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The Conscious Builder Podcast
Thanks Casey for this opportunity to talk about furniture waste from the bottom up, normalizing reuse, the types of systems change we need, place-based solutions, and why it’s time not for a new sofa, but a new narrative. Listen below.
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Tell Me More
Small white sticker reads:Night & Day FurnitureVancouver, WA 98686Model # Cinnamon Futon Bunk BedMonth / Year of Mfg. November 2005Do not remove this label Fascinating and so informative. While they’re at it, could they print another sticker to address their wood sourcing practices, worker conditions, the toxicity of the finishes, and perhaps their end of life plan?
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“Don’t Want it? Neither Do We.”
The ad on this bus reads, “Don’t want it? Neither do we.” The image prominently features a faded, slouchy red couch. The couch sits atop a trash heap that looks as if it was scooped straight out of the landfill. The pile includes rocks, dirt, plastic containers, and other bits of detritus. Though worn, this couch has all of its parts and is not ripped, broken, or damaged beyond repair. The fine print on the ad encourages people to contact their service provider to schedule a bulky waste pickup. Another way to say: to avoid it ending up on the street, we’ll come and dump it in the landfill for…
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A Crisis Blinded by Normalcy
When I hear the word crisis, images of destruction flood into my mind. And yet, my research that documented the furniture waste crisis in my neighborhood—when I captured over 50,000 pounds of discarded furniture within 2 miles of my home in 15 months—found that 50% of it was seating. Just like this perfectly usable dining chair sitting innocently on the curb. No piles+no flames=no crisis? If only. Though furniture waste is plainly visible, it’s insidious. Discarded furniture and furnishings are so familiar they’ve become just another feature of city life. I believe this normalization is preventing us from seeing the crisis for all that it is: a complex mixture of…
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Furniturecycle Featured on Sew Much More Podcast
I want to offer my deepest thanks to Ceil DiGuglielmo, host of the “Sew Much More Podcast,” for having me on her show last week. She was so gracious to include me as a guest among her cadre of home furnishings industry peeps. I appreciated her genuine interest in exploring furnishings from the bottom-up, which, she admitted, is a pretty different approach than she’s used to. We totally go for it and cover old lady furniture, IKEA, imperfect produce, Pinterest, big box stores and more. Take a listen here:
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If You Had One Word to Describe What You See, What Would It Be?
This chair is a beautiful opportunity. How can we leverage it to better our community?
