What have you done?

A friend who happened to attend a talk given by me recently asked me a question – though it was all nice and ur talk was well received, how much of it is actually possible? Of the many idealistic things u said how much of it do you follow? In essence- what have you done?
Infact many have asked me in various ways the same thing..

So I attempt to (re)collect a few of them..mostly on consumerism which IMHO is the biggest evil..the last buck for most problems..
This is no brag, mind u..this is more for people to just  understand that most of what is professed or discussed or looked up as nice wish list is indeed possibly, quite easily..

Hey even I have done it..

here u go..

1/ ever thought about how many paste sachets/tubes and tooth brushes one throws (in to landfill) every year? Mindboggling!

I use tooth powder (very eco friendly ones like the ones made with panchgavya or with ash, herbs, camphor and salt!) and hence hand to brush. My last brush is still with me which I use once a fortnight to over come my anxiety. Did  u ever think of the amount of bacteria and dirt that the brushes (shoved all over) collect? And to think that its going to help u off the germs in ur mouth! To What extent advts can just blunt our thinking and logic.

2/ I have mentioned a couple of times in this blog about not consuming a plastic water bottle for 6+ years now. (remember this? and this?)
this is the easiest..I haven’t bought a bottle even during all my hectic long travels (BTW I don’t fly and wont..havent flown since 2006)..I take a steel bottle with me and happily fill water from most stations..No probs..believe me, am alive!

3/  I haven’t ironed my clothes since last 6 years..just as one of the 1^st steps to save on energy..and am just as fine..actually more gals look at me just to have a second look at- my crumbled clothes;-) seriously who cares about how my (our) dress is and why do I care about what some one else thinks? Its their problem aint?

4/ I have not bought or lit a cracker for more than 15 years now..(since college it was so minimal but it has been zero for many years now)

5/ I have stopped buying any thing new for some years now..no books, diaries, clothes, gadgets, etc . I haven’t bought clothes for 5+ years now..yes, I  did have quite some before and they are all slowly wearing down..am waiting for it to come close to zero and will sport simple dhothi and khadi unbleached shirts (that would come from organic cotton grown by farmers I work with and hand spun and hand woven)

6/ gadgets? What do I do for laptop, phones? I get hand me downs? Recently when the display of my mobile phone broke, I didn’t want to repair or buy another..just shot a mail to 7 friends asking for handing me any of the old phones that worth  throwing..and I got 3..I used one and gave the other 2 to two other deserving candidates..the one that retained didn’t have many features and couldn’t hold many phone numbers..meanwhile since last week got a broken old i-phone and so am I have a good memory and decent camera to suit my travels & blogs (cool isnt?)
and last year when my laptop conked, a close friend gave me an old laptop which he had rejected bcos of weight and some other ‘old age’ problems..am very happy with it..

7/ I was always haunted about the plastic that one throws and uses…I haven’t taken a carry bag for ages now..i don’t even shop basic condiments if I haven’t carried a bag along.

8/ I once heard about how much of energy goes in to making steel thin..and then another friend from the blade industry said how much energy they spend to make them razor thin and then spend even more energy to blunt them so that it lasts only 3 shaves..so I decided I will not be a market for them and so stopped shaving..its more than 15 months now..people have actually started liking me more since then:-)

9/ No shampoos, soaps (all in refill old bottles from restore!).. oh man! Those small shampoo sachets are a curse..esp the poor countries are full of them! Once when I went to clean the beach with some group in Chennai, most of the garbage that had come along cooum was shampoo sachets followed by chappals! Yes, I have decided  not to buy chappals too.when my last one broke, I was making do with  my old shoes thinking how to counter this..But a friend showed me a pair left behind in their house with no claimants..so am on that since 1 year..exploring options..pass me any ideas if u have..

10/  wanting to stop refills/ball pens..didnt want to buy an ink pen..waiting for a good throw or would flick one from one of my nieces..

I lost my spects and never bought one, luckily my eye sight isn’t that bad so now am used to being without one..The last coolers that was gifted to me by a friend in 2001 is still with me with quite some adhesives and patches..wouldnt need one after this..

 

(Long) way to go!

I still fall for hot water, in cold places -hate the energy spent for it..
am having a scorpio- so fossil fuel dependent..though I and W have a genius way of credit system with which the use is reduced and Iam eligible only after so many miles of public transport..still!
I still do some touristy things apart from my on-duty social/agri and farmer related travels..
I still cant reduce my belongings (life) in to one trunk (suit case)