Life can be both beautiful and enjoyable, depending on the kind of lifestyle adopted. Every lifestyle and practice has its own black and white sides, but some lifestyle offer more good than harm. In fact, one major lifestyle that I can attest to its numerous benefits is minimalist lifestyle. Hence, as a minimalist, I have my beautiful hobbies but my most favourite hobby is recycling. What is minimalism if not to avoid wastage and save money. So, I find satisfaction in the collection of used products such as bottles, papers and the likes for various purposes.
For instance, I collect and keep used used bottles, once they reach certain quantity, I give to those old women and the needy around that sell to the recyclers and they used the money to feed their families. This particular hobby brings me a lot of joy and my intention to always gather these used items is to also make my wards and neighbours know something can be got from those items they regard as waste. Even, those that think they are not poor nor need money from used items see the joy on the faces of those that I give for free. Even when the money is not much, I know there will always be joy in their homes when they sell those waste items to recyclers, even when the money is not much. Aside from the proceeds that can be made from it, recycling also helps in keeping our environment clean, as my neighbours rarely litter the floor with used bottles. Some of them now also gather for sale. Those that don't sell, gather theirs somewhere instead of littering and give to anyone that has interest in collecting it. What is more fulfilling than making a positive impact on our environment by keeping it clean and putting smiles on people's face? Minimalist lifestyle is just all encompassing.
Also, a minimalist can collect used items to recycle personally or sell to recyclers and spend the tokens from it.
It is never a crime to spend such money and it doesn't indicate poverty. In most cases, when we purchase some items in the market, we have indirectly paid for the container too and we can do whatever with the aftermath of it, so it can be reused or sold to have our money back. Even though such money always seems little, they can be used to get Zobo drinks, banana and groundnut, fruit and the likes.
I sometimes gather used papers and give to groundnut, plantain or 'Suya' peppered meat sellers in exchange for plantain, groundnuts or peppered meat. Though the proceeds may be little, but we eat such with joy, because it cost us almost nothing. Likewise, I collect and keep cartons at shop and sell to the recyclers and sometimes make lots of money from it because the cartons weigh better than ordinary papers.
Sometimes also, I reuse some of the collected items like bottles to make funnel to either pour fuel into the generator.
I also do perforate just the cap of the bottle at times to make it a sprinkler to wet my garden or to wet the floor to reduce dust while sweeping.
Moreover, I rewash the bottles for storage of things in the kitchen.
However, as beautiful as this recycling hobby is, it posed some challenges of prejudice. Some people just assume and conclude that one recycles because one is poor which is totally false. Thank God for the recent awareness and education on recyclable waste that is now reducing the wrong perspectives. My act of giving those used items out to the needy has also open people's eyes that I recycle not because I'm poor but to keep the environment clean, avoid waste, economize and empower the needy.
This is my entry to the minimalist weekly prompt.
Thanks for reading.
All photos are mine.
