Helping our environment is critical. Most people care, but they don't take meaningful action when it comes to reducing waste.
The time is now. This isn't a problem to let others handle for you.
I hope that consistently posting on this will change some minds over time. It's the best I can do on Steem.
This is a smaller list than usual, but it's a diverse batch for ideas and inspiration.
Recycled curb finds sold for profit:
Stroller second seat sold for $115 (8 pounds).
Technivorm Moccamaster sold for parts for $94 (base), $26 (carafe), and $26 (brew basket).
CFA study book set sold for $90 (11 pounds). Ironically found the same exact stack of 5 books on the same night this sold.
Men's rollerblades sold for $70.
Telescoping pet ramp for vehicles sold for $60 cash (13 pounds).
Sealed The Republic book by Plato from ~1981 sold for $40 (3 pounds).
New children's orthopedic shoes sold for $38 (1 pound).
⬆ I originally found 55+ pairs of various ortho shoes, but sold almost all of them years ago for $50+ each. Yes, 55 brand new pairs or ortho shoes for infants, children and adults!! Think about the idiot who threw these out and dozens of people whose feet were corrected or relieved because I saved them.
Christie's art catalog sold for $30 (5 pounds).
Two complete Keurig K-cup sets sold for $26 each.
Breville juicer blade sold for $23.
Shark vacuum switch sold for $19.
Sales prices are revenue before any applicable fees or shipping.
Again, it's not always about the lucrative finds. It's about items not being wasted that are now in the hands of people who needed them.
Add this up in the thousands of items I've saved in this fashion (and shipped in recycled packaging), and it makes a nice dent.
Let me know if you have any questions or would like some advice.
My crypto is appreciating quickly once again, but instead of going to sleep thinking about what doors that'll open for me, it's time to do some push-ups and go outside to save more.
Last post saving ~100 pounds for $1,060.
Thanks for your support,
@steemmatt
What an inspiring effort! We are such a wasteful, throwaway society in the "developed" world. I visited Delhi in India in the 1990s, and I was really impressed by the number of people who made a living from recycling things people had thrown away.
Another thing that impressed me was the yogurt sold in small clay pots at railway stations. After eating the yogurt, the thin clay pots could be thrown away, as they would just disintegrate. So much less wasteful than plastic.
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Thanks for your comment and story. Sometimes the most basic solutions like those pots are all we need.
I've been posting blog entries with examples for almost 2 years now. This was one of my shorter ones, so please stay tuned if this is up your alley.
I literally have thousands of examples like this I've sold for income, but when push comes to shove, I'd prefer sustainable products that aren't designed to fall apart so consumers are forced to replace them... or people who try to repair/sell/repurpose what they'd normally dispose of.
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I totally agree. Planned obsolescence is a nightmare for all of us! Things should be made to last.
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That's amazing! I've lived in the US for three years and it was unreal what people throw out there. I lived in an apartment complex where people moved in on a Saturday and out on a Friday. Every Friday night we'd go 'dumpster' diving for treasure. We furnished our entire apartment with those items, totally for free! We'd find reclinable seats and couches, dinner chairs and tables and we even dug up a wide-screen TV that was not working after first inspection, but when we looked into it a bit better, it was simply turned to the wrong channel! We thought it was probably done by accident by the family's children or while cleaning, and the owners just didn't look any further, thought the TV was broken and threw it out.
I used to sell at the swapmeet (second hand market) there every weekend, and the best part of my weekend would be early in the morning when I'd walk across the market to find things people just wanted to get rid of quickly. I'd buy their items and then sell them on for twice the price, or even more! It was a great place for people with half a brain! LOL. My very best buy ever were four silver cups, sold to me for a dollar. I sold those on a few weeks later for $85,- each...Nice mark-up and the guy who bought it was happy as could be, since he was probably going to sell them on for even more.
Unfortunately, I live in Ireland now and here a second hand market usually means trash while paying top prices for it. But sometimes you can come across some nice items for a good price when people just don't know what they have.
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Thanks for connecting with me on this stuff. It sounds like we're of the same cloth and find pride in saving things that shouldn't have been wasted. Nice job on the 1>$85 x4 cups. Were they sterling silver? Re: recycling/upcycling, as long as you have the awareness, you'll always be able to benefit/help as opportunities arise.
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Hi @steemmatt, yes the cups were sterling silver. I brought them to an appraiser and he almost dropped his glasses when I told him how much I paid for them.
And I've recently started to clear out my house. First of all because I want more space and less clutter, and secondly because a lot of the things that don't serve us, might serve someone else. Some of it will be sold, some of it given away, but either way: someone will be making use of the things that are just gathering dust here.
It's really a win/win situation for everyone and a great feeling when you're making money but also helping others.
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As always, I'm really enjoying and appreciating your super-practical way of reducing waste and reducing landfill whilst raising money for your life. Clever! I never cease to be amazed at what people call "trash" and throw away. Well done you.
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Thank you. I'm glad we're on the same page here. I posted another one about 2 weeks ago with many more recent examples summing to about 100 pounds if you want to see what else I've salvaged (for entertainment and ideas).
https://steemit.com/recycling/@steemmatt/more-recycled-items-i-ve-personally-saved-and-sold-for-usd1-060-roughly-100-pounds-here-it-s-your-turn-to-chip-in
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I have a big huge pile of 'stuff' sitting in the corner that needs selling and need somewhere new to be loved. Thanks for the inspiration and sharing <3
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List one or two items a day, and before you know it, the pile is online, and eventually gone (with good money to show for it).
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@cmplxty dude that's an uppababy stroller seat! I have an uppababy Vista! Those strollers are so expensive. We probably ended paying about $1k for our uppababy with the extra rumbleseat. Who the hell leaves one out on the curb?! lol
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I find UPPAbaby, Bugaboo and Britax regularly, plus others. When I went outside after this post, I found a very expensive Yo-Yo stroller in great shape and washed it for good measure to be ready to list now. This one sells for $200-$300 used and is very compact to not take up too much space in the interim.
Make sure you sell your stroller when you're done! Selling it in parts is always far more profitable, but cash and carry for the entire setup is easier.
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