Find hidden worth in things discarded
Sripriya Satish
WHILE taking a stroll in a neighbourhood park, I saw a woman struggling to feed her baby, who was reluctant to accept even a few morsels. She tried to coax her child by pointing out the beauty of nature, all the while attempting to put food into the baby’s mouth. In an effort to distract the toddler, she even tried feeding a stray cat, but it showed no interest in the baby’s food. Then, suddenly, a crow swooped down, picked up the food and flew to a nearby tree, seemingly content with its find.
There is much to be learnt from this seemingly ordinary incident. The food, which held no interest for the baby or the cat, was gobbled up by the crow.
How often do we value what others are ready to discard? For every designer dress worn once by a celebrity or possession they are eager to get rid of, there are countless others who would take pride in owning them. Indeed, one person’s waste can be another’s treasure.
A creative individual might cherish broken bangles, glass shards or worn-out tyres — items that might seem completely useless to someone else. Similarly, knowledge and ideas dismissed in one field might be highly valued in another area of expertise. Many second-hand shops and thrift stores thrive by giving a new lease of life to discarded items.
Isn’t it time we started appreciating the worth of things we consider waste? With landfills overflowing and natural resources depleting at an alarming rate, we need to rethink how we can turn these mountains of waste into treasure troves.
Consider this: the world generates two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste annually. Of this, a staggering eight million tonnes of plastic waste enter our oceans, severely affecting marine life. About 40 per cent of the global waste ends up in landfills, creating significant environmental hazards.
How can we reduce waste? By diligently practising the three golden Rs — reduce, recycle and reuse. At an individual level, we can all contribute to minimising the global waste crisis. A small act on our part can go a long way in preventing our beautiful world from turning into a dustbin. If there are babies and cats who discard waste, there will always be crows hovering around to relish it. We must recognise that discarded waste will always hold significance for someone or something on this planet.
American poet Mary Oliver said, ‘The world is full of good things, and even waste has value.’ A thought worth pondering, and also a life lesson.
