Scraping by

3/21/10 Four ice scrapers, trashed

Here's an example of my classic anti-downsizing -- or, as my cousin Amy has coined it, "Upsizing" -- behavior.

Every fall, after the first frost of the year, I realize I need a new scraper for my car's windshield. The old scraper, dug out from under the seat, proves insufficient since it is so dinged up it's about as effective as removing the ice with a comb.

And so, I trot off to a hardware store where I buy another cheap, ultimately disposable ice scraper. Of course, I don't throw away the old one, since that would seem wasteful and the "brushy" part still works.

Instead, I toss it into the shed.

This morning, to celebrate the first full day of spring (and to celebrate a week-long stretch of almost summer-like weather we've enjoyed in Maine), I dug out the last four years' worth of scrapers. I didn't feel great about tossing them into the trash, but I did it anyway.

However, I have vowed to stop this vicious buy/use/discard cycle.

Two years ago, Joanna's Dad gave her an ice scraper in her Christmas stocking. It has been a revelation. Apparently, not all scrapers are created equal. Despite two years of hard use, it has retained it's smooth edge and fine ice-removing ability.

The solution is simply for me to invest in a high-quality scraper. Spend a bit more up front so that I don't need to re-invest every fall.

And so, I've got a planned Upsize next October. Hopefully, it will be my last scraper purchase for many years to come.