Ooops - a hornets nest seems to have been opened here!! I do agree that it would be very foolish to try and revert entirely to the standards of the 1900s - in fact with the life styles we live today it would be impossible. I know I couldn't do with out my washing machine and various other "conveniences". However, I do think that maybe there are people who lived a similar lifestyle to that of the 1900s (like my mum - she worked full time with a baby and a wash copper and it was hell, so I can understand where she's coming from) who have embraced modern technology and all the dubious side effects with open arms with no real understanding of its effects. Now they look at us like we are mad to want to go back to anything like that - they know how hard it was and how time consuming, but they don't seem to have much knowledge of how much damage its causing to our future and that of our children. It would be a good plan, I think, to try and learn from each other, for example - my Mum is fantastic at using natural products for cleaning - she just hasn't realised thats all I want to do to!! All I have to do now is convince her to put on a cardigan rather than whacking the heating up full blast and talk her out of putting about 400 of those aweful energy munching ceiling spot lights up in every room!! Sigh - I guess its to each according to their need!!
Helen and Chirs