RESTORE. RECYCLE. REPURPOSE

I just read a wonderful book by Randy Florke called RESTORE. RECYCLE. REPURPOSE. I loved it because, in addition to calling out things like compact fluorescent light bulbs, energy efficient appliances and sustainable building products, he gave ample nod back to core values the generations before us embraced. He appears to be a young man but he credits his grandmother with bestowing him with those values from her generation. Yea for Grandmas!!
He encourages using what there already is and how that translates to "green". He poses the question, why would you buy new "throw away" furniture when you could use vintage furniture that is built from trees that were already harvested and made with craftsmanship we have to pay top dollar for today. He points out the flawed attitude of throwing things away (landfill) and buying new (materials, manufacturing, energy, transportation).
This reminds me of a story I read somewhere. A woman purchased a new mattress, which included delivering the new mattress and hauling away the old one. She got up that morning and stripped off the bedding to get ready for the new bed. While she was waiting she started admiring the beautiful old ticking on the mattress and thinking about what she could make from it. Before long she had her scissors out and had stripped off all of the old ticking. Now she was left with springs filled with fluffy old batting. Well, that batting would be perfect for stuffing pillows and stuffed animals. She carefully removed it from the springs and stuffed it in bags. When the delivery man finally arrived and came inside to haul out the old mattress he took a look at the bare springs, looked back at her and said "Boy, lady, you really did need a new mattress!"
Obviously we can't all use vintage every time and there are, after all, people who make those new things and they need jobs. But it sure doesn't hurt to stop and think!
The thing that especially struck me about this book is that somebody needed to write it. When so many of us grew up with "wear it out, use it up, make it do or do without" how did we manage to skip a whole generation who needs to read it in a book? Maybe they need someone young to say it to them. He is young and he listened to his Grandma. Good boy. You tell 'em, Randy!