Heres to a Clutter Free World
Thursday June 01, 2006
Ijams' Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Rummage Sale (Jun 10) will benefit our environment in many ways. Here's a story about one of them.
There’s a moment in the movie Winged Migration when a small flock of
red-breasted geese alight down to rest at an industrial plant. The location is
somewhere in Europe, but it could be anywhere: Knoxville, New Jersey
or even somewhere in the middle of Russia. After paddling around in dirty water, the birds end up in a
sludge-filled pool. Industrial muck covers their feathers. As the flock begins
to leave, one of the geese is seen mired up in sludge, desperately trying to
free itself from the filth. We don’t see it escape and are simply left to contemplate
its survival. It’s a sad but poignant moment.
It’s at times like
these that I ponder the wisdom of
collecting toys. Perhaps the industrial plant in the movie is really a factory
producing space toys and I’m one of the customers buying them.
Still, it’s these touching moments that can affect change in our
lives. I, for one, certainly don’t buy as
many toys and things as I used to. Maybe it’s because I now have a
two year old daughter and
see the world a little differently now. Or possibly, the thought of that one
desperate bird has resulted in a few less Star Wars action figure purchases.
It’s probably a little of both.
Another
thing that struck me when I first watched this clip is how much wildlife is
constantly affected, 24
hours a day. The global consumer machine races on at fever pitch while we
sleep. There’s just too much stuff in the world for wildlife to get injured by or killed, let alone displaced
from their habitats. I know I’m
preaching to the choir here, but there is something specific we can all do. Take a stand and help
reduce some of the stuff in the world. What better place to start but in our own homes and help Ijams at
the same time!
On Saturday June 10,
Ijams will host the annual Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Rummage Sale. This event is a great opportunity for you to get rid of some of
the clutter in your homes and help support Ijams’
education programs in our
community. Each year Ijams raises more than $6,000 from the event and this year
we hope to do even better. As the old adage says, “One man’s trash is another
man’s treasure.” So, we can put some of
those discarded or unused items in the hands of someone else who will use
them. Many unsold items are donated to
Goodwill or the Salvation Army, so it’s a win-win all around.
For
more information on the Rummage Sale, or to schedule a pickup from your home, please call Todd
Witcher, School & Youth Programs Manager, at 865-577-4717
ext. 30.
I have already started
filling up my car and have brought numerous boxes of good quality items to
Ijams. My friends and family will be doing the same thing. If we all do our
part, then perhaps we,
red-breasted geese and their avian relatives, will begin to live in a cleaner,
healthier world.
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