auto238367
Ex-Bluelighter
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2008
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You underestimate my leave of filth.
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H&R Moderators: VerbalTruist
Simple Living
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You underestimate my leave of filth.
Maitereya
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2006
- Messages
- 186
I consume less meat, especially beef. Use less gas by carpooling, put on more clothes when its cold less when its hot instead of heater or ac. Buy things way less, because all of our stuff comes from somewhere and it has a carbon footprint. Plus its nice not to have so much "stuff". Grew a garden last summer. I have lived in intentional communities where resources are used less and I plan to go live on one again.
InTherapy82
Bluelighter
anything to recycle/conserve ppl do is great IMO
Like bringing your own bags to grocery store, using less ac/heat, biking instead of driving...
but then most companies are so wasteful w/ energy...lights left on all night etc...I know pretty much all we can do is limit our own behavior but we have to somehow have a say in what these companies are doing in order to keep this earth healthy.
I think showering twice a day in warm water is very wasteful and most ppl that do it can easily go w/o doing it so often. That would be a start for a lot of people and would save so much energy.
Like bringing your own bags to grocery store, using less ac/heat, biking instead of driving...
but then most companies are so wasteful w/ energy...lights left on all night etc...I know pretty much all we can do is limit our own behavior but we have to somehow have a say in what these companies are doing in order to keep this earth healthy.
I think showering twice a day in warm water is very wasteful and most ppl that do it can easily go w/o doing it so often. That would be a start for a lot of people and would save so much energy.
mariacallas
Bluelight Crew
Never use hot/warm water....what a waste. Sometimes I use leftover shower water (put a basin under you when you shower!) to flush the toilet. Since it's been especially cold nowadays, nobody in our house has used airconditioning for months (hope this can continue for a long time!)
I have decluttered and gotten rid of most of my stuff (70% of em!) I have sold old magazines, tons of clothes, etc etc to thriftshops or just given them away. I now think 100x before buying anything new, and make a decision if I REALLY need it (usually not, unless it's food or basic necessities!)
It's absolutely freeing not to be a slave to excess materialism.
I have decluttered and gotten rid of most of my stuff (70% of em!) I have sold old magazines, tons of clothes, etc etc to thriftshops or just given them away. I now think 100x before buying anything new, and make a decision if I REALLY need it (usually not, unless it's food or basic necessities!)
It's absolutely freeing not to be a slave to excess materialism.
mariacallas
Bluelight Crew
^That is true.
goddam~ aint that the truth ~
~ so I found a washing machine at the dump, though not exactly a step in the simpleton direction, it saves me cycling into town with my trailer once a week
Dtergent
Bluelight Crew
You have pointed out a fundamental difference that I think leads us island people to be less time-concerned, etc. We need less planning and can hang out in shorts and eat fresh veggies all the time, due to the lack of cold winters (and nights).
I've met some old (like really old) peoples in the US and figure that a less energy-rich time, they definitely needed more knowledge about the seasons and planning on how to deal with them more effectively. A lot of their measures were about living area design. For instance, some double-tasking devices, like a stove that had pipes connected to all rooms to dispense heat as well.
When I'm in the US, I try to wear more clothes in general instead of sitting around with the heater on. I also think being cold during the Christmas in the States helps justify and make use of all the rich and heating food of the season
I still get fat though.Here in the tropics, I follow some simple measures. They may not apply in everyone's areas.
1. Buying the freshest (and cheapest, for me) food and vegetables. In the immediate area I live in, we still do not have a big grocery, but a wet market with vendors who get produce from the nearby agricultural zones. The cheapest vegetables are the native ones that are more likely organic, while "upland" (foreign) ones like broccoli, cauliflower, etc. have the most pesticide and are expensive too. There are also rice snacks and fruit that are way better than junk food.
For me, expensive healthy food is a sign that something is wrong. A good place to start a system of urban gardens :D
2. Mending. I have my shoes fixed when the sole goes bad, I have my pants stitched up when they get ripped. I say, get to know where to go when you destroy an umbrella, appliance, etc.
Having this practice also makes you go for more quality stuff to begin with.
3. Avoid things with unnecessary packaging. If I need to buy something with it, I strip it at the store and leave it there. I don't see why I have to deal with it, really. Currently I run a store that sells things by weight and without packaging, because I got sick of buying eco-friendly products that come in a shitload of plastic. You're not going to "save the world" by bringing your own grocery bag with you, but that helps too.
4. Like they said, consume only what you need, unless you have the capacity and time to deal with the excess. Any system with too much input needs to work overtime to get rid of it. Instead of eating too much and putting in 2 extra hours at the gym, eat just right and focus on the vital exercise. Instead of buying too much stuff and having to deal with paying your bills, finding storage space or disposing of the rest, buy only what you need (or can reasonably deal with).
Then you can focus on what you think really matters instead of wasting your time in dealing with excess weight, products, drama, etc. Like with emotions, you cannot just throw things "away". Something down the line will deal with it-- your taxes, your environment, your subconscious.
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