General Discussion

antigone382

(3,682 posts)

71. I'm sorry if I came off as negative towards you, elleng

Tue Feb 19, 2013, 07:00 PM

Feb 2013

I admit that my interpretation of the story might be colored by the fact that I first saw it posted by a RWer on facebook who was trying to discredit people like me.

I do agree with others though, that the story itself is worded quite negatively. Surely you can understand that as a young person who cares quite a bit about environmental problems and believes that major cultural and economic changes are necessary to address those problems, I balk a bit at perceiving myself described as a "young smartass."

I have had the good fortune of learning a lot of traditional skills from older people and that is something I value quite highly; I think you and I would agree on most things. I just dislike the way this particular story makes that case. It just strikes me as unnecessarily divisive and combative.

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'Checking out at the store, [View all] elleng Feb 2013 OP

One change I'd make. silverweb Feb 2013 #1

My thoughts EXACTLY! lobezen Feb 2013 #85

+100 GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #105

Not aware of the profit motive in disposables? Really? Raksha Feb 2013 #128

People buy water in plastic bottles randr Feb 2013 #184

I really don't understand the point of this oft-repeated e-mail forward. antigone382 Feb 2013 #2

+1 TDale313 Feb 2013 #6

+1. The minute the generational warfare crap starts up, I check out. n/t winter is coming Feb 2013 #20

Very well stated. HERVEPA Feb 2013 #9

It's divide-and-conquer crap. HughBeaumont Feb 2013 #12

I don't think so. I think there's genuine annoyance there and for a good reason. GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #103

+1 snort Feb 2013 #167

All while dumping toxic chemicals in the back yard LOL snooper2 Feb 2013 #193

Well, it definitely wasn't me, even if I am an early-vintage Baby Boomer. Raksha Feb 2013 #131

Bush 43 marions ghost Feb 2013 #202

Enough non-thinking idiots voted for him so that the theft could commence. HughBeaumont Feb 2013 #209

Corruption won marions ghost Feb 2013 #211

I think the point is that younger folks can learn how to do "green" things from their elders. backtoblue Feb 2013 #19

Thanks, backtoblue. elleng Feb 2013 #24

I think if your original had stated it was a chain email... Phentex Feb 2013 #32

"especially from a smartass who can't make change"... perhaps the negative replies are in response Luminous Animal Feb 2013 #33

It's DU, elleng... Sekhmets Daughter Feb 2013 #35

THANKS, Daughter! elleng Feb 2013 #36

You're welcome... Sekhmets Daughter Feb 2013 #39

I'm sorry if my responses TDale313 Feb 2013 #38

I'm sorry if I came off as negative towards you, elleng antigone382 Feb 2013 #71

Thanks for the explanation, antigone. elleng Feb 2013 #74

I think the piece asks genuine questions... druidity33 Feb 2013 #182

I, for one, didn't willingly "adopt" plastic bottles Art_from_Ark Feb 2013 #221

Cause dismissing them all TDale313 Feb 2013 #25

Yes, it could be worded softer but come on. It's not generational warfare as some are stating. backtoblue Feb 2013 #44

Good point. Blanks Feb 2013 #62

"The Greatest Geberation" were horrible polluters obamanut2012 Feb 2013 #42

Not true personally. Industrially, yes, but they didn't have much choice about that. GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #101

I would agree if it didn't have the snarky smartass comment at the end. progressoid Feb 2013 #59

a few changed words and this could be a great read. backtoblue Feb 2013 #63

+1 pengillian101 Feb 2013 #220

And no one on DU every makes a smart ass comment about the older generation? GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #104

Sure they do. And it's wrong then, too. n/t antigone382 Feb 2013 #107

You've got an interesting OP there. GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #109

Did I say that? progressoid Feb 2013 #133

Precisely. llmart Feb 2013 #139

I'm glad you wrote that. GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #142

From the elders that switched to "disposable everything"? jeff47 Feb 2013 #76

Depends on the age group. It was the late-60s and 70s that really brought "disposables" GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #108

It was plastics, recall that famous line Carolina Feb 2013 #117

Yes! I had forgotten The Graduate! GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #119

For diapers. But the email has lots of other disposable products jeff47 Feb 2013 #127

And the returnable glass bottles for milk and soda, the walking everywhere (especially to school and GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #143

Only when they were younger. They switched along with everyone else. (nt) jeff47 Feb 2013 #152

I am a boomer... love_katz Feb 2013 #155

You are so right--there really was no choice GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #160

The switch occurred in the late 60s and was largely unavoidable GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #156

