Friday, June 23, 2006

Wastefulness

Is anyone else sickened by the extreme wastefulness of our country? It just drives me crazy...but here is what brought it up again recently:

David brought home 12 HUGE bags full of items left in the Lost and Found of the middle school where he works. This was not all of it, but just what he had the energy/desire to bring home.

We spent over an hour on our porch going through all of the clothes, shoes, coats, lunch bags, pencil bags, etc... and doing some "free" shopping. It is a great deal for us, but honestly, why aren't people missing these things? Why are they willing to let them go so easily that they cannot simply walk to the school office to check the Lost and Found?

We estimated that there were probably $2000 worth of coats, clothing, shoes, purses, lunch bags, etc... The purses and bags will be donated to the local SWAT and K-9 teams so that they can train dogs with searching items and following scents on real-life items.

This is only a drop in the bucket of all the wastefulness that goes on around us. I'm thankful for the items we could use and saddened by what over-abundance has done to us a country.

4 comments:

Just D said...

It seems it's the societal norm to simply replace things we are tired of or can't be bothered to take care of...our society even treats children and the elderly that way.

Mary Ann said...

Thanks for this post. I have really been thinking on this subject lately. We live in such extreme abundance that often we neglect to take care of what we have because a) we have so much to take care of and b) it is so easy to just go out and buy more. But at the same time, typical American families have a lot of debt as well. Something doesn't make sense here.:-) I don't want to rant or get off subject here; I can do that on my own blog!!!:-) I have been asking God lately to help me cultivate a truly thankful heart for all that I do have and also to be resourceful and a good steward with all He has given me(us).
Blessings!!!

Monica Wilkinson said...

"d", good point about people being treated this way too...I hadn't initially thought of that, but you are right on track with that idea.

Mary Ann, yes - it is amazing how the American family is so wasteful yet in so much debt. A sad commentary on our times, indeed.

Here's to creating a happy and content heart in what we have and making the most of it! :)

Anonymous said...

We do this each year at our school & work in June, but we donate all items to women's shelters and refuges for refugees as well as homeless shelters. Other people's lost items become items of clothing that keep homeless people alive, sad but true.