Pennies from Heaven to Landfills

 

 

 

Pennies from Heaven in the Landfills of America

I just swept a small mountain - well maybe a molehill, but you know how we make them grow - of pennies off my desk, into my hand, and into my pocket.

What surprised me was my level of annoyance at the bother of it all.

See "Lessons from a Penny."

I WONDER HOW MANY PENNIES THERE ARE IN AMERICAN LANDFILLS.

I was amazed to discover that this subject is no stranger to the world of Google nor to Snopes  where one observer named BlueScale noted "I suspect that this is one of the 16% of stats that is made up on the spot. " From there, I was referred to a discussion of investing in pennies as copper bullion.

Some years ago, Time Magazine revisited Ben Franklin's adage, "A penny saved is a penny earned." It is food for thought and you can keep the change - not to mix metaphors - at least not a primary purpose. It is there that we discover the source of the much maligned quote.

"James Benfield of the Coin Coalition, a lobby group for eliminating the penny, figures that 25% of annual penny production ends up in landfills." 

Not mine, James! Mine ends up in my two year old granddaughter's mouth or my three and a half year old grandson's collection if I can't get to them first and secure them safely in a can or other container.

Then, when I am really, really broke, I scrounge for enough of them to buy a cup of coffee.

It will take fewer of them on January 3 when I turn 55 and celebrate by going to McDonalds for a senior coffee and spend the entire morning getting refills and reading a book.

In fact, I think I financed two such mornings by cleaning my desk this morning. 

Maybe I'll join one of those old guy clubs that meets at 6:00 A.M. every morning for tall-tale-telling and post-achievement bragging.

Just how many pennies are there in the U.S.?

Estimates range from 115 billion to 200 billion. 

So, send them to me and I will take care of them. I think for 2 billion dollars I can afford a warehouse and a staff to count and catalog them. Pennies for Tom - 12638 Cumorah Dr. Clovis, CA. 93619.

No need to thank me. I just want to do my part to save the landfills of our great nation.

Do you ever check page 10 of a Google search? I did and found that we had started to degenerate into discussions of metaphorical pennies, like this excellent article of saving them and saving the environment. I will call it The Article. It is worth a look.

Finally, as I jiggle the pennies in my pocket, I want to congratulate a blogger who is saving them and giving the earth a shot in the arm. Here is a shout out to Amy Dunbar and a quote, "Not only am I saving pennies, but I am keeping a few things out of the local landfills. Go me!"

Of course, this all inspired me to a song and dance:

 

 

I just swept a small mountain - well maybe a molehill, but you know how we make them grow - of pennies off my desk, into my hand, and into my pocket.

What surprised me was my level of annoyance at the bother of it all.

See "Lessons from a Penny."

I WONDER HOW MANY PENNIES THERE ARE IN AMERICAN LANDFILLS.

I was amazed to discover that this subject is no stranger to the world of Google nor to Snopes  where one observer named BlueScale noted "I suspect that this is one of the 16% of stats that is made up on the spot. " From there, I was referred to a discussion of investing in pennies as copper bullion.

Some years ago, Time Magazine revisited Ben Franklin's adage, "A penny saved is a penny earned." It is food for thought and you can keep the change - not to mix metaphors - at least not a primary purpose. It is there that we discover the source of the much maligned quote.

"James Benfield of the Coin Coalition, a lobby group for eliminating the penny, figures that 25% of annual penny production ends up in landfills." 

Not mine, James! Mine ends up in my two year old granddaughter's mouth or my three and a half year old grandson's collection if I can't get to them first and secure them safely in a can or other container.

Then, when I am really, really broke, I scrounge for enough of them to buy a cup of coffee.

It will take fewer of them on January 3 when I turn 55 and celebrate by going to McDonalds for a senior coffee and spend the entire morning getting refills and reading a book.

In fact, I think I financed two such mornings by cleaning my desk this morning. 

Maybe I'll join one of those old guy clubs that meets at 6:00 A.M. every morning for tall-tale-telling and post-achievement bragging.

Just how many pennies are there in the U.S.?

Estimates range from 115 billion to 200 billion. 

So, send them to me and I will take care of them. I think for 2 billion dollars I can afford a warehouse and a staff to count and catalog them. Pennies for Tom - 12638 Cumorah Dr. Clovis, CA. 93619.

No need to thank me. I just want to do my part to save the landfills of our great nation.

Do you ever check page 10 of a Google search? I did and found that we had started to degenerate into discussions of metaphorical pennies, like this excellent article of saving them and saving the environment. I will call it The Article. It is worth a look.

Finally, as I jiggle the pennies in my pocket, I want to congratulate a blogger who is saving them and giving the earth a shot in the arm. Here is a shout out to Amy Dunbar and a quote, "Not only am I saving pennies, but I am keeping a few things out of the local landfills. Go me!"

Of course, this all inspired me to a song and dance: