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Thread ID: 135771	2013-12-10 19:08:00	The "Green Thing"	B.M. (505)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1362194	2013-12-10 19:08:00	An E-Mail I got that appealed to my sense of humour. So for those who haven't seen it: Checking out at the supermarket, the young cashier suggested to the much older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because Plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologised and explained, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days." The young 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, lemonade bottles and beer bottles to the shop. The shop sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilised and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day. Grocery shops bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we re-used for numerous things, most memorable besides household bags for rubbish, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property (the books provided for our use by the school), was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalise our books on the brown paper bags. But too bad we didn't do the "green thing" back then. We walked up stairs, because we didn't have a lift in every supermarket, shop and office building. We walked to the local shop and didn't climb into a 300 horsepower machine every time we had to go half a mile. But she was right. We didn't have the "green thing" in our day. Back then, we washed the baby's Terry Towel nappies because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 3 kilowatts – wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids had 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 radio or TV in the house - not a TV in every room and the TV had a small screen the size of a big handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of Scotland 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 mail, 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 pushed the 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 from a tap or fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. 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 then. Back then, people took the bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their Mums into a 24-hour taxi service in the family's £50,000 ‘People Carrier’ which cost the same as a whole house did before the "green thing." 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 computerised gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest Pub! But isn't it sad that the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the "green thing" back then? Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart arse young person... We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to piss us off...especially from a tattooed, multiple pierced smartarse who can't work out the change without the cash register telling them how much it is! :D	B.M. (505)
1362195	2013-12-10 19:58:00	Must say the old lady had a great memory.	Cicero (40)
1362196	2013-12-10 20:51:00	We received that email too. Another thing from those olden times, we used shanghais' and sling-shots' instead of the paint ball guns of today. One could get more exercise by dodging the stones used. There are probably other things of note too. Lurking.	Lurking (218)
1362197	2013-12-10 21:04:00	Must say the old lady had a great memory. There are some of us, even though old, can remember it well :) Missing off that list , at least for the UK, were 'pig bins' located conveniently on streets, where we recycled food and veg scraps to feed the pigs, these were going until into the 1950s. Also newspaper recycled for toilet paper. Something on the 'wireless' the other day relating to poverty stricken children and giving them fizzy drinks. When we were thirsty it was just water. Fizzy drinks were for special occasions. Razor blades were re-sharpened on a hollow glass hone.....couldn't waste a good razor blade :) Green veges were obtained free from down the Bull Ring market in Brum from the cabbage and cauliflower trimmings off the market stalls. Boots and shoes were repairable................................and so on......................:thumbs:	Terry Porritt (14)
1362198	2013-12-10 21:10:00	There are some of us, even though old, can remember it well :) ......................:thumbs:So you can remember that lot word for word? In my case it's all there in the little gray cells, but not always available when appropriate. Lucky you Terr.	Cicero (40)
1362199	2013-12-10 21:26:00	Another thing from those olden times, we used shanghais' and sling-shots' instead of the paint ball guns of today. One could get more exercise by dodging the stones used. And those damn Indians with their Bows and Arrows that returned the fire. :eek: Where was Health and Safety in those days? :D	B.M. (505)
1362200	2013-12-10 21:34:00	The "Poverty report" that was released last week by Dr Russell Wills said that many children did not have 2 pair of shoes. When I was a kid in the '40s & "50s I never wore my one pair of shoes unless we were going to town. I remember the pain of a cold and frosty morning giving my stubbed toes grief. But then, we were tougher then I think! www.youtube.com Ken :thumbs:	kenj (9738)
1362201	2013-12-10 22:32:00	The "Poverty report" that was released last week by Dr Russell Wills said that many children did not have 2 pair of shoes. Ken :thumbs: Does anyone know what the definition of the 'poverty line' actually is in NZ? I tried to find it on the web but I can't find an actual definition.	user (1404)
1362202	2013-12-10 23:06:00	When it was our Christmas, the kids wanted bikes and skateboards now it's all these smart devices. Every time it was mufti day, I was afraid of what to wear, dreaded those. Cheap sweat pants and sweat shirts / hoodies or jeans bought from street markets in Asia when we went abroad with family. None of that Levi, Rebook, Converse stuff ... The store we used in NZ was Farmers. Now I still have few garments, worn some days and washed and repeated. The free T Shirts given to me are the best :D Kathmanu jackets and fleece goes for least 10yrs for me won't say a cheap purchase to my past though ...	Nomad (952)
1362203	2013-12-10 23:07:00	Whoa, us older people were 'Greenies' without realising it. Mind you who even heard about Greenies way back then.	Bobh (5192)
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