Berkeley, home of the trash

I've heard from a certain someone that living in Berkeley, California can be miserable. This person's complaints about the town apparently have something to do about trash. This ex-Berkeley-ite was apparently unhappy when some artists put some trash in front of City Hall and called it art.

Let me tell you that trash is exactly what makes Berkeley the best place to live. My life in Berkeley is based on trash. Most of my furniture in my apartment is from the trash including my couches, my desk, my dresser, my coffee table, my chair and my lamps. My best kitchen supplies are from the Berkeley trash too including my rice cooker, my toaster, my pots and various utensils. I should also mention that my favorite clothes and ALL of my dress clothes are from the trash as well. Need I tell you that I've gotten numerous compliments on these lovely garments?

As if that isn't already enough, I also buy the majority of my produce out of a bin that I call "trash." My favorite markets in town bag the "day old" or damaged produce and sells it for an incredible mark down. I love this trash produce because I can feed myself for weeks on just $20.

In order for me to get all of this wonderful trash, there has to be lots of trash around town. Thankfully for me, people living here aren't shy about dumping stuff on the corners of streets where others can rummage through their junk and pick out the gems. There is even an official trash day when people are allowed to throw out large items (furniture, appliances etc). They put their trash out a day before pick up so people like me can salvage it before it heads to the dump.

Finding something good in the trash can elevate your mood for a week. This informal trash recycling program helps make living in Berkeley affordable AND it's good for the environment. If it weren't for the dumpster divers, all this stuff would be rotting in a landfill. So next time you knock the trash in Berkeley, think about how happy it makes many of us that live off of trash. It's not an eyesore--it's a way of life. Homeless people LIVE off the food we throw away buy recycling our bottles and munching on leftovers.

Just remember that if you're going to take a little trash, you have to give a little too.