Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

WASTEFUL OLD FOLKS
Email | Unknown | Unknown

Posted on 07/27/2011 7:01:13 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952

Sent with nostalgia...

The Green Thing

In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags 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. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned 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 we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We 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; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we 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 (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana .

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water.

We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we 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 walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.

We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we 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 we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smartass young person.


TOPICS: Humor
KEYWORDS: environment; green
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 141-160161-180181-200 ... 241-253 next last
To: American Constitutionalist

That is the first thing I check. Pull the rope and see if it pulls smoothly. Both of those did, so I knew it was little work needed.


161 posted on 07/27/2011 9:10:42 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back. He ain't my president either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 155 | View Replies]

To: Arrowhead1952

Instead of apologizing to the idiot clerk the old lady should have reminded him who wanted the plastic bags in the first place. The greenies pushed for them in order to replace paper bags which didn’t happen, we ended up with both types. Back then Plastic bags were going to save the world, now plastic is bad. This is nothing more than another manufactured crisis in order to pass laws and control us.


162 posted on 07/27/2011 9:13:09 AM PDT by calex59
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DJ MacWoW

I’ve reused zip locks for cat litter too. We have a very frugal friend who soaks them in hot water and actually reuses them.


163 posted on 07/27/2011 9:14:53 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back. He ain't my president either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 153 | View Replies]

To: trisham
I'm perfectly normal now.

[nodding]

Um hum, sure!

164 posted on 07/27/2011 9:16:12 AM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 126 | View Replies]

To: DJ MacWoW
" Gift wrap is butt ugly now! I have some saved. :-) "

Emergency toilet paper ?
165 posted on 07/27/2011 9:16:24 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (The fool has said in his heart, " there is no GOD " ..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 112 | View Replies]

To: DJ MacWoW

The recycle center here closed years ago and the garbage service doesn’t separate. It’s all trash and goes to the dump now days. We still have a pile of coke cans out in the garage that’s been there for years because there’s no where to take them.

We’ve taken in a teen this summer and it’s amazing how wasteful she is. Piles of laundry with most of it never worn. Piles of wet molding towels. Empty plastic bottles everywhere and she makes two big garbage bags of garbage every week. Hardly the green generation. She piles her plate, takes one bite and dumps the whole thing in the trash. Excuse me, that’s my money she just dumped. I tell her and tell her not to and at least give it to the dogs but it goes in one ear and out the other. If the food doesn’t get dumped in the trash, it’s poured in the sink which keeps getting clogged - hellooo, we’re on a septic system. I tried packing her lunch until she couldn’t remember to bring back the food containers. Leaves lights and fans on constantly and hasn’t lifted a finger to do wash one dish (no dishwasher so it’s all by hand) or one load of laundry. Well, I don’t want her doing the laundry because she’s constantly leaving lipstick in her pockets and it’s already ruined two loads of our clothes (I’m embarrassed to say how few clothe$ I own and can’t afford new one$). I’m counting down the days til she’s outta here! No good deed goes unpunished. Excuse me while I step down from my soapbox.


166 posted on 07/27/2011 9:16:31 AM PDT by bgill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: fredhead

**kids would come along, collect them, and turn them in for spending money.**

That is what we did. We lived close to a country road and would pick them up, then walk to the store to get spending money.


167 posted on 07/27/2011 9:18:16 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back. He ain't my president either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 157 | View Replies]

To: Arrowhead1952
I still pack my lunch every day.

As do I. I bought an old black dome top lunch box at a garage sale for $2, and (shameful to admit) a small plastic thermos. Use it every day for work.

There are about 200 workdays in a year. That's about $1,400 in lunch money saved minus the cost of my groceries...gives me about $1,000 net in my pocket over a year.

And I like my lunch way better than what I can buy.

168 posted on 07/27/2011 9:18:39 AM PDT by Logic n' Reason (The stain must be REMOVED (ERADICATED)....NOW!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 156 | View Replies]

To: American Constitutionalist

We have a reverse osmosis drinking water unit. Pays for itself, that’s for sure. Bottled distilled water has 0 ppm contaminants on our water tester, and the RO water runs around 12 ppm. Tap water is very iron-rich and 185 ppm.


169 posted on 07/27/2011 9:19:29 AM PDT by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 130 | View Replies]

To: Arrowhead1952

I really do try to use things twice. But I’m not cleaning them in hot water.


170 posted on 07/27/2011 9:20:26 AM PDT by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are at your door! How will you answer the knock?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 163 | View Replies]

To: TheOldLady

:)


171 posted on 07/27/2011 9:21:09 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 164 | View Replies]

To: American Constitutionalist
Emergency toilet paper ?

Hmmmmm. Could I look at it long enough? ;-)

172 posted on 07/27/2011 9:21:17 AM PDT by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are at your door! How will you answer the knock?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 165 | View Replies]

To: Grizzled Bear
" That wouldn’t have worked in my dysfunctional household. I’d have packed my own bag! "

ROTFLMAO ... that is so funny no matter how you look at it.

I can see it now.....
" The heck with this crap, I'm gone.... I'll bill you when I reach my destination mom and dad. "
173 posted on 07/27/2011 9:22:12 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (The fool has said in his heart, " there is no GOD " ..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 121 | View Replies]

To: bgill

Do you ever make a trip into Austin? There is a recycling center on St John, just off 183 and Lamar. I go to our POA parks after big weekends and pick up aluminum cans. After Labor Day last year, I had seven bags of crushed cans. $65 extra money for me to spend.


174 posted on 07/27/2011 9:23:44 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back. He ain't my president either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 166 | View Replies]

To: Arrowhead1952

Yep, we used to take our lunch to school in a paper bag and we would fold in and put it in our pocket to be used over and over again. I grew up in the 40s and 50s but my mom still used the old depression adage: Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without. We saved and re-used everything.


175 posted on 07/27/2011 9:24:28 AM PDT by calex59
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DJ MacWoW

Not by much. I remember many of those things. The problem is when the article goes off track and starts bashing things that actually got better and touts the liberal line, such as bashing SUVs and disposable items.


176 posted on 07/27/2011 9:24:28 AM PDT by CodeToad (Islam needs to be banned in the US and treated as a criminal enterprise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 109 | View Replies]

To: Haiku Guy

“Back then, you conserved because you were frugal. Today, people conserve because it has become the closest thing they know to morality.”

That was extremely well said.


177 posted on 07/27/2011 9:25:19 AM PDT by CodeToad (Islam needs to be banned in the US and treated as a criminal enterprise.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 118 | View Replies]

To: bgill

These kids were raised on “plenty”. The same ones are agitating for socialism because they think they’ll get “free stuff”. They’re in for a rude awakening.


178 posted on 07/27/2011 9:26:18 AM PDT by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are at your door! How will you answer the knock?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 166 | View Replies]

To: Logic n' Reason

I hear you. My coworkers go buy their lunch every day, and at $4.50 - $5.50 per day, they are spending a lot on food.


179 posted on 07/27/2011 9:27:41 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back. He ain't my president either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 168 | View Replies]

To: trisham

Yes, the new environmentally safe no lead solder cracks from thermal cycles, therefore creating more waste.


180 posted on 07/27/2011 9:29:14 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (The fool has said in his heart, " there is no GOD " ..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 111 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 141-160161-180181-200 ... 241-253 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson