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Across the Fence:  The "New" Green  |
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Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 06:51:44 AM
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Thought I would share this:
In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."
The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment."
He was right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day.
Back then, they returned their milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store.
The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over.
So they really were recycled.
But they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day.
In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator in every store and office building.
They walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks.
But she was right. They didn't have the green thing in her day.
Back then, they washed the baby's diapers because they didn't have the throw-away kind.
They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes.
Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.
But that old lady is right, they didn't have the green thing back in her day.
Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house - not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a
handkerchief, not a screen the size of the state of Montana .
In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn't have electric machines to do everything for you.
When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.
Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
But she's right, they didn't have the green thing back then.
They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water.
They refilled their writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But they didn't have the green thing back then.
Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.
And they didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful the old folks were just because they didn't have the green thing back then?
~Author Unknown~
http://www.inntheorchardbnb.com/ |
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MEWolf
True Blue Farmgirl
358 Posts
Margaret
Byers
Colorado
USA
358 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 07:03:02 AM
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Thanks for sharing this Laurie! It is so very true. But it is also true that there was a HUGE disconnect between my grandparents generation and my parents generation. And that is where we got into trouble! When people figured out how to do things easier, we forgot how important it was to do things correctly, to care for each other and where we live. I am all for doing things the "Old way" as much as I can.
Margaret
“Kind hearts are the gardens, kind thoughts are the roots, kind words are the flowers, kind deeds are the fruits. Take care of your garden and keep out the weeds, fill it with sunshine, kind words and kind deeds.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1808-1882)
Farmgirl #3020
www.grey-wolf-farm.com |
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mountainmomma
Farmgirl in Training
42 Posts
Miriam
Jonas
Pennsylvania
USA
42 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 07:54:37 AM
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Thanks for sharing Laurie. I just read that from one of my yahoo quilting group buddies. So true! It's hard to get anything now days without all the trash that goes along with it.
Miriam |
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Lorraine Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
158 Posts
lorraine
salt point
ny
USA
158 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 08:37:26 AM
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very true. my husband and i go to "tail gates" and sell ducks & chickens and some things that i make, like jewelry baby blankets and tote bags that are made out of recycled feed bags. the bags were a huge hit... the guy next to us said, this green thing is a riot, he said back in his day it was called surviving.
it does make you think
LorraineMichelle
Farmgirl #3007
Chickens are like potato chips...
You can't have just one! |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 09:02:13 AM
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this was great, i enjoyed it totally. i remember making diapers from flannel for my first son. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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Violets November
True Blue Farmgirl
342 Posts
Violet
Exeter
California
USA
342 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 11:28:27 AM
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I've read this before, I'm glad you posted it again.
I remember when daddy worked the fields in the summer, he would fill a glass gallon jug with water. The jug was wrapped with burlap and he kept the burlap wet to keep the water cool.
~Violet~
Farmgirl Sister #1669
My blog, http://hiddenacre.blogspot.com/
Our Organic Jewelry, http://www.etsy.com/shop/GaelicForge |
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FarmDream
True Blue Farmgirl
1085 Posts
Julie
TX
USA
1085 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 7:38:40 PM
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I loved reading this. I think the huge disconnect happened with the enormous advertising push to sell people tons of "stuff." The rise of suburbia led to the rise of consumerism. We, the believing public, have learned to think we cannot be happy unless we own one of everything. As much as we think we are above the consumerist mentality, take a look around your house. Did the old folks have separate products for doing each job: dish soap, counter cleaner, floor cleaner, faucet cleaner, tub cleaner, etc. No, they had products that did multiple jobs. We can learn a great deal from these older folks. I plan to pass along this essay.
~FarmDream is Farmgirl Sister #3069
Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow
http://naturaljulie.etsy.com
http://julie-rants.blogspot.com |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2970 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2970 Posts |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 8:46:25 PM
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Amen Laurie!
I HATE the term "green"
To me it is just an overused, overmarketed and overpoliticized word that is just plain common sense to most folks.
& besides, where I live, "going green" means buying a certain brand of tractor, & yes, after much scrimping & saving...we have one!!! & the hat to match! |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4812 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4812 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2011 : 05:12:26 AM
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Point well taken Laurie! Thanks for sharing.
Dawn in IL |
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Across the Fence: The "New" Green |
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The "New" Green
