Wasteful America

I like to watch HGTV, DIY and other home channels and shows, but it shows how wasteful people are in this country.



The shows have influenced people who used to be happy to have a working kitchen, bathroom etc, into thinking that they need to remodel them so they look the way they want it to look. I see people on the house buyer shows on these networks, looking at brand new remodels I would die for, then say "This is a total gut job".



One realtor impressed me on one of the shows. The house was Victorian, I believe, and it had a huge bathroom, as big as my whole house. It was original to the home and was beautiful old tile etc. They had an open house and some of the people were saying that this bathroom needed to be gutted right away. The realtor and owner refused to sell it to anyone who they thought would tear out the bathroom or other original details that were in beautiful shape.



If you don't like the place keep looking, unless it is damaged or void of anything special, like my house, move on and find one you like as it is. I live in a 1940s small ranch with nothing special. My kitchen is tiny, about 10'x4', and has the original non-descript cabinets that are falling apart. We inherited the house from my husband's grandfather 12 years ago. It has a beautiful view which is value of the place. The only item I liked was the bathroom which had a built-in vanity, but my mother-in-law was living here taking care of her father and she had it torn out along with the wall that enclosed the toilet which I am glad is gone, it was way too small.  My bathroom is actually larger than the kitchen.



My kitchen really needs a remodel, which we can’t afford now.  It was fine with me until it stated falling apart.  We have a plumbing leak somewhere that is swelling the floors, but we don’t have the money to even have that fixed.  This is a reason to put in a new kitchen, not because you don’t like the style even if it is up-to-date.  Ten years from now styles will change and people will be again tearing out perfectly good rooms.



The improvement shows think it is great TV to go in and destroy the whole room and throw it all in a dumpster to be hauled to the dump.  They should be taking cabinets, sinks etc. out carefully so they can be taken to a salvage place, or ask someone to come in and do so before they start.  The latest trick is to put a large mirror I the dumpster then throw a perfectly fine sink, tub or toilet into the mirror to break both, I saw it on at least 2 shows this week.  What a waste of resources besides the fact we don’t have room to be putting this crap into landfills.  I find it ironic that HGTV has a contest every year to give away a “green” built house, while the rest of the time they don’t follow that line of thought.



I think contractors should, by law¸ have to remove and recycle anything that can be reused by anyone.  Contractors should either remove it themselves or contract with someone who will do so before they start the remodel. 



The show Rehab Addict is a great example for others to follow.   Nicole buys old homes and restores them to be authentic of their era, then sells them to people who appreciate the beauty of the original look.  She shops in home restoration shops, buying things like old cabinets rather than putting in new ones.  She reuses everything she can and finds or makes what she needs to rehab the home.  If she tears out a 70s kitchen from a arts and craft home, she saves it or takes it to a rehab shop so that it can be used in a 70s era home by someone else and gets something that will look good in and Arts and Crafts home.



I know that sometimes old tiles often have to be broken to get them up, if it is necessary, there are many crafters etc that would love to have these broken tile and mirror pieces, especially if they are free.  They buy pieces or whole tiles in stores, and then break the whole tiles for their purposes.  Put them in a bucket and put them at the roadside and someone will take them.  I have put out things like new berry shoots that were overtaking my garden and I didn’t need since I had plenty and a old damaged small pickup canopy and each time they were gone by the next day.



Old lumber can also be reused, instead they cut a new piece of lumber the same size to use and throw the other in the dumpster.  They should be pulling the walls apart so as to re-use the lumber, instead of cutting down our forests.  It takes more time, but it would save the cost of new lumber.  If it can’t be used on the project, then give or sell it to a home salvage business.  There are people who try to find out when buildings are going to be torn down or changed.  They contact the owner, requesting to salvage anything that is going to be torn out.  They save mantles, corbels, doors, cabinets and any other item that can be used again.  They do what they can to save historical pieces from being destroyed.



There needs to be an incentive to recycle construction material and to charge companies who don’t do it.