Reflecting on Past Practices: Were We Really Less Green Back in the Day?

Dear All,

Checking out at 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."

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

Back then, we returned milk bottles, pop bottles, and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed, sterilized, and refilled, so they could use the same bottles over and over. Yes, 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 the 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 (remember them?), not a screen the size of the county of Yorkshire.

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 wadded-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 fountain or 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 bucked by flying it thousands of air miles around the world.

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, 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?

Thanks & Regards,

Sudhir

Dear Sudhir,

Really a good article on the above-mentioned subject. We generate our own environment. We get exactly what we deserve. How can we resent a life we've created ourselves? Who's to blame, who's to credit but us? Who can change it, anytime we wish, but us?

Keep on sharing.

Really a nice article. What we are doing today shall definitely impact our coming generations. Let us try our best to create and maintain a pollution-free environment. Keep on sharing.

Thanks
Regards

An excellent way to show a mirror to ourselves. What we sow, the same will be yielded by us or our incoming generation. Let's wake up right now before it becomes too late.

Regards,

The Need for Effective Environmental Laws

This is a really good article on the environment. We, as people, need to think about this. Everyone notices the issue, but no one acts to prevent pollution. Laws are only established for show to the public, but their implementation is only on paper. There is a need to prepare good laws and ensure their implementation because only knowledge cannot change the tendency of the people.

Thanks,
Atul

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I agree with the sentiment you expressed because we didn't have the environmental awareness back then, and now it seems like there is a lack of concern for the environment. Pollution, global warming, the rise of new diseases, excessive garbage, and the decline in animal and bird populations are just a few of the issues we face. Additionally, corruption, the absence of good governance, and increasing crime rates have significantly impacted our way of life. At times, it feels disheartening to witness the state of our society and environment.

Despite the challenges we face, all is not lost; we have the power to make a change. Simple actions such as tree planting and responsible waste disposal can contribute to a better environment. However, the sheer size of the population makes it challenging to enact widespread change. Nevertheless, we can each take individual responsibility and make a difference. I am committed to doing my part; will you join me in these efforts?

A very good article illustrating the changing patterns that have emerged. With respect to the environment, changes have gone adverse. Can I try to add a few more to your elaborate list?

1.0 In fact, we used to go shopping in those days with our own cloth bags.

2.0 We Had a Clean Slate
Yes, we used slates and cleaned them. No paper use till 3rd or 5th standard.

3.0 Walking was the most preferred mode to move around, with buses and cycles classified in the occasional luxury category.

4.0 Food parcels from hotels were in tiffin carriers or deftly packed in plantain or dry leaves. No cardboard/plastic/thermocol containers.

5.0 Glass and metal tumblers were cleaned and reused – no paper cups/plastic cups. It can be a still bigger list but for paucity of time. Back then, the green thing might not have been there, but then the Earth was greener.

Regards,
V. Raghunathan
Navi Mumbai

Very good article. In fact, it is very easy to blame the older generation, but what are we doing to stop it? Mr. V. Raghunathan rightly said, at least there was more greenery then than there is today. Today, we are living in a concrete jungle. If you try to explain to a child about a nest, they will not understand as it is a very rare thing in the city with all the trees gone.

It is high time we contribute, at least in a small way, to maintain some balance in the environment. Or else, we will see many more natural calamities in the coming years.

Regards,
Anita

In this regard, I am attaching an informative calendar for 2013 on Global Warming - Change of Climate, with information to measure and manage our carbon emissions in our day-to-day activities at workplaces as well as at home. Even smaller steps initiated by all of us to conserve energy and water would surely have an impact on their availability to our next generations and the survival of the earth.

I hope this will be informative to all.

With warm regards,

Arun Kumar Singhal
Manager Administration
Radnik Exports

A very good presentation by Cool Earth. Thanks to Mr. Arun Singhal for the post. A very important message is seen in all the calendar months.

Combining Industry, Houses, Offices, etc., to Reduce the Carbon Footprint

1.  Switching off lights, fans, etc., when not in use.

2.  Restricting the use of hard copies of documents.

3.  Doing away with old energy-inefficient appliances that guzzle a lot of power.

4.  Restrict, recycle, and reuse water wherever possible.

5.  Practicing the pool car concept.

6.  Maximizing the use of natural light and natural air in buildings.

7.  Switching off car/two-wheeler engines when waiting for a signal for more than a minute.

8. ⚡ Improving the power factor.

9.  Turning off desktops and laptops when not in use for more than half an hour.

10. ‍♂️ Wherever possible, avoiding lifts/elevators and using staircases.

On the above lines, you can identify many other areas where power/energy can be saved.

Regards,
V. Raghunathan, Navi Mumbai