As I was cleaning out a wastebasket this morning, I reached for a biodegradable, flushable, Disposable Cleaning Cloth. For the dirtiest jobs, I still rely on disposable cloths or paper towels, but I am much more conscious of the environmental impact of tossing paper towels and disposable cleaning cloths into the trash. I rarely use paper plates and minimize the use of napkins as I find ways to be more financially and environmentally responsible. As I work toward having a greener business, a more responsible lifestyle, and a tighter budget, I am reminded of a time when my grandmother washed the plastic wrap and aluminum foil and hung it to dry. At the time it seemed silly, but looking back I can see that she was one of the first in the family to have a greener lifestyle.
In our family, being greener first became part of our lives out of necessity. We took the bus because my father worked out of town and my mother didn’t drive. Many of us in our family inherited a vision challenge that prevented driving during all or part of our lives. As a teenager, I was thrilled to pass the driving test after a couple of attempts and a note from my ophthalmologist. As a teenager I relished driving and used the car as much as I could afford to. With gasoline costing twenty-five cents a gallon, and no cable TV or computers, cruising was a popular teenage past time. Then came the 70’s with marriage, job transitions, and the rising price of gasoline. We cut back on driving, paper products, made bread, jams, and pizza as well as clothes for the kids. We were living greener out of financial necessity.
Then as our income increased so did our consumption. With teenagers, camping, and entertaining we used massive amounts of styrofoam containers, paper plates, and gasoline. It seemed like a natural progression in American life to enjoy the all of the conveniences we could afford. Takeout, packaging, and driving were a way of life.
About the middle of this decade, I began noticing that our trashcan wasn’t big enough, our closets were overflowing, and our waists were expanding. Too much consumption! As we usher in a new world of work that is transitional, individual, and skill based rather than following a ladder of upward mobility, we are finding that being more frugal is again another way of being greener.
I am looking for ways to have a greener lifestyle and a greener business. If you have ideas or websites of interest, please share.
In our family, being greener first became part of our lives out of necessity. We took the bus because my father worked out of town and my mother didn’t drive. Many of us in our family inherited a vision challenge that prevented driving during all or part of our lives. As a teenager, I was thrilled to pass the driving test after a couple of attempts and a note from my ophthalmologist. As a teenager I relished driving and used the car as much as I could afford to. With gasoline costing twenty-five cents a gallon, and no cable TV or computers, cruising was a popular teenage past time. Then came the 70’s with marriage, job transitions, and the rising price of gasoline. We cut back on driving, paper products, made bread, jams, and pizza as well as clothes for the kids. We were living greener out of financial necessity.
Then as our income increased so did our consumption. With teenagers, camping, and entertaining we used massive amounts of styrofoam containers, paper plates, and gasoline. It seemed like a natural progression in American life to enjoy the all of the conveniences we could afford. Takeout, packaging, and driving were a way of life.
About the middle of this decade, I began noticing that our trashcan wasn’t big enough, our closets were overflowing, and our waists were expanding. Too much consumption! As we usher in a new world of work that is transitional, individual, and skill based rather than following a ladder of upward mobility, we are finding that being more frugal is again another way of being greener.
I am looking for ways to have a greener lifestyle and a greener business. If you have ideas or websites of interest, please share.
This website is intended for informational purposes only. For professional personal/ career coaching, call or email Nancy for assistance with consulting, resources, and information to meet your personal needs. See links on the side panel for professional organizations. Copyright LWD © 2005 Nancy Miller
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