Better Than New: Curbside Trinkets & Treasures

As Kevin Kelly shares with us in his article, Better than Owning, we could be heading into the future without having to buy all that much.We can rent what we want, then give it back when we grow tired of it or don't want it anymore.Photo by Melissa

The good news is we can do this again and again with all sorts of goodies, knick-knacks, and dust collectors. We never have to worry about owning anything anymore and why should we, when we can rent all our stuff with the same benefits.

The problem with that logic is:

- We are a people never satisfied so this trend will cost us big time cash in the long run.

- We live in a society that judges, values and reinforces the narrow minded ways of thinking, "the person with the most toys wins."

- The environment, already suffering from our previously owned trash, will become a wasteland when trendy rented articles are added to the heap.

As Kelly points out, "Women's handbags are a $9 billion retail industry in the US." That's outrageous. My stylish second hand bag cost just $4.
Land of Plenty
It's absolutely ridiculous to believe we as a society won't ever need to worry about not having what we want, when we want it and how we want it. Instant gratification at our fingertips.

Sounds simple, easy, and convenient. A little too convenient and not the ideal, green route to take. This certainly encourages an already thriving throw away society.

Home Sweet Second Stuff Home

Eric and Shannon got it right when they took stock of their priorities and decided to furnish their new home with second hand treasures, curbside freebies and garage sale finds.With a combined income of over $100,00 their decision to decorate creatively was by personal choice rather than necessity. As Shannon says, "Other people's junk is our treasure."


Want vs Need

We are a spoiled rotten bunch with our, "I deserve it" mentality, "must have now" attitudes, and our "got to get" the newest, brightest, biggest, (or smallest) up- to- the-minute latest gadgets and gizmo's.

After all, our possessions define who we are. And who we are, after we have put on our public masks of course, is a society that loves stuff.

Stuff that is better and shiner than what the neighbor has down the street. That is unless we hunted it out from his trash to begin with.