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June 07, 2005
Dumpster Diving
Every ten years or so, my parents decide that their house in New Jersey is too full of STUFF and they decide to throw everything out. It's a psychological thing we all do -- except usually it's annual and it's called spring cleaning. With Mom and Dad, it takes the form of a dumpster in the driveway. Pretty much anything in the cellar or attic that isn't a family heirloom is game.
The problem is, I can't stand to see good stuff go to waste, so I freak out every time. I know that someone, somewhere needs music box cartridges from the fifties or a book on roses from the nineties. Since I've been getting more environmentally conscious these days, I also know that perfectly good metal filing cabinets should be given away and not tossed, computers and air conditioners have harmful chemicals and should be discarded safely, and books that can't be sold should be recycled. So I threw my usual fit, then took a day off to wade through wet garbage and rescue things. I understand that sometimes you just have to get rid of stuff and figuring out how to do that is hard, but it just kills me to see good stuff in a dumpster. And this time, I have the INTERNET. (Derek checked eBay and found someone in need of those exact music box cartriges, so there.)
I think this way of dealing with stuff is a generational thing. Baby boomers were the first generation to experience this unique consumer culture -- it's affordable to buy the latest and greatest and there isn't much value placed on anything five years old unless you're an eBay collector. It's easy to accumulate lots and lots of stuff. With Derek's family I've seen exactly how much stuff a family can buy over a thirty-year period -- they still have it all.
All the pointlessly huge McMansions and Targets suggest that generation X hasn't improved much, though. There's a trend toward conservation and organic foods, but people don't seem to realize that conservation means living with less -- owning a smaller home, driving a more fuel-efficient car, and creating less waste. Dad has one of the first hybrid cars, so we're not quite as bad as your average SUV-owner, but we've got plenty of the same bad habits everyone else has (not carpooling enough, using too much water, buying mass-produced junk we don't need, etc.). The damage caused by all of this consumerism and the outsized oil comsumption is irreversible, but environmental issues are low on the political priority list. I just don't get it.
Anyway, back to the dumpster. Driving home I tried to think of a rational plan to deal with all my stuff AND all the stuff in the dumpster, but when I pulled up the driveway and saw the thing, I had to call D and freak out over the phone a bit (Hewey consoled me). I tried to be a good environmentalist after that and called a bunch of municipal offices to find out about recycling, but have you ever tried to talk to New Jersey municipal people? It's kind of like talking to the garbage/mafia man. There was a lot of "Sure, we can take care of that for you -- just throw it in the dumpster (wink wink)." Recycling lumber and consumer electronics? Unheard of. ("That's what the dumpster's for!")
My triage efforts so far have included two trips to the recycling center, the rescue of a suitcase full of fabric, a 1922 Encyclopedia, LPs, speakers, books, a jewelry box, a lamp, clothes, a drill, two typewriters, a slide projector, frames, a small TV, a wrought iron table, baseball bats, clothes, a camping lantern, and luggage (here's a pile). And that's just from my Dad's collection. There was probably more buried in the corner, and I'm sure more went in after I left, but at least I made a dent. Unfortunately I didn't find a computer recycler for the computer stuff -- there are periodic collections but I don't know if there's a permanent drop-off anywhere. I'm heading out later this week for Mom's contribution and a collection of board games my brother is getting rid of.
The plan is to pack it all in the minivan and have a huge (and very cheap) stoop sale on Sunday in Brooklyn. (If you like old junk, please stop by -- hopefully we'll be out there by 11. We're at 11th St. btw 8th Ave and PPW.) Anything that might be a collector's item will be sold on eBay. Anything left over will go on the sidewalk (sidewalk items almost always get picked up in Brooklyn) or to Goodwill.
Posted by csageday at June 7, 2005 12:19 AM