But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

[John Headstrong]

this popped up on facebook, I thought some here might like.....



Checking out at the supermarket recently, the young cashier suggested I should bring my own bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. I apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days". The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save the environment for future generations".

She was right about one thing - our generation didn't have the green thing in "Our" day. So what did we have back then? After some reflection and soul-searching on "Our" day here's what I remembered we did have... Back then, we returned milk bottles, pop 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 repeatedly. 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 nappies because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 240 volts - wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.[/quote]

But that young 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 country of Wales. In the kitchen, we blended & 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 wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn petrol 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.

[Odsox]

Already been posted here John
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... =4&t=25276
Where have you been hiding.

[Green Aura]

Don't worry John, I'd missed that too!

And it's worth posting again because it's great.

[safronsue]

i guess in the future this period will be renown for its ridiculous wastefulness. things are changing fast and for the better i believe though and i hope fast enough. here in greece the reusing of plastics is wayyyy behind, it has not even begun yet, which is worrying. still get wierd looks when i refuse a plakky bag.

[John Headstrong]

you know, after I posted it I wondered if it was a repost.

everything has been said before.

[boboff]

Bananas are from Giraffes and Pommegranets from Spider Monkeys.

Thats new!

[Dr.Syn]

If it's good it's worth repeating (and it's flattering)

[Keaniebean]

Well I missed the last time it got posted John so thank you

[bonniethomas06]

Love the sentiments and all very true, however I would personally question whether someone that rude should be working on a checkout!!