I have shown a similar chart for a few years, 1 Million women, a group I like to follow, posted this on Monday. It charts the date when each country uses all their earth renewable resources, every year the date gets earlier, it did drop back through lockdown, but it's still grim reading.
This second image is also important, as it shows by country how much everyone is over using our worlds resource's, we hear so much about climate change and this is also a part of that problem. The overwhelming sadness is these figures keep going up, hubby and I have changed our lifestyles as much as we can, in hope others do the same, our governments are not doing enough.
This is a subject so many people are just not interested in, having said that, I know loads of my readers feel the same as me, not interested in this commercial world, where things are pushed at you from every angle, so those who want to can purchase the latest must have stuff. These people will say we pass on what we no longer like or want, so we are being thoughtful to our world, but they just don't get it, we need to stop making it and think about our lovely Earth.
My parents, whilst not rich, had quality well made items, often got second hand, which they cared for and used for years, in my childhood home things were only replaced when they broke. We did not dare to chuck our clothes anywhere, everything had to packed away tidy, and ready for the next time it was needed. Christmas was wonderful, I have so many good memories, but we did not get huge piles of toys, and the cost was never expensive, I do worry at the cost of the things our grandchildren desire, ' it's what everyone wants' comes back the answer.
How did we get to this commercial world, sadly it won't change every government in the world needs us to earn, so they can tax you and then spend so they can tax you again. Weekends used to be a walk in the park family time, now all we see are families off in their cars going to shopping places to spend and eat out.
On the flip side sadly are those who are dire in need of the simple things in life, with all the price rises going on around us, more families here in UK are falling into the poverty trap. Having said that, we went through the staggering cost in the 80's, where for years we lived in a house with negative equity, and a mortgage repayment which crippled us, we did not shout at the government to bail us out, we both got extra jobs to pay our way through.
I sit here and shake my head, humans can be so destructive, or even worse indifferent.
Your comment re 1980s and the high costs then brings back memories of 15% mortgage rates - we knuckled down and dealt with it, we didn't expect that the government would bail us out. I think that there has been a massive loss of individual responsibility, many of the young now seem to take it as their right to be cushioned from any kind of adversity. How much of this is a consequence of an education system that seems to see rewarding everyone as their right and not just those who work and succeed?
ReplyDeletePeople's way of thinking has changed so much, even in our lifetime. As you say, when we were young we had things which were made to last and we looked after them. Nowadays, people want everything right now and when fads change they're just thrown away and replaced. It's sad to think what we're leaving behind for our children and grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteSunday outings to the park etc may have stopped when shops were allowed to open on a Sunday. No more a day of rest to relax and wind down before another week of work.
ReplyDeleteWe weren't always as destructive as we've become as our forebears looked after their environment. Now some people feel that anything is theirs for the taking and they do regardless of what it is, animals, land, the seas, space travel and leaving junk up there, which must have some effect on the atmosphere. I have written on this subject and it does make me despair at my fellow 'human' beings. Makes me so angry.
I do not think we are to blame. The manufacturers are doing nothing to reduce the plastic other than take away the plastic bags and replace them with thicker plastic bags. They are only interested in making money. We sort our rubbish and where does it end up? in a heap in another country.The governments of this world are hypocrites and talk the talk but do nothing concrete to help the world or the creatures in it.
ReplyDeleteSince I was born in 1960 the world population has more than doubled, it does make you wonder how much more it can grow, it will undoubtedly result in overcrowding, housing shortage and food shortage. Like Crafty Cat Corner said, recycling ends up being another countries problem most of the time, what we need is for supermarkets not to use plastic packaging for foods that don't need them and other manufacturers to stop using so much plastic packaging, the amount of packaging in toys is ridiculous. My kids thought I was joking when I told them in the 80's our mortgage interest was 15%. When the kids were small I didn't work and we lived week to week but we managed, I remember a couple of Christmas's I got seasonal work to pay for their presents. We didn't have wardrobe's full of clothes either, I'm forever saying to my girls that the kids have too many clothes, they don't need them, but then again I can talk, I have far too many now but haven't bought anything for ages. Times are very different and with each new generation It changes, things aren't built to last anymore, not like they used to be and most things aren't reparable either so we have no choice but to throw away and buy new. Things have a way of turning around though, well lets hope so else the world is going to be in a right pickle.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder why so many today want hand-outs/help when things get hard. Nearly all the people of my generation that I know, have at some time in their lives gone through real hardship. We lowered our standard of living - stopped going out, stopped buying things, grew a garden, cooked from scratch, accepted second hand clothes with thanks when they were offered. Some even sold their car and/or moved into cheaper accommodation. It seems self-responsibility does not exist any more.
ReplyDeleteIt was tough for my parents when I was growing up and I'd say we were a poor family. Then when I was married and we bought our first home we had sky high interest rates to contend with so we both needed to work to pay the mortgage. Things aren't made to last anymore an there's always a need to replace them but I have always asked myself if I need something or just want and I try hard to just buy what I need.
ReplyDeleteI remember 15% mortgage interest rates too and the negative equity. We were newly married then and were so greatful that many kind people helped us furniture our first home with furniture they no longer needed. Very little was bought new and what was, lasted many years. Today is a different culture and that is sad.
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