Why am I blogging and what does a tee shirt have to do with it?

Ever ask yourself... "What common household objects stay out of landfills and why?" Me too, so here I go blogging...

Here's something you should never admit to -- I'm the opposite of a hoarder. I buy stuff and then throw it out when I'm tired of it, so I'm certainly not some sort of green guru anyone should look up to.

I recently started this blog focused on why some items are saved and others are tossed into landfills, in order to better understand my own bad behavior, maybe fix it and ultimately reduce some personal guilt.

Selfish, really, but you can't fault me for being truly sickened by the vision of all of the things that I whimsically purchased and soon after, banished to landfills while continuing to gorge on cheap, meaningless items. The thought of it all is enough to turn me "green."

So, in response to this self reflection, I posed an simple question to my friends, "I need some ideas for a blog I'm writing... what are you favorite objects that are 10 years old or more and why?"

I was thinking folks would respond with testimonials about lawn mowers or salad spinners, but I was wrong.

The first post came from a childhood friend, Geoff. He said it was a baseball cap with "my submarines name on it (USS Lewis & Clark; SSBN 644). It was one I wore while in the Navy, on shore and at sea. It's just a reminder of those days. It's kind of floppy and the brim is partially tore off, but it's an original."

Straightforward answer from a straightforward guy.

It made me question the primary supposition of this blog i.e. "Made to Last" -- a cotton ballcap doesn't apply, does it? And then I remembered the description and mission:

"This blog is dedicated to reviewing ordinary household objects that have stood the test of time and are still useful and most of all - Not in a Landfill."

Doesn't a ballcap or my husband's torn 20 year-old tee shirt count, even though they never represented significant environmental hazards to begin with?

When trying to define durability, perhaps we also consider how objects are "valued" -- whether through an appreciation for craftsmanship, as a symbol of important moments or simply because they are beautiful.

I invite you to comment.