Trash in Paradise

The project:
Pick up trash at Alameda Park - Kid's World.

Time:
Minutes

Why bother?
Trash cans everywhere, but still the trash is stashed in corners and tossed throughout the structure. Very sad.

Worth it?
I suppose. Someone had to pick it up. I was there and it really wasn't a big deal.

Kudos for Good Customer Service

The project:
After dropping $2,000 at the shop, still managed to find something good to see about the service writer who gave great customer service.

Time:
Moments

Why bother?
I figure, if you're going to complain, you should also praise when possible.

Worth it?
Yes. Big smile and thanks from the manager, and hopefully the message caused rubs for the employee.

Donate, recycle and share the love

The project:
Donate and otherwise deliver a van full of items including:
- a mountain of boxes to the shipping store for reuse
- plastic bags to the grocery store recycling center
- clothes, toys and miscellaneous baby-related items (yeah...we're way past that) to the thrift store
- geocaching supplies to a more active fellow 'cacher

Time:
30 minutes

Why bother?
Things do tend to pile up, particularly if you're averse to simply tossing recyclable or reusable stuff. Such is the case with those shipping boxes in which anything from birthday presents to confidential papers have been delivered to our home. I hang on to them because: a) I'm too cheap frugal to toss them only to have to buy a box when I need to shop; b) it seems wasteful not to recycle them; and c) you never know when you'll need a box.

But you can only save so many, and our garage pile filled a quarter of the rafters - it was time for a cleanout. Rather than destroying and recycling them, I dropped them at our local shipping store, the owner of which welcomed them with a big smile and open arms.

The other items have been multiplying gathering in the garage, too. It was time just to let it all go.

Worth it?
Absolutely - all these goods were delivered somewhere they could be used at no expense to the new recipients and no major effort by me beyond drive/delivery time.

Photo courtesy Rebecca Bollwitt under Creative Commons License.

Appreciate a Garden

The project:
Take time out to comment on, and listen to tales about, a stranger's garden.

Time:
15 minutes

Why bother?
We were parking in the neighborhood of a nearby town when we spotted this beautiful garden. As we walked by, we saw the senior resident just wrapping up her morning garden duties. Though we were on our way "somewhere," I opted to take time out to compliment her on her garden. She had a lot to say about it, so we stopped to listen.

Worth it?
Yes. I think she may have gotten some long overdue company, and I learned a bit about gardening and her property's microclimates.

Photo courtesy Drew Vigal under Creative Commons license.

Pick Up Festival Trash

The project:
Pick up random trash at music festival camp.

Time:
Minutes

Why bother?
It is no exaggeration to say thousands of people make a home of this 40-acre facility over the course of this three-day event. While an amazing number of them pick up after themselves, random bits of trash are inevitable. The girls and I tried to lend a hand by picking up the pieces that fell in our paths.

Worth it?
Certainly.
This festival, a fundraiser for our local public radio station, is made possible in large part by a cadre of volunteers who work night and day (no. really.) to set up, clean up, feed, entertain and tear down. They can use all the help they can get.