One person’s trash is another’s treasure – how I found my spark for a new creative outlet from dumpster diving.
While on a walk earlier last year, I discovered an e-waste bin. I scanned a couple of the contents and could instantly see so much potential in what others have thrown away.
Even if not the original purpose of an item, a small component could be salvaged or a slight alteration could repurpose the item into something new; whether it’s for aesthetics or functional.
I asked the entity responsible for the bin whether I could collect some items and they found no objection.
Soon enough I found myself on weekly or daily walks just to see what new items have been discarded.
The amount of treasure I found turned these walks into somewhat of an addiction. At least after a day working in front of a computer I had some regular exercise, and the bin was the incentive, even in the Summer heat. This created a new habit which allows the creative journey to grow.
Overtime I saved plenty of items from the landfill that were perfectly functional after some maintenance. Some examples are:
- A small household fan that only needed some internal cleaning and oil and it worked perfectly.
- A hair straightener needed cleaning from hair products and attaching a new electrical cord (I suspect someone else visiting the bin might have been cutting cords from items).
- Lots of ethernet cables, that once stripped reveal several little copper wires that can be repurposed by shaping them into jewelry pieces or using them in small DIY electronic projects.
- Monitors that are perfectly functional once you have a kettle lead and HDMI cable.
- Laptops. So many laptops, most of the time the display would be smashed but several parts can be salvaged for creative builds. (see the lotus in my portfolio below)
- A Raspberry Pi 2 model, that I repurposed to control my 3D printer wirelessly.
Often times we find it easier to ditch items and replace by buying something new, and most companies make that choice easier for us by designing products that are harder to repair fueling the growing problem of e-waste – Harder to repair but not impossible.
Eventually, these habitual walks helped to develop a little workshop at home. Something I always wanted to have but never really had a purpose for it or where to start. The workshop became a very organic new space that I still find as my little safe and meditative place.
With more things being collected, the need for reorganising/ restructuring the space became evident for a better workflow. This is still an ongoing process as I continue to experiment. When I’m not sure what to build, I shift my focus into optimising the space, and it’s always refreshing as the creative process performs better when your environment is not stagnant.
Eventually the day came when the bins were removed, most likely because they were outdoors and became messy in the rain. They also ended up creating a much larger clutter in the public space as people ditched large items like TVs, both modern flat screens and CRT ones. But my spark is alive and thriving.
There are times when I also need to pause from building something. Taking a breath, walking outdoors, doing nothing is part of the process.
The bins might no longer be accessible, but there is always something new to build or repair for family and friends.
If you wish to see some of my builds from last year, I created a little portfolio that you can view below.
Not everything is from e-waste, but the exploration of these bins revealed a spark within me that has always been there but at some point was forgotten.
Once I remembered in this creative spark, it opened up the doors to other aspects that I used to enjoy as a child, particularly writing, which I have been exploring again in personal journals and now also finding the confidence to share on Substack.
What’s your spark? Share in the comments because reading other people’s passions gives me so much energy for my own.
If you read this far, thank you!
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