Friday, October 14, 2011

Let's Pick Trash, My Comrades: Live on, Picker Revolution!

I've been doing more interviews and public speaking gigs recently. As I talk with creatives in my city and TV executives internationally a common theme emerges: They are shocked that we dig in the trash and they can't believe that we bring items from the curbsides into our homes.
This is the beautiful tableaux outside my window right now:



My upstairs neighbors are moving, and like many people who move, they are downsizing. They have placed a large amount on the curbside. As I sit in front of my computer working, I've watched numerous people retrieve items from the pile. There are pickers with their trucks full. There are pedestrians filling carts. There are cyclist pulling over for a closer inspection. We are not alone.


We are intelligent people who simply choose not to buy particle board furniture at Walmart when we know all it takes is a little patience, a walk around your neighborhoods, and a talk with your friends ("Hey guys, furniture to spare?") to outfit your entire home without spending a dime.

I found this game and two DVDS in my neighbor's the trash. I paid $50.00 for it when it was new!
 
Watch my video...this is the Q&A session after a recent presentation I did, Pecha Kucha at the Five Points Theatre. I talked about Thrift Core's big message; that I've connected with thrifters globally from the Australia to the Arctic.

I wanted my speech to inspire the audience to live to their full potential, so I was surprised that the audience of creatives focused on the dumpster diving aspect of my speech:


By the way, I loved being a part of this, and I'm not hating. Everyone's response was invaluable. I loved the audience's honesty. In fact, I'm not hating on anyone who doesn't understand our cause. Just informing you that they're out there.

You're a revolutionary. You choose not to pay high prices for inferior products when you can get the real deal for free. Viva La Picker Revolucion, comrade! Remember, if they don't want it, that's more picking for us. And there's more than enough to go around...
Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

29 comments:

  1. RE4 is still worth around $20-30, if I recall correctly from working at GameStop.

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  2. Indeed it is, it's a fan favorite! I'll try to trade this copy & get moolah for free.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Have you heard the song "Garbage Picker" by Blanche? It is pretty amazing. You can hum it to yourself as you dumpster dive!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hell yeah, Van. Have you read the Scavengers Manifesto? I think you would really dig it. http://blog.krrb.com/2011/03/10/the-scavengers-manifesto-anneli-rufus-kristan-lawson/

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sloe: That is a groovy song! Love it, thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jessica: That is BEAUTIFUL. I'm going to check it out!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think you're so brave and cool to participate in that, speeching, (I'm afraid od speaking in front of a group of people, get so neervous). Curbside hunting is very rare here, as I told you, but if it was, I would be out there! My friend who run a restaurant put a children's chair on the side with a "pick me" sign, and that diseappeared within minutes. So there may be a market..

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  8. Well done you such a natural.People dont know what they are missing if they arent doing what we do xx

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  9. Arctic Mum: Glad to know there's potential for it in your area, at least. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nelly: Yes indeed, but more for us!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Seriously, I even saw something in that photo I wanted :) Love dumpster diving -- and yes (!) we are intelligent people!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ahoy fellow trash picker! Am always happy to stumble upon other thrifty scavengers on the internet. I like to do a weekly post about what I've found in the trash that week (or just in general) because I really want people to know what's getting wasted, what they could NOT be spending money on, that that trash picking is never something to be ashamed of!

    You can read some of my odes to dumpster diving here if you're interested in more trash picking philosophizing: http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/category/dumpster-diving/

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
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