Tuesday, September 06, 2005
To do without.
American gluttony is a well established fact. The average middle class American has two cars in the driveway, air-conditioning, three square meals and simple luxuries like washers and dryers and microwave ovens. A large percentage of our population also depends daily on cell phones and internet connections, satellite dishes and Xbox machines. All of these cool contraptions need energy and while we possess only 5% of the world's population we consume 26% of it's energy resources.
As I sit here typing this, my 3400 sqare foot house is cooled to a comfortable 74 degrees (even though the outside temperature exceeds 98 degrees), I'm watching an old Marlon Brando film (The Ugly American), the dishwasher and clothes dryer are running and I accidently left the light on in the bathroom. (GodlessMom gets up to turn off the light.)
I like the cool house, the internet connection and the Marlon Brando films. I enjoy the fact that if I'm hungry I can pop a frozen dinner in the microwave and fill my belly with very little effort. I'm as guilty as the next guy when it comes to using more than my fair share of our planet's resources and while I try to do the right thing I find that I'm always running into the conflict of my sense of environmental obligation versus my lack of time and desire for convenience.
So, I've been doing some soul searching. I've been thinking about what luxuries I could do without. I could live with a smaller house and a slightly higher indoor temperature. I could be happy with a hybrid car. I could deal with only one television and only one computer (although there would have to be serious time-share going on.) I don't need the hair-dryer and I could almost be persuaded to forego my clothes dryer (although I'm not keen on giving up the clothes washer.) Truth be told I could live without my dishwasher too, although I wouldn't be happy about it. I draw the line at indoor plumbing though, I have to be able to flush the toilet.
Okay, I've now set the thermostats one degree higher and the hair dryer has been put on the top shelf at the back of the closet. It's a start. What about you guys? What are you willing to do without?
As I sit here typing this, my 3400 sqare foot house is cooled to a comfortable 74 degrees (even though the outside temperature exceeds 98 degrees), I'm watching an old Marlon Brando film (The Ugly American), the dishwasher and clothes dryer are running and I accidently left the light on in the bathroom. (GodlessMom gets up to turn off the light.)
I like the cool house, the internet connection and the Marlon Brando films. I enjoy the fact that if I'm hungry I can pop a frozen dinner in the microwave and fill my belly with very little effort. I'm as guilty as the next guy when it comes to using more than my fair share of our planet's resources and while I try to do the right thing I find that I'm always running into the conflict of my sense of environmental obligation versus my lack of time and desire for convenience.
So, I've been doing some soul searching. I've been thinking about what luxuries I could do without. I could live with a smaller house and a slightly higher indoor temperature. I could be happy with a hybrid car. I could deal with only one television and only one computer (although there would have to be serious time-share going on.) I don't need the hair-dryer and I could almost be persuaded to forego my clothes dryer (although I'm not keen on giving up the clothes washer.) Truth be told I could live without my dishwasher too, although I wouldn't be happy about it. I draw the line at indoor plumbing though, I have to be able to flush the toilet.
Okay, I've now set the thermostats one degree higher and the hair dryer has been put on the top shelf at the back of the closet. It's a start. What about you guys? What are you willing to do without?
posted by GodlessMom, 4:56 PM
10 Comments:
_ said:
Posted at 5:54 PM
Watson Woodworth said:
My last six cars have been compacts. Two of them had fuel efficient manual transmissions.
I'm thinking about cancelling the cable. Not to save energy but some dough. Plus, I find that I am hardly ever watching the TV much anymore.
I'm thinking about cancelling the cable. Not to save energy but some dough. Plus, I find that I am hardly ever watching the TV much anymore.
Posted at 6:02 PM
dAAve said:
Guilty.
OK, no more hair dryer for this old boy.
OK, no more hair dryer for this old boy.
Posted at 6:45 PM
Saur♥Kraut said:
Sooooo true, and something I think about a lot, believe it or not. For instance, I drive an average import. Could I afford to drive something better? Sure. But this gets me where I need to go, and I have the extra money to help others. I give and lend money to those who are less fortunate than I am, and I feel that it is the right thing to do. I still live comfortably. After all, do I need to drive in or live in the best? Of course not! I've always believed that no matter how much money I had, I would use it to help others because others almost never helped me when *I* truly needed it. I had to struggle to make it for many years, and I'm proud of the fact that when someone has a true need, I can help.
Um, this isn't patting myself on the back; please believe that. I don't talk about it much. But since you brought it up, I thought I'd add my two cents' worth.
Um, this isn't patting myself on the back; please believe that. I don't talk about it much. But since you brought it up, I thought I'd add my two cents' worth.
