Two More Tons!

I had a busy week of "scrapping". This morning my Dad and I loaded 3,000 lbs of tin from a customer in Bristol. It took us 2 hours to load and the crane at the scrap yard 10 minutes to unload. The crane operator asked if we loaded it by hand, and made us feel good by saying that is a lot of work. We are pretty used to it by now, but we still get sore in our legs and arms that lasts for a few days. There was more to pick up than I thought, so I will have to go back on Tuesday with a smaller trailer to clean out the rest. Thanks to the experience I got loading and unloading semi loads full of tires and wheels, I can pack the metal on the trailer pretty tight and with little empty space. That is important with the price of gas these days and the price for repairs when one of my trucks or trailers goes down.

On the way home, we stopped at a friend's farm to pick up some fencing and a couple of odds and ends that he had told me about after church a few Sunday's ago. Between church friends, coworkers and a few businesses that generate scrap, it is not hard to get to 40 ton in a year's time.

I am waiting an another friend from church who is stopping by to look at an axle off a trailer that a local business gave me. We scrapped out the frame and kept the tandem axle. One axle was given to a friend from work who does welding for me and the other one just sold. I like to sell or donate items that can be reused, that way new products and virgin steel is not required to be made. That is whole other topic that can be explored, talking about limited resources and sustainable living.

A tractor that was given to me a couple of years ago is in need of repair, so I am going to sign off and get to loading up the tractor so that I can take it by a coworkers house to see if we can get it running.

Please do let me know if you live in the Michiana area and would like to donate scrap metal. Any size, shape or weight is accepted - and the pick up is free. You can then say you helped Donation Station feed, clothe and educate the youth of our community.

While I was outside selling the axle, the neighbor across the street came by to offer me a washer and television. The washer leaks and the TV does not work, so the washer becomes scrap metal and the TV will makes its way to Goodwill along with another TV that is sitting our garage. Goodwill is a great place to take electronics and they make good use the items to fund their employment training programs.

Finally, if you need a guest speaker for your next meeting; someone who can inspire and empower your group to live more sustainably - you have my "number".

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Larry