The green thing

[veg man]

At the cash register of the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman that she should bring her own shopping bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The cashier responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations. You didn't have the green thing."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soft drink bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycling. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every shop and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's nappies because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that young lady is right. We didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the post, we used wrapped up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn.. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right. We didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank water from a tap when we were thirsty instead of demanding a plastic bottle flown in from another country. We accepted that a lot of food was seasonal and didn't expect that to be trucked in or flown thousands of air miles. We actually cooked food that didn't come out of a packet, tin or plastic wrap and we could even wash our own vegetables and chop our own salad.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, city people took the tram or a bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their mothers into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart-ass young person.

Remember:
Don't make old people mad.

.

[Two_Sheds]

the young cashier suggested to the older woman that she should bring her own shopping bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.


Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart-ass young person.
.

This is meant to be a funny tale, not a lesson, I know.

... but the 'young cashier' in this fictional tale isn't being a smart ass. She (politely) made a valid point.

[sowitgrowit]

I know I'm missing the point of what is meant to be a joke, but I don't really like the stereotyping of young folks when there are plenty who do their bit .

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soft drink bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycling.

I recycle, if I can't re-use myself. Taking empties back has sadly passed us by, but I'd do it if I could.

We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

I do those where I can (a fountain pen isn't always going to be to hand).

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every shop and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

I walk to work despite owning a car and take the stairs as a token "healthy" gesture.

Back then, we washed the baby's nappies because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

Fair enough, you got me. We use disposable nappies. However, much of mine and my daughters clothing is from Charity shops or hand-me-down, since toddler clothing doesn't get too much wear before being outgrown.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

I have one mid-sized TV.

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us.

Yup.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the post, we used wrapped up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

That too, unless I'm recycling bubblewrap someone else has sent me.

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn.. We used a push mower that ran on human power.

Push-mower works for my small lawn.

We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

Allotment is my excercise.

We drank water from a tap when we were thirsty instead of demanding a plastic bottle flown in from another country.

I don't buy bottled water.

We accepted that a lot of food was seasonal and didn't expect that to be trucked in or flown thousands of air miles.

We eat seasonally.

We actually cooked food that didn't come out of a packet, tin or plastic wrap and we could even wash our own vegetables and chop our own salad.

That's why we have an allotment: fresh is best.

Back then, city people took the tram or a bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their mothers into a 24-hour taxi service.

Public transport is great where it's available. We prefer to walk.

We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.

Not sure how I can help that. Outlets don't make wastefulness, though. They're a convenience that don't have to be switched on!!

And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

I would rather people used their phone than rely on the mass-printing of glossy flyers from takeaways which get binned.

Regards,

Pedantic 'youngster' (well, 27).

(All in good humour, promise, I know this was meant in jest )

[veg man]

Every one can have there opion no problem. I think the moral of the tale is going green is nothing new.
i did not write it it was sent to me. Thought i would share it as i thought it was funny that people seem to think this new green thing is new but as we no it is not, sorry if i have upset any one this was not my intent.

[sowitgrowit]

Haha, didn't want to sound like a killjoy, just felt the need to defend some of my fellow young'uns!

[Plot10]

and buildings were black with soot, pea soupers so thick people couldn't breathe, rivers were so polluted nothing could live. Rickets, polio and TB were rife..............

I'm lucky, I was brought up in the country but living in a city in the first half of last Century must have been pretty grim.

[veggiechicken]

I'm lucky, I was brought up in the country but living in a city in the first half of last Century must have been pretty grim.

I was born in the first half of the last century in a city - so you can class me amongst your grim and grime living oldies.
Much of what is said in that piece is still a valid way to live for many of us - and many "old people" always take their own shopping bags with them anyway - even if they are attached to mobility walkers.

[Sheneval]

I was born in the first half of the last century in a city - so you can class me amongst your grim and grime living oldies.
Much of what is said in that piece is still a valid way to live for many of us - and many "old people" always take their own shopping bags with them anyway - even if they are attached to mobility walkers.

which being manually propelled, are Green