by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
There is no such thing as being too poor to “go green”, it just appears thus...
Many of the poor, those on low incomes, and other members the working class, see “going green” as something that they cannot do and that it is something only for the middle class and the toffs, and all the things perceived to be necessary to “go green” cost money and quite a lot at times.
They can indeed be forgiven to think thus and with their lack of disposable income they just cannot afford those things claimed to be required to be able to live an environmentally friendly life.
However, this is all but advertising hype trying to sell us thi9ngs. None of those goodies are a requirement to “going green”; far from it.
The only reason why we are being confronted with that idea is because there are so many businesses that have jumped onto the green bandwagon.
Going green and doing our bit for the Planet does not depend on gadgets but on simple actions; many which do not (need to) cost anything but which can save you a packet.
The poor people of old practiced, and still some poor today, I am sure, practice, a “waste not, want not” policy of thrift and they also knew how to cook from scratch, how to mend things, etc.
Cooking from scratch, alas, is what many modern poor, especially those in the developed world, nowadays, seem to be incapable of, and hence no wonder that they cannot make ends meet. Take outs cost money, and lots of it, and wasted food does too.
No one is too poor to “go green”
Forget the media hype as to organic food and other such. Instead look as to what you can do to reduce your environmental footprint, and starting with waste reduction is number one, and here especially in the food department.
First of, if you can't, learn to cook from scratch and be adventurous. Experiment with this or that and work around recipes. I do all the time.
I have some favorite ones that are very cheap and good to boot.
One of the is the old Gypsy favorite of Joey Gray which, though, theoretically, uses meat does not have to have it. As it uses OXO Cubes is has a meaty taste even without using meat. The other is Lentil Dahl using brown lentils rather than red ones and putting that over a baked potato.
Take outs are a waste of money as are ready meals, and that is where you can reduce already some impact. Using up leftovers another.
Making things last – by taking just a little care of them in one way or the other – is yet another way to be “green” while saving money too.
Practical reuse and recycling (upcycling) is another way yet to reduce your impact on Mother Earth and on your wallet.
Why go out and buy glass storage jars for to put coffee, tea, sugar, etc., in when, in fact, you get them free with many a product that you purchase by way of packaging. I use the glass jars from mustard, for instance, for wine glasses and as tumblers for Whiskey. They work well. Frankfurter jars, in the same way, make great drinking vessels for beer, juices, etc.
Why pay good money for metal or plastic pencil bins, and such, when an empty cleaned (and dressed up) tin can is equally good and also looks great on the desk and costs nothing bar a few minutes converting it.
I refuse to spend money when I can make what I need from trash or just by repurosing trash. But then, I guess, I am strange.
I grew up with very little in the way of material things and most of what I had as a kid was homemade, often made by ourselves even. As far as I am concerned there is nothing wrong with that and without knowing it our footprint on Mother Earth was a lot lighter than that of many folks.
So, you can “go green” even with little money; yes, even if you are poor. Don't let anyone suggest otherwise.
Many of the “going green” steps are simple and do not costs anything but can and will save you money.
© 2010