Posted at 6:48 PM
Lila said:
Well... We don't have AC. We have one TV, and we're thinking of ditching it now that our nest is empty. We'll see if that really happens. We have two computers, but I don't know if we'd go down to one. Also, with the empty nest, we're going to ditch the minivan soon. I gotta have the clothes washer and dryer. I'd hate to do without the dishwasher, I confess. I'm already driving less, and plan to keep that habit going even if gas prices ever fall again. My next car will probably be a hybrid. We're pretty good about turning off lights and other things. We've replaced all the lights with compact fluorescent bulbs.
I think driving less is probably the single best thing I can do.
I think driving less is probably the single best thing I can do.
Posted at 8:07 PM
BarbaraFromCalifornia said:
The Ugly American is a fantastic film.
My husband tells me that I can only have the air on a certain number of hours a day. It cuts costs. Also, I have decided, that I do not need all of these face creams (now I am considering surgery as an alternative!) The computer will not ever go, as I depend upon it for work. I do not need to rent movies from Blockbusters either. (although we have quite going to the movies.)
Gee...This makes me feel like sometimes, I actually need more than less!
My husband tells me that I can only have the air on a certain number of hours a day. It cuts costs. Also, I have decided, that I do not need all of these face creams (now I am considering surgery as an alternative!) The computer will not ever go, as I depend upon it for work. I do not need to rent movies from Blockbusters either. (although we have quite going to the movies.)
Gee...This makes me feel like sometimes, I actually need more than less!
Posted at 9:16 PM
Fred said:
A car. I think we should all ditch one and drive less. At some point in the future, we might not have a choice.
Posted at 9:17 PM
dddragon said:
higher powered: LOL!
Ithink first before I just run out to get something - I try to consolidate the driving errands efficiently. We've always tried to keep the lights off (tho' the kids persist on leaving everything on). I really enjoy TV for the news, the movies,for the SciFi & Biography Channels... okay, I watch too much. I've switched some of the name-brand stuff for generic. And we'll be adding a car next year when the Kids start to drive.
Ithink first before I just run out to get something - I try to consolidate the driving errands efficiently. We've always tried to keep the lights off (tho' the kids persist on leaving everything on). I really enjoy TV for the news, the movies,for the SciFi & Biography Channels... okay, I watch too much. I've switched some of the name-brand stuff for generic. And we'll be adding a car next year when the Kids start to drive.
Posted at 9:53 PM
Urban Chick said:
no air con (that's not uncommon in the UK - rarely gets hot enough although in fact it has been in recent years, no doubt due global warming...)
plan to get hybrid car next time we buy a car (only one car which is rarely used bar on weekends)
own hairdryer but never blow-dry hair (takes too long!)
have washer-dryer but don't know how to use dryer - dry clothes outside or in airing cupboard [this is what shocks me most about the US - many places have year-round temperatures which would dry clothes outside ina jiffy, yet everyone uses a drier!]
dishwasher - would be painful to part with it, i'll admit!
recycle more than half our waste although may be cancelled out by high consumption of ready-meals owing to lack of time/energy to cook most evenings
plan to get hybrid car next time we buy a car (only one car which is rarely used bar on weekends)
own hairdryer but never blow-dry hair (takes too long!)
have washer-dryer but don't know how to use dryer - dry clothes outside or in airing cupboard [this is what shocks me most about the US - many places have year-round temperatures which would dry clothes outside ina jiffy, yet everyone uses a drier!]
dishwasher - would be painful to part with it, i'll admit!
recycle more than half our waste although may be cancelled out by high consumption of ready-meals owing to lack of time/energy to cook most evenings
Posted at 1:17 PM
Zeppellina said:
Good for you Godlessmom!
I don`t have a car, I live in the City centre, and although you always hear people with cars saying public transport is awful, I find it pretty good! I generally would get to the west end faster on the underground than someone stuck in the city traffic!
I try to turn out lights that I don`t need on, but sometimes forget.
Have long hair...so my hairdryer is my friend ...sad...!!
But will now think about what else I can do....got me feeling guilty now... :-)
I don`t have a car, I live in the City centre, and although you always hear people with cars saying public transport is awful, I find it pretty good! I generally would get to the west end faster on the underground than someone stuck in the city traffic!
I try to turn out lights that I don`t need on, but sometimes forget.
Have long hair...so my hairdryer is my friend ...sad...!!
But will now think about what else I can do....got me feeling guilty now... :-)
Posted at 6:34 PM
About Me
- Name: GodlessMom
- Location: Houston, Texas, United States
I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. I've been happily married for ten years to someone I've known since I was eleven years old. We are the parents of a wonderful four year old girl.
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one room 3x5 metres, no central heating, one computer, one fridge, big rental house, toilet on the stairs, no usable kitchen due to total punkwasteaction going on there.
i could do without the fridge.
and without the computer.
whatever, gonna brush my teeth now and spit out the window into the backyard, where some stairs lead into the dark basement...