Flattened Cans

Two bread bags full of flattened soda and beer cans ready to go to the recycle shop. Bags from full 800 gram loafs, the cans make a bit over 600 each. Which, at €2,30 per kilo will pay me €2,80 or close to that. All collected in about six weeks, just picking them up from street litter while being on the way to or from work or groceries.

Deposit cans unfortunately loose their value when flattened by cars or by being trampled by feet. Though I think that's unfair I'm happy to get at least some money. It may not be much but if you think this is really considered trash by most people (even the homeless deposit collectors leave them) and the little effort it takes it's worth it. And on top some cans are non deposit anyway because from abroad or sold in multi packs so the producers can avoid the rules of charging it.

I do the same with plastic packaging an non deposit bottles, but there we talk about different volumes and prices and I'll dedicate another post to that.

Curb Tomatoes

There is a shop at about ten minutes cycling from my home, still in the old parts of Amsterdam, that I visit every two or three weeks or sometimes more often. So it's funny that at a few doors down, all summer I didn't notice the tomato plants in the tree's bed. Only early this month, actually scouring for tradeable trash I saw the red fruits shining. And obviously they didn't grow there from fallen seeds, as the plants are carefully bound up. How cool! It made me wonder if the gardener did this for the passer by or for his or her own consumption? In lack of a balcony or garden? Anyway as I was in a hurry I just took off. But when I came back a week later all the ripe ones were still there so I took the liberty to take two hands full. Small but tasty enough in my salad and omelette.

And on top there are two varieties. These here on the bottom are kind of mini beef tomatoes.

My own tomatoes are bigger, but still green in my shadowy garden. Curious to see what is left in that street coming week or later. If people leave them it may just be an idea for next year to plant some near my house where there is more light.

Another Laundry Basket

Found somewhere 2024 in front of the door. Looking brand new. Brand sticker Allibert was still on but in the end washed off by the rain. Waited in in my backyard until May this year for finally getting photographed and the necessary clean-up needed in the meantime to list it. Offered cheap it still took a second relisting before today it was finally picked up at almost half price from what I asked. It doesn't matter. € 2,50 cash in my pocket and it's gone and rescued! I would have gladly given it to the thrift shop but clumsy to transport on my bicycle even though a short trip. It was the second succesful sale of this product after this one.

Zara And Bershka

I've been 'away' for a while. Big financial worries needing all my time to survive. But we managed, thanks to bottle and can deposit and trash recycling compensation. In the meantime book sales went up and finally two pairs of shoes that I didn't want to sell at kilo price in the first place sold both at once.

Zara.

Bershka.

Both pairs found after going for I don't remember what March this year. But first I was stopped in my tracks by bags full of texttiles by the bin for that at the end of my street. But cut up by rummagers so I had to pack over in my own smaller bags and make several rounds. Finally done I went for real but took another side road and found even more clothing plus these two pairs.

All the textiles sorted out I kept a few things for me and the Man and sold the rest at kilo price. But the shoes, though cheap were popular brands so I decided to give them a chance on line. But being sort of winter shoes first listing period without succes. Gave it another try relisting but was about to give up when to my surprise both went last Sunday. And not to the same buyer. Profit €3 the pair, not much but a lot better than kilo price and for the effort okay enough.

Marie

Meet Marie, enjoying her perfectly made to her size baby chair. I sold others in the past but it took time and didn't make me much. Man took this one home for a previous cat, with a calico cat from the past in mind that would always sit on a red plastic baby chair.

Marie came to my neighbour in 2016. I forgot but thanks to Facebook I know the date. I did remember he named her Leah. By the time she was adult sized I spotted her in my yard eating bread crusts thrown out for the birds. The owner is notorious for sparcely feeding his dogs. I said to her: one day, if you agree, you'll be mine.

I'll try to keep it short. I know she had loads of babies. All to be sold. But one was kept to produce even more. In 2019 formerly Leah started to come to my place to eat. She was obviously pregnant. But still went back home. In 2020, during Covid19 lockdown she came back, pregnant again. I couldn't work, had a close to three months paid holiday so I had a lot of time to spend with her. And she decided to give birth in my house. The next day the complete family was picked up by a stray cat society. I was about to start working again and with my irregular hours it was the best thing to do. The rescue people were thrilled, because they had offered the owner to 'do' both his cats for free and he refused.

When she was brought back to me three months later she almost jumped in my arms. Still I opened the back door and let her free. She never went back to her previous home. Marie has gained a lot of weight since and also her fur that was very poor came back. At the time we couldn't even see the rings on her tail.

Marie's daughter was later on picked up by neighbours and sent to SAZ because she was pregnant and roaming the streets looking for food. She was placed back in the yard and still lives at her original home. Apparently she's been taken good care of now.

But we also have Marie's granddaughter, Belle, but that's another story. Also how we named her and renamed Marie.

A Soup Of Earphones

I don't normally 'do' public trash bins. I leave that to the homeless looking for deposit bottles and cans. But one evening shortly, coming home from work fairly early and passing by, I took the time to walk around the square of the Amsterdam Central Station, hoping to get some deposit just to grab from the pavement. I got some, but then there were bins with the door opened by the scavengers, plastic bag half hanging out. Just like this one. Photo from internet but in the street running from the CS.

Then I saw this huge knot of wires on top of one pretty full bag. E-waste has a kilo price and it was easy to get out without getting my hands dirty I thought. But there was more deep down than I expected and I kept digging and digging up the soup... until I started to hit real muck and had to stop. But I think in all I got some 90 % out.

It was a weird experience and it won't make me a lot of money but I don't regret it.

I just really wonder, who has two kilos of (unused) earphones and needs to get rid of them in a public trash can?

Antique School Poster

I thought I was done showing old finds. Cleaning up my files and cloud I found this brought to me by my dog walking friend Freek September 2014.

In the before digital age school posters were a big help to visualise information in class. From my own time Apart from dull maps I remember mostly the ones with nature reproductions all originally hand painted by well-known artists. Some of those if in a good state are worth a lot of money. But there must have been more like this one for history. Some sought after names are Isings, Jetses and Koekoek.

Currently this one by De Wetstein Pfister for sale €60. But it's on a roll so newer than mine which is on a board. This may date back to before 1940 or so! It never sold having the damage you can see. So in 2015 I donated it to the thrift shop where I had just started as a volunteer then and where it eventually was sold €7,50.