Sunday, June 26, 2011

Urban Decay......

"Condition where part of a city or town becomes old or dirty or ruined, because businesses and wealthy families have moved away from it."

Urban decay is fascinating to me. I regularly try to find websites the document the decay of buildings, or areas. The pictures are haunting, sometimes surreal. I am intrigued by how fast nature starts taking over an area, that we once claimed as our own. Also, by how fast things go to ruin once someone stops maintaining the building.

I am disturbed by the amount of things that are left in buildings once it has been abandoned. Such as wheelchairs, medical equipment, lawn chairs, golf carts, etc. I don't understand why these things are not given away, but allowed to rot. I assume that no one takes the time to find homes for these items because they just want to be done with the task of "closing" the building one last time. THIS REALLY BOTHERS ME. This is the reason for my post.

Look here for the lawn furniture, and kitchenware. I know this stuff was dated, but surely someone would have been able to use it?

Look here for medical equipment. I just can't believe that somewhere these items weren't needed?

There has been a slow awakening in me about the waste that I encounter on a regular basis by society. We dispose of the barely old to get "new", that will in turn be disposed of in short order. I am very guilty of this...I have 3 iPods at my house that are not used. I lusted after them, had to have them, and then promptly quit using them. I have gotten the latest and the greatest cell phone, to only use it for calling out, and an occasional text. I hate trying to use the web on a cell phone, screen is too small, cell phone can't handle the graphics, etc. So where I am going with all of this? I don't know.

I don't know the solution, and barely understand the question.

I just know that it bothers me. Everything being disposable. But, there are some things that are great (at least for me) because they are disposable. Like diapers...the poo factor never became easier even though it came from my own child. So I really can't imagine me doing loads of diapers and having to deal with the mess a second time. In writing this I see my own dichotomy, and so maybe I shouldn't criticize others who couldn't be troubled to find homes for unwanted items. But....really couldn't someone have used a wheelchair? A country that has an impoverished health care system? Or couldn't it have been used for parts?

I also wonder if someone just couldn't bear to part with it for free, and so rather than give it away, just let it rot?

I really try to be altruistic. I would rather give my things away to someone who could use them, than throw them in the trash. I am not good at garage sales for that very reason. I end up making next to no money because I just want the stuff gone, and almost feel guilty charging someone else to take my crap. Case in point, last weekend we did the great garage purge, and got rid of a ton of stuff. I put stuff by the curb, figuring that someone would stop and pick up the good stuff. This very nice lady came by and went through our entire pile, and repeatedly asked me if I wanted money for the items she was taking. She felt bad that we were just giving it to her, but in truth it was a win-win for both of us. I no longer had babies who could use a stroller, or car seat, she had a daughter that was pregnant and didn't have money to buy those items.

OK....enough rambling. Please take a moment to look at those site above. The pictures are just great, just from the artistic stand point alone.

4 comments:

jadedj said...

Good post, sweetie.

Anonymous said...

Georgia, I'm with Jaded J, what a great post! I love it! It not only creates awareness to the kind of "disposable" society we are, but it's also thought provoking. Good for you for your generous spirit. I too hate for things to go unused in my home when there are so many people who could find them useful. Thanks for reminding us of the importance of giving to others what we no longer want or use.

Anonymous said...

Georgia, I'm with Jaded J, what a great post! I love it! It not only creates awareness to the kind of "disposable" society we are, but it's also thought provoking. Good for you for your generous spirit. I too hate for things to go unused in my home when there are so many people who could find them useful. Thanks for reminding us of the importance of giving to others what we no longer want or use.

Brenda said...

We DO forget, everyday.. I always try to recycle they unused things in the house, most especially if they still have life left. You made me rethink my postponed summer clean out (spring came and went and I was too distracted, Ok, lazy, to take on the chore) Very thoughtful. (found you via Bella's lovely site.