Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Takes On An 'Old' Meaning

My great uncle Walter operated a repair shop after he retired. He had a knack for fixing things and probably needed some extra cash. He could fix almost anything, including our well-used favorite toys. One time I watched in amazement as he dismantled and repaired a steam iron.

Many of the Medicare beneficiaries I visit with remember the days of the neighborhood repair shop. It’s hard to find one now, but I think there is a strong movement to return to these types of core values.

Recycling is touted as something new, but there was a time when people kept using things until they were unusable. My aunt kept her “old” steam iron in storage until her daughter went to college—it still works 30 years later. Too much lime build-up? A 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water will take care of that. If you think a new model will make your life easier, think again. The technology has been about the same for 60 years.

These days we have other options for keeping things out of our landfills. And as part of my role with Health Alliance Medicare, I’m always happy to share tips and resources that will help seniors, boomers and anyone else interested.

“The Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County’s ReStore accepts donations of quality items that would otherwise go into a local landfill,” Executive Director Eileen Gebbie said of the Champaign store. “For every dollar spent at the ReStore, 1.3 pounds of household items and home repair materials are kept in circulation.”

Still intent on disposing of your no-longer-operational steam iron? Twin City Recycling, which is located in Urbana, will properly dispose of it for 2.5 cents per pound. At an average weight of 5 pounds, it seems like an affordable disposal solution.

If you’ve decided to go with permanent press only, you might want to donate the remainder of your usable clothing to Transitions. It’s located in Urbana at the Lincoln Square Village Mall (down the hall from the Health Alliance Medicare office, in fact). This store accepts donations of slightly worn clothes for woman and children.

The sales benefit the Center for Women and Children in Transition. They receive and process about 45 bushels of clothing per week.

Eventually, I am sure technology and chemistry will banish the need for steam irons, and we will have trouble explaining why they were needed in the first place. There is also the possibility we will realize, as I have recently, that there is really nothing wrong with a few wrinkles.