Minor point, but... PotatoChip Feb 2013 #192

Re: Breastfeeding babies, your time frame is a little bit off. Raksha Feb 2013 #138

It might be a class issue GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #149

Disposable culture really took off circa 1970s-1980s. And the way it happened was that it made HiPointDem Feb 2013 #122

They just responded to market forces. jeff47 Feb 2013 #126

they responded to profit potential. there's more profit on disposables. i was there, and no HiPointDem Feb 2013 #130

It had everything to do with the customers jeff47 Feb 2013 #135

i don't think you were there. even then, the soda market was dominated by a few big players. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #137

However the number one cause of carbon use right now is truedelphi Feb 2013 #34

You can't mention the use of fossil fuels as the #1 carbon culprit on DU? NYC_SKP Feb 2013 #53

I am tallking about a process that truedelphi Feb 2013 #116

I know Clearlake, the highlands, the special sulfurous hot springs out in the middle of the lake. NYC_SKP Feb 2013 #118

+1 obamanut2012 Feb 2013 #41

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Feb 2013 #50

It was the current 80 year olds who started "disposable everything" starroute Feb 2013 #58

In a sense, but at the same time, that was specifically marketed to them. antigone382 Feb 2013 #111

Actually, they didn't start it: they were sold it. GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #114

+1 lobezen Feb 2013 #86

That was my impression customerserviceguy Feb 2013 #92

The point: that our grandparents' and great-grandparents' generation actually used less fossil fuel GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #100

i think though that younger people may not realize the degree to which recycle/reuse was built HiPointDem Feb 2013 #121

Yes, I've seen this on Facebook about a dozen times Lydia Leftcoast Feb 2013 #147

Yeah, the entire premise is false deutsey Feb 2013 #181

You can't find a hankerchief anymore. NYC_SKP Feb 2013 #3

Thanks, SKP. elleng Feb 2013 #5

Bandanas work fine for the purpose though. HERVEPA Feb 2013 #7

I find them with no problem. My husband and kids all use them... Phentex Feb 2013 #26

It might be a regional thing. I'm in Northern California. NYC_SKP Feb 2013 #30

Well you could have just called me! Phentex Feb 2013 #49

Macy's has them Starry Messenger Feb 2013 #83

My dad still has a few of them The Straight Story Feb 2013 #206

Terrific post! llmart Feb 2013 #4

This is a chain email, not an actual exchange between two humans. REP Feb 2013 #10

So? llmart Feb 2013 #14

No woman reminisces fondly about having no washing machine REP Feb 2013 #17

I missed the part about not having washing machines.... llmart Feb 2013 #22

That isn't true. truedelphi Feb 2013 #37

My MIL rode her horse to school in the 1970s Nevernose Feb 2013 #153

If you've never used one, you wouldn't have the chance to miss it. backtoblue Feb 2013 #56

But many women did hang their laundry out to dry. GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #112

Most of us can't even remember it, although we managed for years without dryers. Raksha Feb 2013 #141

Not hardly. Fuddnik Feb 2013 #162

That's the problem with the "story" progressoid Feb 2013 #69

You must be younger GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #113

50 progressoid Feb 2013 #129

No! LOL!! GiaGiovanni Feb 2013 #150

Yes, I am glad you posted this and it is the 450th time I have seen it. n/t RebelOne Feb 2013 #52

Thanks, llmart. elleng Feb 2013 #11

There were nine in my family.... llmart Feb 2013 #13

Nonnie, mom, sister, and me out on a farm. Good times. NYC_SKP Feb 2013 #23

And yes, old lady you got to stay home to to do all these things CBGLuthier Feb 2013 #8

When did people have drinking fountains in their houses? REP Feb 2013 #15

We didn't watch much TV. llmart Feb 2013 #16

Right; Good; Thanks! elleng Feb 2013 #27

+1 obamanut2012 Feb 2013 #43

K&R pinboy3niner Feb 2013 #18

You realize the vast majority of the things in this email pre-date the boomers, right? jeff47 Feb 2013 #64

Lots of places still have deposit bottles. nt DevonRex Feb 2013 #72

Not Coke or Pepsi jeff47 Feb 2013 #73

We have milk delivery. Good grief. Where do you live? nt DevonRex Feb 2013 #75

Upstate New York. jeff47 Feb 2013 #77

I found a site that lists all the dairies that deliver in glass bottles DevonRex Feb 2013 #207

