Waste not, want not – or so the adage goes. In a time when money is an issue for many people, who can afford to waste anything?
Taking leftovers and turning it into something isn’t that hard with a bit of creativity. Similarly, the clothing market benefits greatly from charitable groups able to re-sell and re-use lightly used items. Eliminating such goods from the landfill saves precious space there too, but as importantly, it gives the thriftier shoppers amongst us a break from retail pricing.
A new business concept pitched on CBC talked about the benefits of “deconstructing” homes. Using that mentality, instead of hiring a high hoe, workers separate materials that can’t be reused and retain items like windows, trim and framing lumber.
It was a bit of a romantic take on the building industry. Anyone who has walked by a dumpster on a job site will see plenty of reusable lumber. The great problem with this idea is the economics of labour.
First, ridding lumber of nails and screws takes time. Second, storing old lumber and materials isn’t cheap either. Most reclaimed goods should remain covered away from the elements. Between lease rates and property taxes, a great deal of product would need to be moved regularly to offset such costs.
This economic conundrum becomes the million-dollar question in this equation. People wanting to do the right thing will almost always find it cost prohibitive. There are currently no incentives to make it worthwhile for business to adopt this model.
Production framers and professional builders get the best use of their time ordering dimensional material delivered to the job site. Time is money.
For those with time and some imagination, repurposing is a great option. There can be satisfaction in making do.
A thousand days
The Ukraine war is now 1,000 days old – closing in on three years since it started. The world remains a worrisome place with conflicts there and in the Middle East.
Every theatre of military conflict imposes pain and hardship on those who can least afford it.
As the northern hemisphere heads into winter, services like heat and hydro are being disrupted by missile fire. The suffering ahead will be immense.
While the people freeze, leaders will surely be warm and content with their war games.
It’s disgusting that 1,000 days in, there is no reprieve in sight.
