Tuesday 9 October 2012

What a Bunch of Wasteful Mofo's!

In relation to my previous post I am back from a couple weeks of roadside pouncing. The treasures of the curb have kept me super busy amongst everything else that life involves. I have come out of the last couple of weeks wounded and weathered by the carelessness of some people. I own the face of a vintage heroine and hoarder. Have you seen that television show 'Hoarders'?! It's a scary thought that my fate might be on along the lines of that existence. Do you know what's even scarier though? The wasteful world we live in and how excessive consumerism is our way of life!!!

Sorry to say it but we are a bunch of brainwashed wasteful mofo's! So much of our ignorant lives are spent acquiring 'things' and disposing of them. The amount of thoughtless waste I witnessed on the roadside was a disgrace. What's the excuse? "We don't have enough time to give a hoot?" Is that because you are working your guts out to buy more 'stuff'?! Let me ask you ...if you saw $100 on the side of the road, could you prioritise and find the time to take it to the bank, or spend it at the shops? Hmmm... I think you would.

As I witnessed the crusher of the rubbish truck smash to smithereens perfectly fine things, I couldn't help but get depressed about all the time and energy put into producing those things. The cost to our environment and in turn to us as dwellers of the earth. I thought of the design process, the materials, the manufacturing, the likely and unlucky person in a third world country that had to take part in it's production. The distribution and miles travelled, packaging, the toxic byproducts that were about to be dumped into our earth, and the consumer who may be wracked with credit card debt to pay for all this 'stuff'.

I can understand that we need to dispose of items from time to time, but I can not understand and support outright and ignorant waste. The price of excessive waste is payed by ourselves - wasteful mofo's. It is up to us as individuals and communities to wake the hell up and give a damn about our buying and disposing practises.

There IS a positive perspective and that is, that there are so many ways, big and small we can make a difference.

Watch the movie below, 'The Story of Stuff' and you will understand my gripe. Become aware of our impact, be open to and participate in change. October is 'Buy Nothing New Month' challenge yourself and give it a crack.(Don't know what that is? Check out the links below).Trust me it's a challenge! List your unwanted items for free on 'Ziilch' or similar websites or hey move your butt, support fellow peeps, and donate them to a charity.

This blog post is not a judgemental attack just simply a cry for awareness and resistance against excessive consumerism and thoughtless waste. I urge you to watch this movie and give an iota about this magical earth we live on. I invite you to join me in my quest to live a more eco friendly life. That is, if you are not already, and if you are cheers to that tree hugger!

A fab concept I heard recently was 'Buy experiences not things' That's one of the things I'm going to work on for this little Beatnik family in my aim for greener living.

So who's with me?