For Context: This is my first time living in a city—although using the word “city” barely feels right for Wichita. But, it is very different than where I have spent all of my earlier years.
I come from small towns. From like, know-your-neighbors, walk to the post office, here’s-a-casserole, wave-to-the-mayor type of small towns. Which has its perks, for sure, but I am grateful for this more expansive chapter of my life!
In every town or city that I’ve lived in, I’ve found my walking loop. In Hesston, it was the Dyck Arboretum + a few sidewalks at the Villa. In Newton, I walked the Sand Creek Trail and the riverwalk. And now, in Wichita, I’ve found a great new loop that starts off at my house, goes through a park, and ends with a stop at the community mailbox, which is such a sweet little dopamine hit at the end of walk! LOVE a mailbox check.
One of the biggest differences of having a walking loop in the city versus in a small town is the amount of people and therefore, the amount of trash, on your loop. I never remember trash on the walking trails I would go to in Hesston or Newton. But my current local loop?? Completely SPRINKLED with trash. Especially when I am in the neighborhood part of my walk—bottles, toys, hairclips, bottlecaps, cups, straws, that have been run over by all of the traffic and splattered into little colorful and mysterious shards.
Last winter, I was not excited or motivated to go outside on a walk. If you know me, you know I looooooaaathe the winter. Everything is brown and dead and bare and cold and you have to wear so many layers—hell no. But, I needed the movement and fresh air, so I started to motivate myself by trying to find the *best piece of trash* I could find on each walk to take home. One piece per walk. Once you pick up a piece of trash, that is it, that is the one you have to take home, so not only am I always searching for trash, I am also weighing my trash options. No switching it out if something better comes along!!
It has become a habit since last winter, and I have been trash walking ever since. Somedays, you don’t find anything, and the next day, there was a party in the pavillon over night and you hit the jackpot!
And YES, I know this is total rat behavior!!!!
I have practically memorized the trash on my loop, and because it is such a popular park, the trash often changes overnight. Or, when there is a storm or a windy day or a ton of rain, I know the trash redistribution is going to be worth checking out the next day.
I am always going for the most colorful trash, but sometimes, even if it is a beautiful, alluring color…it is FORBIDDEN TRASH. Shoutout to the beautiful purple tampon applicator in the park parking lot that tempts me every DAY!! Or those nice aqua plastic flossers. I’ll only go for one of those if the floss is off of it (see above).
I’ve brought trash home for a little over a year now, and have had it in a big vase in my office. When I come home from my walk, I kerplunk it into the vase, dirt and all. So, when my sister came to visit last weekend and saw the dirt at the bottom of my trash vase, she offered to help me wash my trash.
Yes, my sister understands, respects, and sometimes encourages my rat ways. Bless her.
We poured it all out, set up a soaking and washing station, and started scrubbing.
A sister who scrubs your trash is a good sister.
Once it was all cleaned, we let it dry, I snapped a few pictures, and then we put it back in the vase. It is so nice to not see all the trash dirt and grime in my trash jar!!
UGH. I remember picking up almost every single one of these!! Nostalgic. The “5” is my absolute favorite find, ever!!
OKAY. So now the question: WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH MY BELOVED TRASH COLLECTION??
Well, I think I will keep adding to it. As long as this is my loop, I assume there will be trash to discover. I am trying to get into the habit of washing it before I put it in the jar now.
At some point, when this project feels done to me, I don’t know what I will do with my little treasures. Should I make a mosaic? Mosaic mirror, table, pot for a plant? Should I write a piece about how plastics and microplastics are ruining the environment?? Should I thank them all collectively for the joy they brought me and put them all in the recycling? Any ideas?
I’m not sure yet! This has no purpose, except, it keeps my walks interesting, it keeps me noticing and paying attention to color, it is satisfying, and maybe it keeps our neighborhood just a little bit cleaner. ish. Haha.
This winter, I had thought about sewing a trash-inspired wallhanging, making little blocks based off my favorite pieces of collected trash. I only got as far as the juicebox block, but maybe this upcoming winter will lend time to more trash inspired blocks.
WELL, that is all I have for today!! I am gearing up for a kayak trip in Arkansas this weekend and I need to go pack. Thank you so much for reading my silly little trash content this week!!
Peace,
Kate
I also love trash! I have soooo many bottle caps and just color coordinated them into separate bags to use later
Laughed out loud at “forbidden trash”
I thiiiiink my vote is mosaic pot for a plant!!