Everywhere you look there is headlines about rising food prices, food shortages, there is hte struggle to pay mortgages – you name it.
Well there is one man who has managed to escape all of that.
He has cut his life to the essentials and he lives on a thousand New Zealand Dollars a year.
That man is Nick Brandon from Taranaki, New Zealand – and he is the EXTREME Green Man.
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Older people did not have as many things. They learned eco friendly skills.
What can they tell us/show us today about living a greener lifestyle?
Hi Bella,
It really depends on the generation…
In tune with a previous posters response, before the industrial revolution the world didn’t have much of a choice but to be eco-friendly.
If you look at those who were "younger" and spent time in the 60s and 70s they are probably good role models for green life style as they were there when the environmental movement began, however if you look at those who were born in the mid 60s and on again there is a generation that cared little about the environment, mostly because those people didn’t want to turn out like the "hippies".
Those born in the late 70s through now again are greener because of realization of what we are doing to the planet (and because the hippies got an education and turned into teachers).
Its interesting though, if you look at those born in the early 50′s and before (20s-30s-40s) the "True older people" in my opinion, they are perhaps the biggest consumers and wasters of all time. This is no doubt because they grew up through the depression or perhaps one of the world wars and were FORCED to conserve their entire child hoods. In retaliation most of the folks from this era are still consuming at an alarming rate and do not recycle or practice any conservation.
My grandmother is a baby boomer, I asked her why she consumes so much and refuses to recycle. She simply replied that the culture then was to conserve everything, once she grew up she decided she would live as she wanted and consume what she wanted. (This is part of that 60′s free spirit…)
To summarize depending on which "older people" we talk to we can learn how to conserve or how to consume out of control. There really isn’t a black or white answer to your question.
Regards,
JL
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We need your HELP.
Nature’s compassion non profit organization is partnering with less fortunate and impoverished communities to build sustainable living & agriculture systems. An opportunity arose to partner with people of the Pine ridge reservation in building a sustainable community. This video is basically an outline of our trip and our christmas with them, And the Eco Dome and sustainable living project. The time has come to give back what they once gave to us many generations ago. This is the great compassionate circle of life. On World one family.
Duration : 0:4:26
I’m about to move out of my parents home and into my own apartment. My family has never been green but I want to change that for myself. So, what are some ideas to be eco-friendly while living an an apt. that has certain regulations?
Buy decorating items at thrift stores. You can get really creative with this and be your own artist.
Cook once eat twice, just don’t overcook so your throwing out leftovers. Use reuseable plastic containers instead of disposable baggies. I save & reuse sour cream and yogurt type containers to send leftovers home with guests.
There are some small indoor composters on the market now. You can use the compost on the balcony/patio or in houseplants if you don’t have outdoor space.
Our vision is a world in which people everywhere can lead happy, healthy lives within their fair share of the earth’s resources, leaving space for wildlife and wilderness.
Duration : 0:6:13
You know those little tests you can take online, where they say "To have everyone on earth live like you, we would need 3 planets", or something to that effect. Well, I’m just curious, how exactly does it suggest we should live? Given that we all have just 1 planet, what are the recommended living conditions of everyone on earth, supposing everyone had resources allocated evenly.
Try to buy stuff made locally. Our footprints in the US are so huge because we use stuff made from all over, shipped all over. The shipping burns fossil fuels. The energy it takes to make a product and get it to you is called "embodied energy."
Make your house more energy efficient to reduce the amount of energy you use directly.
Try to walk or bike to local places instead of driving the few blocks.
Try growing a few vegetables. Doesn’t have to be fancy, try container plants.
The one that gets me is long hot showers and airplane trips. If I can get solar power, I can solve my wasteful showers. I should try to travel to local vacation spots by train.
As it is, I walk mostly everywhere I go, so as not to add more car transmissions into the environment. I recycle paper, bottles, and cans. But what else can I do to live more green and eco-friendly?
Going green is easy, there are so many great resources about the subject. My personal favorite is "The Green Book" which has parts of its book online as well at www.readthegreenbook.com.
As I have been striving to "Go Green" I realize it is like stepping back in time without getting rid of my modern conveniences. I’m doing many things I learned as a child, like line drying my clothes, sweeping instead of vacuuming, opening the windows in the morning to catch the cool breeze, only buying what I need instead of everything that looks cool, growing some of my own food, and canning what I can’t eat now.
To me "going Green" is a frame of mind. Do what fits your lifestyle and do the easy things first, it is a process and like dieting if you go to radical to soon, you are more likely to go back to bad habits. I also believe there are good, better, best choices in most things. If you aren’t ready to start a home garden, then try finding a farmers market, until you locate one look for produce grown as close to home as possible and go organic when available.
Many people think "going green" is expensive, I disagree. Some changes may take an initial investment, but they usually have a short payoff time. Things like weatherstiping and insulation cost, but the energy savings will add up quickly. You may need to purchase reusable bags, but most stores give you a 5 or 10 cent credit, so you are paid back within a few months.
My top tips are make your home more energy efficient, that also means using natural light, cooling and heating.
Reduce your packaging, if you eat more fresh food you will generally reduce packaging, it’s the same thing they tell dieters, shop the perimiter, that is where all the meat, dairy and produce are located. Only buy what you will use, many Americans throw away a lot of unused food. Buy in bulk, that doesn’t just mean large packages, but that area with the bins that you buy only what you plan on using.
Replace disposable items with durable items, if you eat outside often and use disposable paper or plastic plates, it is a wise investment to purchase a set of reusable plastic plates. Replace disposable razors, diapers and cleaning products like swiffer. Avoid bottled water, get a home filter like Pur or Brita.
Recycle, www.earth911.org will help you locate the nearest recycle center. I try to only purchase plastics that are #1 or #2, they are more easily recycled. I also buy recycled products when available, that includes paper towels, napkings, toilet paper, tissue, school/office supplies and clothing.
Detox your cleaning, vinegar and baking soda clean almost anything, they can even losen a hair clog. Seventh Generation and Method are a couple mainstream brands that are very earth friendly.
Just start small and build from there, don’t get overwhelmed.
This book is very easy to read with wonderful and useful information. If you want to start thinking "green" then this book is a great start.
The book spans a wide range of topics - including beauty products, cleaning products, linens and mattresses, and home improvement. If you are going to make any large-scale eco-friendly investments (on-demand water heater, organic mattress, hybrid car, solar panels) youre going to need to do much more research than what is in this book. If youre just looking for a primer covering a lot of topics and dont mind it when it states the obvious (bring your own bags to the store, recycle your trash) or hawks products, then you might find this book useful.
Interview with Aquaponics at the Eco Living Expo in Adelaide