The woman apologized to her and explained, we didn't have the green thing back in my day.
That's right, they didn't have the green thing in her day.
Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But they didn't have the green thing back her 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's 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 pizza dish, 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 wadded up 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 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 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 that old lady is right. They didn't have the green thing back in her day.
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Well, I DO still use my clothesline when at all possible.
1 comment
158716Shirlene, all this is true--and people were probably healther because of the extra exercise. However--you hit one of my tender spots when you talked about plastic bags. I hope I do not offend anyone with my opinions!! When they talked about plastic bags on the TV they said that the bags were filling up the land-fills. I wrote to the station telling them that I used the plastic bags over and over for many things. If they wanted to get rid of plastic to get rid of all of the plastic diapers. The reason they do not fill-up the land-fills is because the dirty ones are disposed of along the road sides, at the parks, and at the beaches. I have never seen anyone reusing them. If you notice all the companies do is keep making the diapers bigger sizes--so people that use them can keep their children in diapers long. When my children were small and could talk they were potty trained. More exercise. Teehee!! Anyway I did enjoy this. H&*
1 comment
by shirlener88
15 Apr 2011
Please don't be offended - if you are re-using something - that is the need - you know? And you are so right about the diaper issue.
16434Back then they were more green than we are today and didn't waste as much resources.
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89895So true i remember doing all these think in old country walking every were no car no bus only hors and buggy
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119791So true. I walked a mile to a friends house and thought it was normal.
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by shirlener88
11 Apr 2011
Karen, we used to have to walk a mile to catch the school bus - now kids that live a mile from school have a bus to pick them up.
169064So true, we have just got to spoiled and lazy, I guess. Thanks for sharing this.
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51302This is wonderful and so true. The one thing I really try not to use is the dryer. I can count on one hand the number of times I use it in a year but we are very lucky here in SA with our sunshine.
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255054You are so right and God help me, I remember doing all of that(-:
1 comment
by shirlener88
11 Apr 2011
Maybe we can just get back to what we knew and do it now and show our kids.
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