If you have worked or lived with me you know I go to great lengths to avoid waste and honour resources. This has been one of my biggest wins so far.

Story time: I was told the whole wall of ‘expired’ drinks and food need to be thrown away. I insisted to handle it. I didn’t know what to do. My usual dumpster divers could not save it, the lady to takes sandwiches for the homeless was not replying. My heart was starting to physically feel pain and throb. The uni students that pick up stuff couldn’t get a car. I’m told it all needs to be thrown away by the night. A couple of car rides later with a very heavy car… my heart feels better so I don’t notice the worn out body as much … and instead of product still in it’s packaging going straight to landfill, all of it is being put to good use while the packaging can be recycled.

I’m very grateful to the manager for letting me do the right thing even though it went against store policy. Nearly $3000 worth of product that was taken from mother earth was saved from going back to her as a pollutant. Carboard was composted or turned into castings by worms. If the 0.10c return was in place it would have been donated to the homeless.

Other wins:
– Cycling to Officeworks in another suburb in the rain to recycle printer cartridges.
– Creating a special bag to carry half a Cheesecake shop cake to Global Heart Church in Joondalup where I used to go for my Mandarin classes.
– Eating/drinking what people considered expired food because it was one day passed date. (The Dating Game: What Use By, Sell By and Best Before Really Mean)
– Getting my last 2 work places to have a system for using scrap paper until both sides were used or having a special tray for scrap paper printing.
– Collecting used batteries in my current workplace (2022) to drop off at my local library to recycle.
– Saving stacks of unsold newspapers for animal sanctuaries and schools.
– Collected unwanted electronics from CCTVs to IT hardware and driving an hour away for Pete to rescue –Introducing Peter Rudd – Perth’s Local E-Waste Rescuer, Contact Details & Bonus Video

What I’m trying to say is any waste rescue initiative will benefit greatly by giving me a job ;) as I won’t see it as a job. It’s been my life purpose.