"The Seven Trashcans of California" : My Photography

[1972coronet]

The title in the subject line is the working title for my upcoming book of my (crummy, lowbrow) photography.

The subjects are abandoned, "disused" items which were cast-asunder on both public land and , in some cases, private property (albeit, without breaching gates, fences, and the like).

I conceived the entitlement from the ridiculous amount of refuse cans found in fast food establishments and places of employment ; public areas as well (depending upon city / county).
These  receptacles compel diners to dig-through their trash like a hobo in order to dispose the appropriate items into the assigned bins.

Abject rubbish.

So, the title of my work was born !

Comments, critiques, and ad hominem attacks encouraged.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Wow. I believe I'm seeing a disturbing trend here.

Soon the landscape will be covered in terminally obsolete and dangerous toilets, wisely discarded as the new mo-better "flush from a phone app" units displace the old-school devices that require the user to (gasp!!!") actually REACH AROUND AND OPERATE A PHYSICAL HANDLE!!! 

OMG!!! How could humanity have even existed previously, having been required to WORK HANDLES!!!

Surely the discarded toilets will contribute to climate-change in some murky, poorly-defined and statistically manipulated way too.

It's the end of the world as we know it!!!!!

And thank you for so ably documenting this emerging existential crisis. PEOPLE MUST KNOW!!!!

 

[Old Buckaroo]

That is just crazy the amount of stuff like that out in the open. I like the idea of your book though

When I lived in southern Nevada Id go fly RC Planes between Pahrump and Death Valley. That BLM land was nothing but a above ground landfill for stripped stolen cars, meth labs made in old abandoned campers truck and pull type. Heaps and heaps of garbage bags and bullet ridden appliances..  It was a sad sight to see..

[Rodent]

The most random piece of discarded trash I have ever seen was a clockspring from a vehicle steering column in an alley in Monterey, CA. The alley smelled strongly of pee as well.

[Little Timmy]

I like your idea.

Out here in the middle of nowhere, people are always dumping stuff,  including animals !  I won't go into details. 

( I really hate humans ! 

That's how we got our property so cheap.  There was 20 tons of garbage on the lot when we got here.  So far we have removed 12 tons, and repurpased about 3 tons of sorta usable junk.

 

[1930fordpickup]

When we were kids the old chairs were burnt in the yearly bon fire.  That is after we sat in them for a long time out doors and had a few cold snacks. The trick was keeping them dry so they didnt smolder for a few days. They were always the last things we burnt. 

[1930fordpickup]

Timmy I can relate to things being dumped by the house I grew up in. We lived out of the city of Toledo. My buddy from there said I lived out in the sticks. We had a stray goat come up in the yard one day. Not the farmers that had Sheep and Horses, just a random goat wearing a bandanna. 

[1972coronet]

[Brutalform]

Not really on par with the original post, but when I was in Old City Philadelphia last year, which, overall, is a pretty nice area, I came across this …

I still laugh at it! 

[johnyrotten]

I have a few to contribute to your book, local homeless down by a river walk/preserve. Notice the table leg.

[von Zipper]

HI

I'm from Detroit , Want to compare notes ?

[Old Buckaroo]

Holy cow - Detroit is a mess to say it mildly without getting banned. 😲

[89AKurt]

Since I don't live *in* CA, but next door, this is not surprising.  I wouldn't buy this book, unless there is a lesson to be learned.

[Ace-Garageguy]

3 hours ago, von Zipper said:

...I'm from Detroit , Want to compare notes ?

Man oh man...whassa matter with people?

Some of those tires look way better than what I'm driving on. 

[ChrisBcritter]

Joshua Tree, CA

[Bronzekeg]

just type, worlds biggest ghetto on you tube. the good old motor city!

[MeatMan]

You know that could be an ongoing project where everyone just added their own photos. I'm sure it would be thoroughly depressing!

[Ace-Garageguy]

8 minutes ago, MeatMan said:

You know that could be an ongoing project where everyone just added their own photos. I'm sure it would be thoroughly depressing!

Yeah, I could start a weekly record of the stuff that's dumped across the street from my house. 

Wasn't like that here when I moved in. It was a clean working-class neighborhood.

[RSchnell]

I have pictures to add once I find the right thumb drive they're on. But an incident last night reminded me of this thread.

Coming back from the grocery store I saw one of those bedside medical crappers sitting on the sidewalk down the street from me. Nothing earth shattering about that as Cocoa Beach is a big retirement town and has a large elderly population. 

Fast forward 3 hours and I'm standing outside having a beer with my neighbor. She looks over towards the street & says "what is he carrying?" I see this dude carrying the medical crapper & running like he was in the Olympics. I'm not sure what was so urgent about running with a used bedside commode at 11.30pm, but there you go. 

[Kromolly]

This was happening in Seattle, Portland, Everett over the past decade and spreading out onto adjacent rural roads.  And of course there was the famous/infamous Seattle "CHOP".  We left.  Very sad to watch the deterioration. 

[Old Buckaroo]

2 hours ago, RSchnell said:

I have pictures to add once I find the right thumb drive they're on. But an incident last night reminded me of this thread.

Coming back from the grocery store I saw one of those bedside medical crappers sitting on the sidewalk down the street from me. Nothing earth shattering about that as Cocoa Beach is a big retirement town and has a large elderly population. 

Fast forward 3 hours and I'm standing outside having a beer with my neighbor. She looks over towards the street & says "what is he carrying?" I see this dude carrying the medical crapper & running like he was in the Olympics. I'm not sure what was so urgent about running with a used bedside commode at 11.30pm, but there you go. 

Florida man was on a mission!

[1972coronet]

9 hours ago, RSchnell said:

I have pictures to add once I find the right thumb drive they're on. But an incident last night reminded me of this thread.

Coming back from the grocery store I saw one of those bedside medical crappers sitting on the sidewalk down the street from me. Nothing earth shattering about that as Cocoa Beach is a big retirement town and has a large elderly population. 

Fast forward 3 hours and I'm standing outside having a beer with my neighbor. She looks over towards the street & says "what is he carrying?" I see this dude carrying the medical crapper & running like he was in the Olympics. I'm not sure what was so urgent about running with a used bedside commode at 11.30pm, but there you go. 

It's like those free gravy boats that are in hospitals. One can typically find them at yard sales mixed in with other kitchen and dining items and wares. 

[espo]

On 12/14/2024 at 7:57 PM, 1972coronet said:

It's like those free gravy boats that are in hospitals. One can typically find them at yard sales mixed in with other kitchen and dining items and wares. 

I have one that has been used as a flowerpot in the past. The flower would grow out of the neck.