using what we’ve got to get what we need:

the swap-shop-ification of Cape Cod

WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MADE IN THE U.S.A.? There are thousands of things-- from baseball caps to American flags-- whose manufacture has been mainly out-sourced to other countries. But there is one product we can rely on: Americans produce more trash per person than any country on earth. Most of our trash is stuff we could compost, recycle, re-manufacture or burn as fuel; and buried in those dumpsters are millions of tons of re-usables and some real treasures. Here’s where swap shops come in. VOLUNTEERS + INGENUITY +TRASH = SWAPSHOP In the early 1990’s new swapshops popped up in many Cape towns and all over the country. Of course dump-pickers have always found treasures at the edge of the burn-heap or land-fill. But a swap-shop is something else; depending on who walks in the door, it can change overnight from a trashed disaster to an orderly free store. You never know what --or who-- you might find at the swap shop. (photo: Wellfleet’s Swap Shop, formerly the home of Wellfleet Fire Chief, Daniel Silverman, was donated, flaked, hauled and re-raised Easter week-end, 1992 by Friends of the Dump, including BZ Goldberg, Scott Trask, Philipe Villard, Danny Silverman, Harriet Korim, David Wright, Chuck Cole, Sky Freyss-Cole and Anne Freyss) PLEASE HELP POST HISTORY AND NEWS ABOUT SWAP- SHOPS IN: BARNSTABLE BOURNE BREWSTER CENTERVILLE CHATHAM COTUIT DENNIS EASTHAM FALMOUTH HARWICH HYANNIS HYANNISPORT MARSTONS MILLS MARTHA’S VINEYARD MASHPEE NANTUCKET ORLEANS PROVINCETOWN SANDWICH TRURO WELLFLEET WOODS HOLE... What’s the most surprising thing you’ve found at your dump? the worst? the best? SEND US YOUR FAVORITE “I FOUND IT AT THE DUMP” STORY! click to email us your favorite find story-- or jpg
 “I FOUND IT AT THE DUMP” “Some of my favorite stuff - including some museum-quality Native American basket and bead-work-- plus an amazing toy lion on wheels on the morning of my young lion-lover’s 4th birthday ...and a few friendships” --Harriet K. “One day I was standing in the swap shop when a young gentleman came in with a pole saw & a clam rake. I said to him, “Are you dropping them off here?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Put them right in my hands. I don’t want to have to fight for them!” The pole saw needed a few nuts put on the bolts, but it was close to brand-new. The clam rake is very useful. I use it all the time. I thanked him very much. He said, “You’re welcome.” --Dick Gullicksen Okay my story about the best stuff I got at the swap shop is: One day last year I was standing in the swap shop when a young gentleman came in with a pole saw & a clam rake. I said to him "are you dropping them off here ?" He said "yes". I said " put them right in my hands. I don't want to have to fight for them." The pole saw needed a few nuts put on the bolts but it was close to brand new. The clam rake is very useful. I use it all the time. I thanked him very much He said, your welcome. That's it. Okay my story about the best stuff I got at the swap shop is: One day last year I was standing in the swap shop when a young gentleman came in with a pole saw & a clam rake. I said to him "are you dropping them off here ?" He said "yes". I said " put them right in my hands. I don't want to have to fight for them." The pole saw needed a few nuts put on the bolts but it was close to brand new. The clam rake is very useful. I use it all the time. I thanked him very much He said, your welcome. That's it. Okay my story about the best stuff I got at the swap shop is: One day last year I was standing in the swap shop when a young gentleman came in with a pole saw & a clam rake. I said to him "are you dropping them off here ?" He said "yes". I said " put them right in my hands. I don't want to have to fight for them." The pole saw needed a few nuts put on the bolts but it was close to brand new. The clam rake is very useful. I use it all the time. I thanked him very much He said, your welcome. That's it. Okay my story about the best stuff I got at the swap shop is: One day last year I was standing in the swap shop when a young gentleman came in with a pole saw & a clam rake. I said to him "are you dropping them off here ?" He said "yes". I said " put them right in my hands. I don't want to have to fight for them." The pole saw needed a few nuts put on the bolts but it was close to brand new. The clam rake is very useful. I use it all the time. I thanked him very much He said, your welcome. That's it. 

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/index.htmmailto:info@capecool.org?subject=cape%20cod%20swap%20shopsmailto:info@capecool.org?subject=I%20found%20it%20at%20the%20Dumpshapeimage_4_link_0shapeimage_4_link_1shapeimage_4_link_2
question: who are Friends of the Dump?  answer: click to fill in the blank
 
This picture went global when Friends of the Dump won a Live Earth Gibson from Live Earth and MTV London. This guitar inspired a song or two a and a search for more old and new green songs for a blue planethttp://www.gibson.com/absolutenm/templates/FeatureTemplatePressRelease.aspx?articleid=1016&zoneid=6http://soundcloud.com/jerushamusic/atmospheregreen_songs.htmlshapeimage_5_link_0shapeimage_5_link_1shapeimage_5_link_2

22nd annual YARD SALE at the DUMP SAT. MAY 23, 2015

Turn spring cleaning into a treasure hunt for a good cause