Making something old new again

Camelodromo da Uruguaina, RJ Brazil. Image borrowed from: http://www.mercadouruguaiana.com.br/index.php/hist 

A couple of years ago I went to Brazil to visit my family. During my stay, my sister asked me if I wanted to join her on a trip to Downtown Rio to get a cell phone fixed. She was going to a place called Camelodromo (http://tiny.cc/6pFaT ), which is a huge swap-meet-like market where you can find all kinds of cheap merchandise and service providers. The place is dirty, stinky and populated by thousands of poor people, beggars and the occasional robber. 

My first reaction was "No way! Are you insane? Throw this old phone in the trash and buy a new one!" But she told me she was going there as a favor to our maid. She said once the phone was fixed up with a new exterior, it would look like it just came out of the store, hence making our maid very happy to have a so-called "brand-new" cell phone. So I said, "Fine, let's go to this place. I can't believe I'm getting into this!" (Yes, I was being a spoiled, prejudiced brat.)

We took the subway and dropped off the cell phone at some guy's tent after negotiating a price for the job. (Yes, even in poor areas you have to bargain your way to an even cheaper price - it's the third-world way of doing business.) We then went shopping in a better part of Downtown Rio, and after a couple of hours headed back to the Camelodromo to pick up the "new" phone. When I saw the thing, I was amazed at how new it really looked. What a transformation!

This experience got me thinking of how sad it is that we can't - rather, don't - do this in the United States. We are such a wasteful society, such that fixing things has become more expensive than buying new ones. But there are ways we can make a difference.

For example, this week is "National Cell Phone Recycling Week," and we can all help the environment by participating in the various recycling programs offered by some of our national cellphone providers. For more information on how to turn your old phone and its pieces into new treasures, please read this article: http://tiny.cc/5u44q  ~ J.S.