Old Fashioned Ideas

These days we hear a lot about global warming, carbon footprints and saving the environment.  When I grew up, we didn’t use these terms, but we definitely were encouraged to protect our world.

Here are some of the old-fashioned ideas that worked then and will, if used, stand the test of time:

1. Walk whenever possible. People complain about the price of gas but don’t think about reducing the amount of gas they are using.  Plan to do all your chores one day in a circuit that takes the least number of miles.  Live close enough to your job and stores that you can walk or bike as this will also improve your physical health.
2. Conserve water. If you have a cistern, you know that it has to be filled and that letting the tap run will not provide you with a cold drink.  Filling and carrying watering cans also remind you that water is precious and needs to be used with wisdom.
3. Prevent litter. The other day I was at a strip mall and was both pleased and shocked to see a young man bend over to pick up a wrapper on the ground which he deposited in a bin.  If you drop it, someone else has to deal with it! 
4. Be smart with energy usage. We didn’t have air conditioning so would close the drapes during the day and then open the windows in the evening for a cross breeze. No need to have air conditioning and appliances running all day, especially if you aren’t at home. In the winter, an extra blanket allowed us to turn the furnace down a few degrees.  Also, there weren’t light fixtures that required multiple bulbs and we flicked the light switches off as we moved from room to room.  At the lake we used one coal oil lamp.
5. Become a gardener. Planting vegetables and flowers not only provides you with joy but also helps the environment.  I used to work in a nursery that provided thousands of free trees to Saskatchewanians every year.  The goal was to prevent topsoil erosion, form shelterbelts and even grow fruit such as chokecherries. 
6. Repair rather than replace. Instead of piling up garbage or going to landfills, learn some skills that will help you to fix some of the things that aren’t working or needed.  My daughter lives in Okotoks, Alberta where there is a limit of three bags of garbage per week per household.  Great idea!
7. I was horrified to see sculptures of plastic on the Maui shore and learn about how plastics have been banned there because people have thrown things in the ocean resulting in pollution and dead sea animals.  It’s not plastic that is the problem as much as the irresponsible people who are throwing things overboard.
8. Eat at home. If your sink is empty and the table and counter are cleared off, it only takes minutes to prepare a simple meal.  In fact, you can probably do this in less time than waiting at a restaurant or in a drive-through lineup.  The result:  less expense, no extra packaging and a lot more nutrition.
9. Treasure leftovers. With a little creativity, you can reduce waste and save money.  Even small bits of food can be put in the fridge for another meal or frozen for another day.  Try putting less on your plate to start with and you will feel better.  Eat less and watch your grocery bill go down.
10. Often I hear parents complain about the amount of laundry they have to do.  If you and your children have fewer clothes, there is less laundry.  I remember reading a blog written by a mother of a dozen children.  She stated that she went through all the clothing in the spring and again in fall. Each child was given only three outfits.  Why do your children have twenty-five?

I have been thinking about why there is such an emphasis on the environment lately.  The answer is easy – lots of airplane and vehicle travel, landfills that are overflowing due to a disposable mindset and lack of personal responsibility for our world.

Want proof?  Just think about the pandemic lockdowns.  Smog in China disappeared, you could see to the bottom of the Venus canals for the first time and some people stated they had more money in their accounts than ever before  Flour, yeast and garden seeds became scarce as they were being used and families enjoyed playing board games rather than dreaming of an expensive hot holiday.

Want to improve your world.  Just look in the mirror!

There are over seven billion people on earth.  Each of us has the ability to improve the environment if we just make the commitment and take the small steps that will make a difference.