The Green Thing

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren’t good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, “We didn’t have this green thing back in my earlier days.”

The clerk 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, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized 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.

We walked up stairs, because we didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn’t have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby’s diapers because we didn’t have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts — wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got 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 TV, or radio, in the house — not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . 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 gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push 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 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 streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. 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 computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn’t it sad 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 smartass young person.

Remember: Don’t make old People mad.

We don’t like being old in the first place, so it doesn’t take much to piss us off.

ontario taking a stance! no more sugar fundraisers! green fundraiser only!!!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/young-children/children-trends/schools-put-brakes-on-chocolate-fundraisers/article2241851/

New and improved paper coffee cups. So much more eco friendly than current plastic ones at coffee shops!

check it out:

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665594/startup-radically-reinvents-the-disposable-coffee-cup-eliminating-plastic-lids

Your green product and green fundraising expert!

Koru Fundraising!

http://news.yahoo.com/bpa-pregnant-women-might-affect-kids-behavior-040221442.html

In case you didn’t know when you sign up for a Koru green fundraiser you get our fundraising tool kit! Tools include eco tip of the day for announcements, parent letters, check lists, ideas for your green team, how to run a litter-less lunch AND more!

contact us today to sign up for your green fundraiser this year!

http://korufundraising.com/programs/litterlesslunch/

green fundraising! available in the USA and Canada!

You all have the power!

Try our eco-friendly fundraiser and raise money for your group with our great reusable lunch sacks! ]]> http://korufundraising.com/green-fundraising-news/uncategorized/eco-friendly-products-fundraising/feed/ 0 http://korufundraising.com/green-fundraising-news/uncategorized/go-back-to-school-without-the-toxins-green-ideas/ http://korufundraising.com/green-fundraising-news/uncategorized/go-back-to-school-without-the-toxins-green-ideas/#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:06:15 +0000 boigon http://korufundraising.com/?p=1367

Go Back to School Without the ToxinsBack to school. Three words that, depending on whether you’re a kid, parent, or teacher, are bound to either fill you with dread or delight. Whether you’re happy about it or not, we thought up a few ways to green your back to school lineup.

Lunches:

Does your school have a litterless lunch program? If not, maybe this is the year to start one up! Back in my school days, I carried a bright orange Popples lunch box (complete with Thermos) to school every day. These days, there are lots of reusable containers out there to help you cut down on lunch waste, so this one should be a no-brainer. Of course, we recommend cutting down on waste and toxins, so go for glass, metal, or other non-plastic containers wherever possible. Another tip: rather than stocking up on pre-packed single servings of kids’ snacks, opt to buy things in bulk or larger quantities and package them yourself in your new containers.

While you’re greening your kids’ lunchboxes (and maybe yours too?), why not green the stuff inside too? Back to school time also happens to be harvest time, and the time is ripe to fill our bellies with delicious, local fruits and vegetables. Carrots, tiny tomatoes, and green beans from your local farmers’ market all make portable and healthy treats.

Go green this back to school! Try it with our litter-less lunch fundraiser! http://korufundraising.com/programs/litterlesslunch/