To be bothered by how much we consume as a society...

[Cakelesswonder]

Don't get me wrong I love a retail therapy session but today just felt utterly gluttonous in the amount of ads for Black Friday, the 'deals, I couldn't move for emails offering me 20% off lots of things I don't need. I'm not suggesting everyone knits their own yogurt and lives like Mormons but I really feel we don't have the resources on Earth to keep consuming, throwing and consuming like we do. Everything is disposable, straws, clothes, we buy water in bottles then throw them away polluting the oceans and planet for ourselves and future generations. I have no idea what the overall solution is but it really got to me today .

I mean if you are a farmer and produce carrots that are not straight, supermarkets turn the cold shoulder.

It got a lot of coverage because of the rather silly 'have fewer kids' thing at the top, but look at the second line - avoiding one transatlantic flight is as good as buying green energy and twice as good as going vegan.

Why is 'have fewer kids' silly?

I think having more than two kids in this day and age is a bit irresponsible. More mouths to feed and more little consumers for the planet.
The real worry is about countries where the custom is to have 6-7 kids because it is seen as a badge of honour, and trained/brainwashed women have little more to do than reproduce and raise kids. To change that kind of mentality will take at least a hundred years. God have mercy on us! We are running out of time.

There is a book called Stuffocation which touches on the issue of too much consumerism and advocates for experiences over posessions stuffocation.org/

I am thinking of making some more changes such as using hankerchiefs instead of disposable tissues, trying to eat less meat, being aware of my water consumption. Also planning on upcycling a wardrobe and garden furniture by painting it.

Growing my own fruit, veg and herbs would be a good one if I can learn how to do it. My retired parents are into gardening and growing their own veg. They hardly buy any veg from the supermarkets.

I agree with a PP that we dont borrow as much as we used to. I will start checking with family members about dresses and accessories that they have which I could use for a wedding or formal event rather than buying something new that I will only wear few times. There are more organisations lending things which I think will help e.g. gardening equipment or a baby sling library.

As wages continue to stagnate and there are fewer jobs, people will have to reuse.

"I thought they rinsed it out before recycling but apparently not."

A quick rinse is not enough. Often, you'd have to wash it, which uses up more water, which is not environmental...
Also, I'm on a meter, so while I make an effort with recycling, I don't wash everything that goes into the recycling bag.

Rinse stuff in the washing up water after finishing the washing up.

@LinzerTorte you've inspired me to look up instructions to make my own washable cosmetic pass!

Except this. Kids with braces need to drink through straws. Or are they offering a more eco alternative like paper ones?
They could bring own reusable one if they need one, I have a littlr reusable straw, chopsticks, fork, knife, spoon and napkin so I don't have to use plastic throw away stuff if that's the only option.

This is very timely for me.
I don't actually buy many clothes and of course, as everyone else, I'm "aware" of terrible conditions that many garments are produced in. But it wasn't until I read on reddit (on r/femalefashionadvice of all the places..) about a documentary on Netflix called the True Cost that I started thinking more about the fast fashion industry.
I never was a fan of Zara, H&M, Top Shop, River Island or Primary, in fact I was often horrified by the sheer amount of clothing that was sold in there.
I also watched this

and she also recommend's the documentary. The sound quality is a bit bad at the beginning of the talk.

Its kinda scary how much we buy just because something is cheap, wear it once, complain about quality and discard. I really recommend watching this, don't know if it's available outside of Netflix.

My mum says she has friends who rip out their kitchen every 4 years or so. You can sell old kitchens on Ebay.

I love that Blair... definitely using that tip. 😍

If anyone enjoys following blogs, I would recommend moralfibres.co.uk/ - an eco-lifestyle blog that I find illuminating and well written.

Belfast They're apparently very easy to make, but I cheated and bought some.

@LinzerTorte I've just looked, and I have most of what I need in the house already! Going to try some when I get a chance. Might even try making some to sell!

We moved to an area where recycling rules are stricter. They only pick up the rubbish every two weeks . We now fill two full size wheelie bins with recycling every fortnight, and there is more we can't fit in. It's absolutely ridiculous. Why on earth can't the government ban plastic packaging, and we all stop using shower gel, water bottles, etc etc. Get milk delivered in glass containers.... I find it unbelievable that everything comes packaged in plastic, quite unnecessarily. I was horrified by the Blue Planet footage. All fish now is contaminated by plastic waste... the days when you bought something in a paper bag at the local shop are over, supermarkets need to be more responsible.

YANBU, I have become so much more aware of this since becoming a parent.

We live in America and have 3DC. Where we live I don't see families consuming more than the families I know in the U.K. Not many go shopping on Black Friday and a lot is recycled in terms of clothing being donated or freecycled.

We live a simpler life. I don't agree with raising children in an environment of excess. We are at the point where we can easily afford business class seats when we travel to family or charter a private plane. Neither are normal experiences for a child. I prefer they get a second hand bike, learning that you can reuse things rather than buying new.

Well, you're amazing supermum - but not as amazing as someone having two children who flies privately.

Nyx1 it never ceases to amaze me in a sad horrified way regarding global population.

We have gone from about 1 billion people on the planet to 7 billion in just 100 years.

It is truly astounding.

We have gone from about 1 billion people on the planet to 7 billion in just 100 years.

Terrifying.

It would be a pretty amazing world with just a billion of us knocking about, or maybe even a half-billion. Imagine if you could say 'fuck this life, I'm living off the land!' and find some unsettled land and just live there.

Instead of the looming zombie apocalypse.

The pp who mentioned being lucky with kettles, it may be more that you are lucky with water. I've lived in a lot of different areas of the country and have really noticed big differences in the effect water has on appliances and pretty much anything domestic that comes I to contact with water. We use water softener etc but it's not the same as having actual soft water.

You can of course get milk delivered in glass bottles, but it costs a lot more.

Imagine if you could say 'fuck this life, I'm living off the land!' and find some unsettled land and just live there.There's plenty of land, the powers that be/land owners (landowners with acres and acres of it) won't allow it though. Imagine buying a piece of land or a piece of woodland, on your own or with a group of other people, off the grid, you aren't allowed to put a non permanent structure on it.

1 billion to 7 billion in 100 years is terrifying.

Whats more terrifying is the thought that for thousand of years people lived in balance with the planet. We used local materials, ate local food and created little waste. The waste that was created would rot away.
The advent of plastic has done so much damage to the planet.

Our milk delivery service swapped from glass to plastic! So I dropped it.