Re-use

I am reading a book of for the old thesis called "Car Cultures" and one of the chapters is about how cars are used to their very last breath in Ghana. According to the authors, Ghanaian people understand well how cars work and are quite apt at fixing their own cars themselves, using whatever might be around to repair and replace lost parts, and making use of their own bodies in the absence of tools, like tasting a battery to see if it is dead.

While it is poverty which underlies this, I really do admire it when people try to get the absolute most out of a thing - it's like an opportunity to be creative while keeping waste to a minimum. I've revived an old interest in sewing for this reason. The act of sewing itself kind of irritates me, which is why I gave it up in the first place, but turning an old shirt into a yoga mat bag gives me a feeling that turns the whole experience into enjoyment.

The camera which I borrowed had to be returned this week, otherwise I'd show you a photo which I would have taken of said bag. It's pretty ugly, but it used to be a t-shirt, so whatever!