It's not every day that you come across a classic gaming system someone decided to trash, much less three. Oh, and a projector, too. The amazing haul, posted on the r/gamecollecting subreddit, includes a Sega Genesis and Dreamcast, a Super Nintendo, and three projectors.
"Whoever threw those out is a disgrace," someone responded, stating the obvious. Granted, used classic systems generally aren't worth that much, but for gamers, it's the equivalent of discovering a diamond mine.
The Dreamcast remains an enigma, with the original poster lacking the necessary peripherals to connect it, but the others are in good working order, making excellent additions to a retro gaming setup.
As amazing as this find is (and some commenters found it hard to believe), it's astonishing what some people will throw in the trash, from classic comic books (worth a substantial amount of money) to perfectly fresh and edible food.
In fact, the latest estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency indicate that the United States generates around 146 million tons of trash per year, including 50 million tons of e-waste, according to market.us. Worse, only about 15% of the e-waste is recycled.
Thanks to cosmetic standards, legal policies, customer expectations, and liability concerns, major retailers often toss perfectly working devices, goods, and foods simply because there is a minor deficiency or aesthetic flaw. One person's trash is another's treasure.
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On the non-business side, the average person produces 70 pounds of e-waste per year. It doesn't help that e-waste is distinct from municipal waste in terms of pollutants and environmental impact.
E-waste encompasses a diverse range of products that may contain mercury, cadmium, chromium, lead, and various flame retardants, all of which can leach into the soil or release fumes.
It's a persistent form of multi-path pollution, exacerbated by the fact that much of it is recyclable, especially lithium batteries, precious materials, and rare elements.
The game consoles weren't the only thing salvaged, however, as another user pointed out: "That IKEA bag is also super oversized and really useful as a beach towel holder / picnic mat / sunscreen etc."
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Another commenter tried to explain the inexplicable: "Some people also just don't care, or even have the luxury to care, and end up having to throw all their 'junk' to the curb."
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