Wallpaper entitled "Hope"

From SpookyWallpapers

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Waste not, Want not...


I just read (and prodigiously commented on) the newest post from Buffy Leigh at kOs. Love her blog. I would give the link to it, but not being computer literate in the least, I have no idea how to do that. Nor am I able to do most of the stuff that bloggers do. It's just me and my typing. It's a wonder that I can even put a picture with each post. When I was in school, they were still using punch cards to program the computer. The computer, by the way, filled an entire floor of the building at the university. We did not have a computer at my college that I know of. So I bought a magazine called "Artful Blogging" but it was so not helpful. Lovely, not helpful. I may have to break down and buy "Blogging for Dummies." So anyone who has an inclination to help my uninformed self will be appreciated and welcome! Anyway, reading her questions about how far should one go to be as environmentally friendly as possible got me thinking about my own awareness of the situation. I realize that although I've come a long way in the last year, I was once a consumer extraordinaire without a care. I couldn't begin to count the number of things I found that still had tags on them when I did my recent house cleaning. And I'm bad about losing or ruining trouser socks and hosiery so I'm constantly buying them. Emphasis on constantly. I could open a sock store based on the number of unopened trouser socks and tights that I found while cleaning. I'm sure it's over 100. Of each. In my defense, I will say that a lot of the stuff I've saved (piled up?) I'm planning to recycle when/if I start creating clothing and accessories again.

Thankfully, I've become a better consumer since staying home. I have been buying online almost exclusively and buying less and from indie designers. Um, part of that might be because of this little problem I have developed about not leaving the house. But that's for another post. I mentioned in my comments to Buffy that those of us living here in the USA are so comfort-oriented and consumer-driven that most of us still don't really consider our environment when making decisions. Such a sad commentary on this country. I know that it takes each person to make a change and that it starts with just one, but sometimes it seems the solution is out-of-reach on any level. Even the city in which I live talks a great talk but doesn't always walk the walk. Maybe I should generate more awareness in my own neighborhood. That's one of the reasons that I love Etsy and choose to make a lot of purchases there. A lot of the sellers are very into recycling and are eco-minded. I chose the image for today because it's a multiple etching done on handmade paper, paper the artist made from plant materials and recycled studio paper. It also has labyrinths, a globe, an hourglass and an angel, all of which shout volumes to our need for more environmental awareness. The artist is admittedly into "living green." She gets crazy over excessive packaging material, so she saves all kinds of paper to recycle in her own shipments or in her art.

The image also has the words that Buffy Leigh inspired: know the TRUTH; THINK before action; BELIEVE that it can happen. Thanks for making me more aware, BL!!

(Image is entitled "Destinations and Detours" by Cate Robbins of catesart at Etsy.)

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for joining in my circular internal debate. :)

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  2. Isn't it weird how stuff just takes off? When I'm typing, I never approach it thinking that someone is going to read it since I'm doing it for myself. It would be really weird to have "followers" other than you! But your internal debate really just brought something to the front of my brain instead of letting it simmer on the back burner. Not that anything much is burning in there...

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