If you are from India (or Asia) and you happen to visit USA, in the first few days
itself you are likely to notice the amount of food (and other stuffs) that is wasted
here in this country. For example, today I was in a nearby Safeway (Grocery store)
and I couldn't find a small (100 Grams) pack of Potato Chips. Most of the time, it
is because it is cheaper to buy in bulk, much more than what you need and throw the
rest. This is encouraged by sellers, you only get everything in really big packs -
whether it is socks, handkerchiefs, envelopes, pens or Coffee or Popcorn. In my many
visits over last one decade to this nice country this is one thing I wish they can
do without. The good thing is that in recent years there is a very slow but sure awareness
growing about this, especially due to environmental concerns.
Having said the above, it is also in this country that you see many grass root movements
to encourage reuse, donations, etc. It does exist, but it has to expand to general
population in large. I was impressed to see few years back Used Clothes Donation Bins
(like the one you see below) in many apartment complexes and malls. They normally
place these strategically near to garbage dumps so that even at the last minute before
throwing people are reminded to donate and make a difference to the life of a poor.
If you are India - you can donate to a near by orphanage like Udhavum
Karangal and the likes, all of them accept wholeheartedly any donations.
When posting this, I remembered my grandfather's saying "Don't buy anything
just because it is being sold cheap" (or) in other words "buy only
what you need when you need it"