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LETTER: Instead of dumping it – think of recycling

Weekly letters to the editor from within the Sooke community.

When I first noticed the pile of stuff sitting next to the mailboxes on Woodhaven Road in Shirley, I thought it might be a curbside offering. After a few days, however, I noticed the pile was not disappearing so I checked it out.

A large garbage bag contained dirty vacuum hoses and attachments, recyclable bottles and garbage. A large box contained equally grubby glasses and bowls, a stained glass lamp and a playset for My Little Pony. This was no donation – it was a dump!

I loaded everything into our truck, took it home and discarded items that were broken or trash. Unbroken glasses, cups, bowls and the stained glass fixture all went into the dishwasher. The vacuum cleaner attachments and toys were scrubbed with a brush and bleach.

Everything, now clean and usable, was then donated to a thrift store in Sooke except for the toys which were gratefully accepted by a private daycare. Three little girls reacted like they won a prize when I delivered the My Little Pony donation.

Yes, it took time to clean and organize what at first glance was a pile of junk. It takes environmental awareness to re-use and recycle rather than leave an unsightly mess for others to remove or clean up.

Fortunately, I had the time and motivation to rid our beautiful community of this eyesore.

Please, everyone, take a moment and do the right thing. Don’t dump!

Thank you for thinking about how other people might be able to use whatever we no longer need or want. Thank you for donating to others rather than dumping at the landfill or worse, by the side of the road.

C.E. Hawkins

Shirley