To the Editor:
Hats off to Mr. Paul Laino, the Scrap and Pallet Man! As a child growing up in war-torn Europe, I watched my grandpa, a minister, extract bent nails from abandoned lumber and straighten them. I admired his skillful reuse of all sorts of what we might call trash today. I myself picked up abandoned German steel helmets, gas mask containers and even live discarded ammunition.
I continue to be an occasional scrapper, to the dismay of my wife, an avid recycler, when my “rescued” stuff crowds the parking space in the garage, but we compromise.
It pains me to consistently observe how much reusable stuff is dumped into garbage bins, to eventually end up in mounting landfills.
Mr. Laino exemplifies good citizenship. All of us must rethink how to responsibly use the abundance of material things we enjoy in America. Ultimately, it boils down to protecting our precious environment.
Carry on, Mr. Laino!
Ron Slavenas
Genoa