In Germany many people don’t throw their used clothes in the normal garbage but in old clothes (and shoes) containers.  Lately, these have been criticised because many companies either just shred the clothes (many of them are still wearable) or they are sent to poor areas in Africa where they are resold and are crippling the local textile industry.  This particular company has made a point to explain what they do with the collected clothes: they sort the donated clothes, 70% of which are worn (they don’t say by whom or where), the rest is recycled to make new clothes.  They added an interesting fact: to produce a new t-shirt up to 20.000 litre of waters are needed.  Recycling is good for the environment, they state.  I find it ironic that a plastic bag full of refuse has been dumped right next to the sign.

Again in Germany: most bottles, whether they are made of plastic or glass, carry a deposit and are recycled.  Because of the fairly high deposit many needy people scour the bins in the street to collect bottles and hand them in.  To make it easier and more dignified for collectors, in some areas people have started to put their bottles next to trash cans rather than in them.  So if you see bottles propped up like this next to a tree in Germany it is not littering but a form of recycling.

Last not least, I have also a bench on offer.  More original than a very practical recycling trend.

For Thursday’s Special: Recycled.  More recycled photos and images can be found here.