Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Grammas Rock

Image may contain: one or more people, people standing, meme and outdoor, text that says 'GRANDMA SURVIVED THE GREAT DEPRESSION BECAUSE HER SUPPLY CHAIN WAS LOCAL AND SHE KNEW HOW TO DO STUFF. Food'

First off...my Grammas were way cuter than that.  But the saggy boobs (swing low sweet chariots) are familiar.

I just liked this picture because it shows how far we've come in a couple of generations.  Or perhaps how far we've fallen.  Whatever.

How much of my food do I produce?  Or gather?  Or hunt? ...um, like NONE of it.  OK.  A few greens and when my apple trees cooperate, I have home grown apples.  Occasionally I get a handful of berries.  Time to double down on production.

Since 2019 is all about me being aware of my plastic acquisition and use and whatnot, I also notice the distinct lack of plastic in the picture.  Some plastic I'm not going to be able to avoid, but I don't need it all over my food.  It IS a challenge, just like money budgeting and dieting and any other lifestyle change.  So, the first part of the year is about being aware of when I get plastic.  It sneaks in there!  Like today, I took my own trash out at work and mindlessly grabbed another plastic bag and lined the trash can even though I had a paper bag in the office ready to go.  Dang it!
One day I got a coffee out and forgot to hand over my own cup, getting a plastic lined paper cup with a plastic lid.  I managed to avoid the stupid straw.
I think I've only gotten 2 plastic grocery bags in the past couple of months.  Getting better at that.

It is killing me that my favorite thrift stores are now putting lots of stuff in plastic bags for display.  CRIPES!  One of the ways of avoiding plastic packaging has been to buy used.  Now I'm going to have to go to stinky yard sales.

I invested in real rubber dish gloves for cleaning and I must say they are lasting forever, so that is nice.

I've been doing "No Plastic" days  (meaning I don't acquire any plastic that day) and find that even if I don't buy ANYTHING (helps with the budget), eat food I bought in my own fabric or recycled bags or paper bags for things like grains, and use my stainless steel travel spork and make my own coffee in my travel french press and on and on...STILL sometimes people will give you something and it's generally plastic and/or IN plastic.
I was doing really well one day...almost done with work...and a coworker brings me a new pencil sharpener she got me.  Not the all metal hand powered one like I usually use...an electric one made of plastic in plastic packaging in a plasticized cardboard box taped shut with ever more plastic.  CRIPES!  I appreciate the gift and the thought, but the amount of plastic so I could use a wooden pencil was ridiculous.

There will always be phones, cars, I like to have a computer, and those sorts of things that will be in my life.  For now I'll just keep hacking away at the edges.




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