Comments | emeraldsedai: Portlandia 4 - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Redistribute

emeraldsedai

Portlandia 4 - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Redistribute

Mar 11, 2014 21:59

Here's the fourth of five visits to Portlandy things I love. We seem to have a theme of redistribution going on. Today I visited two favorite east-side reduce/reuse/recycle places.

( Scrap and Free Geek )

project empty, portland is pretty awesome

Comments 5

helenajust March 12 2014, 10:00:03 UTC

I wish we had this variety of places for recycling in the UK. It might help me declutter - one of the factors limiting me is the feeling that stuff is too good to throw away, or that it is a waste to throw it away. Free Geek in particular would be good, although to be fair some charities here take some electronics.

emeraldsedai March 12 2014, 16:35:23 UTC

That's been precisely the value of these places for me: the sense that I can pass along some of the stuff cluttering up my house; that someone else might be able to get some value from it. The "waste not, want not" urge is very deeply ingrained, isn't it ( ... )

donutsweeper March 12 2014, 14:03:55 UTC

Both those places sound WONDERFUL. There are reuse centers here, but as far as I know none are for crafting or electronics specifically.

emeraldsedai March 12 2014, 16:50:33 UTC

There's a business opportunity here that could be copied in any city, I think. So far in Portland I've discovered this model operating in building materials, bikes, hobby and craft supplies, and electronics. I suspect there may be others.

It's fascinating to watch this sector grow. I feel like each one of these operations is a little blade of grass pushing up through the rubble that rapacious corporatism has left behind. No revolution, just people finding quiet, creative ways to do (moderately) well while doing good. They pay rent, they employ at least a couple of people, they appear to have fun, and every one of them includes a community skill-building component.

Portland (for reasons completely outside my understanding) seems to have become a seed-bed for this type of thing, but it's certainly popping up all over the US. Something really cool is happening right before our eyes. I love seeing it happen.

donutsweeper March 12 2014, 17:01:18 UTC

I think it's *wonderful* that it's a growing sector. I firmly believe in that old adage about using things up, wearing them out, making them do or doing without and the idea that if you just can't do that you may as well pass it on to someone who can is so great.