Recycling Rant January 08, 2012

January 08, 2012. My rant for today. To be read in one breath!

My Father was of the opinion that we had dominion over everything This was in the post war 2. A giant  push for consumerism and conservative leanings. Our consumptive economy developed from that war that got us where we are today. His grandson will still blame us....even though I have hang out laundry, have lo flow show heads, special wet/dry garbage containers, turn off the electric when not using the hot water, drive a lo gas consuming car. I use bio degradable cleaning fluid and laundry soap. I don't have a/c in the house as it is stone, the place insulated up the ying yang. I set the thermostat and have the guests use blankets, I wear clothes not flips flops in the winter. (when I have guests, pray harder) The heat is turned off to the rooms not occupied and turned down to 15 when no guests are here. I wash in cold water. I have a ancient cell phone that is still going, it has a recycled a battery to put into it. I take batteries back to the store and keeping them in a glass jar until then. I read the newspaper online. I use a bucket and mop to clean the floors. I save the pop cans taking them back to send a kid to camp (again when I have guests, pray harder please) I recycle towels and sheets to rags or to the spca for the animals. I don't use paper towels or serviettes. I don't purchase books anymore I get them from the library. My computer and monitor is recycled. I wash out tops to yogurt containers and milk sacks. I reuse yogurt containers for soup . That is frozen, then after usage they may go into recycling. I have my shoes re-heeled. I have soap for personal use that had no packaging and am working to use shampoo and cream rinse as well (from www.soapworks.ca) I decant hand soap, jams, honey for guests uses. I decant dog and cat food. I use a franchise to purchase the animals’ food that is a locally owned. Independent and a woman to boot.  When I wash my hair which I will donate for wigs for cancer patients,  I stand in the lo flow shower. But I think I mentioned that already. I clean furnace air filters and reuse them and wish I had enough money to convert the house to waste water recycling, solar and or wind, I will someday. I have re-mortared the brick, insulated the basement, caulked and resealed the windows from the inside, then outside. The insulated  chimney saves 500 litres of fuel a winter approximately. I turn the water off while washing my teeth. Lucy's poop bags are biodegradable. Lucy and Murphy are recycled themselves. I was using phosphate free dishwasher soap but they stopped selling it. I have a thermostat for the wires to the roof to de-ice it. I turn off my computer and my car when not in use. I have two plastic water bottles that I take and use water out of the tap from. One of which my mother gave me and is older than my nephew is. The cap is broken but everyone at boot camp knows it is a family heirloom. Someone was thoughtful enough to bring it back when I forgot it. I have a battery operated lawn mower. I will get better at grocery bags. I still have the net ones I purchased in England when we were kids. I have the whirly light bulbs in every light in the house. I use local food products made here in the province or at least from the Atlantic. I know where my potatoes are grown. The commercial bakery is up the street and the milk products are from New Brunswick farmers I am told. The apples are from an orchard 40 kilometres’ from here. My tea bags are from a Maritime producer in Sussex that has been in existence since 1800's. I eat too much meat. My lawn is pesticide free. When I turn on the oven I stuff it full.

I wish for my nephew and nieces another world, one where injustice and worry did not exist. Where people would think before they spoke or acted or ate. I wish they thought about where food came from and had a choice of food to choose from, where islands of plastic did not exist in the oceans, that the habitat for animals was not being overtaken by mindless housing tracts, that housing and food were not commodities for profit and built for the long haul. That our society was not profit/greed driven and can be taken down as easily as it did. But it has. One of the rampant environmentalist was and is Auntie L.

We have to realize that "Pain has no blame" Blaming is a total waste of time, it makes people defensive, what is needed is to challenge and educate and remind. There are people who do care and do act. Who are mindful and want environments of water, air and want land free of pesticides.

The question is not what we DID but what we are GOING & willing, willing, willing, to do, on daily on a increasing basis. It is not talk that will get us out of this mess but actions small incremental actions by individuals like me and you and think about your recycling efforts today please. I will try to use the sink and stopper in the kitchen (like a bucket) instead of running the water, and make a pot of tea instead of boiling the water three times. What will you do? Big hugs, lg