In short:

Damian Gordon has bought a house using savings earned from recycling bottles and cans.

Each eligible bottle or can recycled at a Return and Earn depository results in a 10-cent refund.

What’s next?

Mr Gordon says he will continue to return cans and bottles to help pay off his mortgage

  • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    half a million cans over seven years

    If the cans are only $.10/ea, then 450k only netted him $45k. It took him seven years to earn just enough to pay for the deposit, not even the house.

    Real Boring Dystopia Shit

        • shalafi@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          I’ve got a truck bed and more worth of cans out back. Maybe worked 4 hours over two years? Almost all of the effort was crushing them by hand since I kept breaking the shitty crushers and been too lazy to make one. And that’s not counting the cans I pick out of the woods, usually toss them with the other garbage I get.

            • can@sh.itjust.works
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              1 day ago

              I think you misunderstand them.

              I’ve got a truck bed and more worth of cans out back.

              More than just the truckload, not more than OP.

              • DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social
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                19 hours ago

                How about you time yourself gathering and crushing a truckload of cans and then come back to the conversation prepared to address the main point

    • boonhet@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      I mean he also has a full time job, he made 45k in 7 years off his side hustle.

      I do agree that it should be easier to afford a home. Also bottle deposits need to rise. They’ve been stagnant for over a decade where I live. It’s like a 2-in-1 city cleaning program and beer money program for bums.

      • /home/pineapplelover@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        Where tf did he find all those cans? There are people in my community digging through trash for some cans and bottles and don’t find as many

        • can@sh.itjust.works
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          1 day ago

          While he holds down a permanent job during the week, Mr Gordon also volunteers at events like music festivals, where he collects thousands of cans and bottles at a time.

          That’s a lot more than you can fit in a shopping cart.

        • boonhet@lemm.ee
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          2 days ago

          I think it’s country dependent. Wealthier countries with low deposit have more thrown away.

    • SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      You’re out in nature while helping to clean up the environment and also making a little income.

      Better than just working “for the man” don’t you think? There’s also far worse you can do with your spare time.

      • Trex202@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        I’m so glad these corporations are giving us single use cans for the opportunity to connect with nature and earn a little income.

        • MrFinnbean@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Of all the things you can be angry to corporations, bottle and can recycling is the wrong one.

          • Trex202@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            No it’s not. It shouldn’t be up to the consumer to recycle their products. They are shifting blame onto the people

            • MrFinnbean@lemmy.world
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              1 day ago

              As a person who lives in country where bottle recycling works i disagree. Also it should not be the corporations who makes the rules, but the goverment.

              Every store needs to accept every bottle and can and the system needs to be uniform between all the companies. Last year from all the sold bottles and cans 97% were returned to bottle recycler system, not because corporations shifted their responcibility to consumers, but because the goverment has ordered the companies to make recycling efficient, easy and worthwhile for the consumer.

      • Bob Robertson IX @discuss.tchncs.de
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        2 days ago

        You’re out in nature while helping to clean up

        You’re out in nature… IN AUSTRALIA! He’s risking his life being out in nature picking up garbage.