The self-sufficient gardener.

[poppy]

Has anyone here ever read the self sufficient gardener? what a great guide.
that's the best "recycling tip i can give, don't buy prepackaged, grow your own and preserve, compost. use reusable produce sacks, and canvas bags to shop. try to buy fresh, when possible. I thought of a resteraunt, where you have to bring your own container for takeout, or you won't be served. sounds impossible huh. Sometimes I am embarrased to be human, oh wait a minute, all the time. ya know the old sayin, no shoes no shirt, well how about no shoes fine, no container, see ya later.

[toman]

I never did understand why I have to have a shirt and shoes to go into 7-11. I mean, am I really going to contaminate someones Big Bite? :confused:

[poppy]

I can't count the number of times I have been so thankful to be wearin a full length skirt to cover my toes in a store. There really is no rhyme or reason, as far as the shirt goes, next we'll need a jacket and tie to hit up the quickie mart.
(Addressing the clerks) if your shoes aren't dirtier than my toes, who knows. at least I wash my toes. when's the last time you gave your shoes a good scrub down, after yer trip to the porta john. I think not. :p

[bruz]

I totally agree. I am in the land of the useless plastic bag. They try and put everything into a plastic bag. I mean does my bread, that is already in a plastic bag actually need another plastic bag just to carry it in. People look at me strangely when I tell that that no I dont want a bag, ive brought one with me. Then they will still try and put it in a bag so it can go in my bag.

Another thing is that I found a place that has great quick takeaway veggie and vegan meals. really top quality stuff and extremely precious to me. So what do they go and pre-package it all with??? POLYSTYRENE! I had it once but now the guilt is stopping me from going back. I will have to learn "I brought my own container" in Korean. Still then they'd want to put it in a plastic bag for me!

[toman]

now the guilt is stopping me from going back.

Dude, you have issues. If you have a beef with someone using plastic packaging because it's bad for the environment (or is it unhealthy?), either do something about it, or just don't buy their crap. Don't feel guilty about it; that way you're punishing yourself for someone else's problem. You should feel good about being aware enough to recognise it as an issue that needs to be dealt with.
:cheers:

[LIBRA]

BYOB :)

Bring your own bags!!!

I do and have for a long long time, sometimes cashiers give me dirty looks like its that much harder to put my stuff in my own bag then it is in theres!

[bruz]

Yeah toman you are right I do have issues, environmental ones. Simple as that. It is a shame because the food is awesome. Maybe I use the word guilt too lightly.......... or maybe you are taking it too seriously.

[poppy]

HAHAHAHA!!! I loved you last comment BRuz, even if I brought my own container they'd still want to put it in a bag... it made me laugh. How I wonder, at what point did Convenience become such an integral part of society, it's sickening. even recycling consumes energy, producing greenhouse gases, but it's better than not recycling, right. It snowed last year at nearly sea level in California. and it is FReezing this year. literally FREEZING, in San Francisco. at 9:30 this morning there was ice in the street, and the sun was out. People never take something seriously until it is too late, (global warmings adverse effects) and they have to learn from there mistakes rather than preventing them. Whole Ecosystems are being Destroyed and Created as I type these words. Such a delicate balance, life is.

[toman]

Yeah toman you are right I do have issues, environmental ones. Simple as that. It is a shame because the food is awesome. Maybe I use the word guilt too lightly.......... or maybe you are taking it too seriously.

Well, I do take guilt seriously. Guilt is something we are taught to suffer, and it's nothing more than another form of self destruction. When you feel guilty, you're making a choice to feel bad about yourself, and all that does is hurt you. It doesn't change anything in the world around you; if anything, it makes it worse, because it diminishes your capacity to make things better. So instead of feeling guity about a plastic container, make a decision to go one way or the other. Take your own container, tell the guy to go fuck himself and burn down his cart, make a sign to inform other people about his wastefulness (or health issues, I'm still not clear on which is the issue)... Any of these things is more productive than feeling guilty about some trivial little thing. Hell, you'd be better off to make the other decision; just eat the food, enjoy it, and throw away the plastic without a second thought. It'd be healthier... Unless you're some sort of monk who feels the need to punish himself for other people's sins. ;)

[poppy]

I'm sure there are extensive veg markets, home cookin is always the best, anyways. :)

[bruz]

Well I will have to choose my words more carefully in the future! Basically I thought it wasnt good for the environment and for that reason I wouldnt go back. It is definately not something that is eating me up inside........ I am going to try to go with my own container but with the language barrier I am not getting my hopes up that this will be an easy process.

Now please stop telling me that im hurting myself, you couldnt be further off the mark!

Peace out Rainbow Trout!

[toman]

Now please stop telling me that im hurting myself



Well, going on the history of human nature, you're not doing yourself any good. If a person wants to harm himself in the name of any particular pursuit, I'm the last to object, but, I think we all have an obligation to offer something to humanity. ;)

[oldkzildjians]

man, this thread sure made for some good readin'.

By the way*, I was in Korea back in '04 for the Seoul Drum Fest! Get this; no one used wooden chop sticks!!! every place (even the pot sticker street vendors, not shitting you) had these super hard to use metal ones. Now I find it funny to go eat with all these health/environmental snob friends of mine and see them with such wasteful wooden chopsticks. I also wonder why that the concept of washable re-usable sticks is not more common around here.

*Speaking of "By the way", have you seen that convenient store in Seoul called "Buy the Way"? What a funny punny store to see in Korea!

[poppy]

I just moved to the deep south, and people here don't even think about recycle or waste, the amount of things they recycle here is nearly none...I told a woman I did not want a bag for my one item yesterday, and she said no I'll bag it and gave me one anyway, I am normally a flat out bitch about it, but it dawned on me the woman thought I was being polite...how odd...This is a whole nother world, and they are clueless to the effects of their lifestyle.
Full on Rednecks.....

[oldkzildjians]

where in the deep south?

I live in denton texas (not truly the "south") which is actually a very good recycling area. our neighborhood whole food store "the cupboard" actually has about 8 different containers for different kinds of recycleables. I guess it's a college town thing.

[poppy]

Alabama Baby...and people here have no concept of recycle, unless it furniture at the antique mall. But it's beautiful, foresty, spacious, and the health food store suits me just fine.

[LIBRA]

I hate all the kids stuff they try to give ya all the time at resturaunts or anywhere really. Crayons and cheap ass coloring books that all just get tossed by so many people. I always keep the crayons stick em in my purse unless the place keeps em of course.

Hey Ive wondered about the chopsticks too, I have seen some real cool ones. I bet they dont cause people will steal them at resturaunts??

Current tv did a pod about Freecycle the other day, and in new your city they have a free sale, a huge rummage sale but its all free, you bring stuff, you take stuff. Pretty cool idea cause I love me some rummage sales :)

[poppy]

My moms boyfriend looks at freecycle almost daily.

[LIBRA]

My moms boyfriend looks at freecycle almost daily.


I heart freecycle :p

[poppy]

I love the five and ten dollar bins at any sales space. I think it's cause I get to literally rummage through them to find a gem.

you can find some killer deals at these antique malls, and some overpriced garbage, if ya ask me. But ya know what they say, one mans trash.


I am irritated at anything made for one use, labeled disposable.
speaking of, how about corn plastics, kinda neat.
any comments.

[LIBRA]

Never heard of corn plastics?? Sounds interesting though, is it biodegradable?

My brother heats his house with a corn stove which heats hot and is not expensive at all or dirty to burn.