netbook. Yes, it was a garbage bag. Used Kleenex and empty wrappers clearly marked it. I did not steal a netbook. It worked, and I cracked the password. Hold your applause- the password was the same as the password hint. I did want a netbook, because my laptop is huge and heavy, and I think carrying it to class, up all the hills and stairs, has been causing my screen damage. God is so good, in such unexpected ways. Thanks for the early birthday present, God.
That was the big event of today... lots of driving followed my find.
in no uncertain terms, you're my hero.
ReplyDeletehaha thanks...
ReplyDelete