"How To Return Your Coke Bottles" DevonRex Feb 2013 #80

Not a deposit container. jeff47 Feb 2013 #81

We have 'redemption centers' all over the place. PotatoChip Feb 2013 #198

Our returnables include Coke and Pepsi. PotatoChip Feb 2013 #196

Deposit bottles are thingx boomers know well pinboy3niner Feb 2013 #78

My point is the chain email above whitewashes the situation jeff47 Feb 2013 #84

That's total BS pinboy3niner Feb 2013 #89

You are utterly missing the key word: jeff47 Feb 2013 #124

I'd love to know where someone gets bottle washing xmas74 Feb 2013 #159

We have had to bring our own bags to the stores, all of them including Wal-Mart, since January in Cleita Feb 2013 #21

There is more to that ban than just plastic bags in the landfill marions ghost Feb 2013 #208

I don't have any problems with using them. I just would like to see the Cleita Feb 2013 #217

They don't think that way... marions ghost Feb 2013 #219

Cute, but apocryphal. WinkyDink Feb 2013 #28

Why not just say outright that it's fiction? Mariana Feb 2013 #197

Plus, the oldsters of today started the "green thing" Waiting For Everyman Feb 2013 #29

Grumpy Old Man gives his "rant of approval". bullwinkle428 Feb 2013 #31

Well done. I remember those day clearly DainBramaged Feb 2013 #40

While I normally don't like things that pit one generation against another. NCTraveler Feb 2013 #45

Nicely stated. Phentex Feb 2013 #46

All true. But another thing, our meat was packed in JDPriestly Feb 2013 #47

One thing about clotheslines VS. clothes dryers. And I hung out clothes as a kid. raccoon Feb 2013 #48

I'm 32 and never use a dryer tabbycat31 Feb 2013 #96

K&R one_voice Feb 2013 #51

The time line here needs to be noted. colorado_ufo Feb 2013 #54

I can remember using fountain pens until about my freshman year in high school. Raksha Feb 2013 #146

Nice Parkers and Sheaffers are beautiful. Manifestor_of_Light Feb 2013 #212

Great post and thanks for the razor blade suggestion DaveJ Feb 2013 #55

Probably. elleng Feb 2013 #57

There's a ton of them where the head is the only "disposable" part. jeff47 Feb 2013 #61

Yeah that occured to me. DaveJ Feb 2013 #67

Don't be too hard on glass bottles watoos Feb 2013 #60

It's still probably better to wash and reuse them Mariana Feb 2013 #95

Where's that theKed Feb 2013 #65

not only glurge but bullshit glurge dmallind Feb 2013 #66

This is both greatly enlightening and highly ironic. It is also appreciated. Egalitarian Thug Feb 2013 #68

Yes. Right. Thanks. elleng Feb 2013 #70

Nice rant - and I fully agree. Every damn thing is disposable now. Gorp Feb 2013 #79

How do I scoop the cat litter? HockeyMom Feb 2013 #82

I miss milk in bottles KauaiK Feb 2013 #87

And what nearby stream did the bleach and effluence from this AtheistCrusader Feb 2013 #88

Surely, you aren't suggesting that disposable containers are more eco-friendly? NYC_SKP Feb 2013 #90

Difficult to compare 1:1 AtheistCrusader Feb 2013 #91

We are a more wasteful and consumeristic society than ever before. NYC_SKP Feb 2013 #94

Not true dmallind Feb 2013 #199

That data set is incomplete. NYC_SKP Feb 2013 #204

From a younger person's POV tabbycat31 Feb 2013 #93

My fol0ks are in their 70's. Mariana Feb 2013 #98

Check out some other Boomers stories marions ghost Feb 2013 #210

Thereby proving again that the only people who forward friggin' chain emails are really old. Warren DeMontague Feb 2013 #97

How old is 'really old,' in your opinion??? elleng Feb 2013 #102

You hit the Bulls-Eye ! MadamYes Feb 2013 #99

Exactly right, about brown paper bags at the supermarket! elleng Feb 2013 #106

K & R good stuff, brought back memories. nt littlewolf Feb 2013 #110

K&R Carolina Feb 2013 #115

Divisive glurge Warpy Feb 2013 #120

+1 Hissyspit Feb 2013 #136

Post removed Post removed Feb 2013 #123

I'm old enough to remember every one of those features of life in the 1950s, Raksha Feb 2013 #125

"We didn't feel especially deprived or inconvenienced" = exactly. interesting that disposables etc HiPointDem Feb 2013 #132

Well, there are some things a stay-at-home mom can do more easily than one who works. Raksha Feb 2013 #148

the economic necessity is kind of related to the women's movement though. double the labor HiPointDem Feb 2013 #154

I really hope you are not suggesting that the women's movement is at fault for ... love_katz Feb 2013 #161

I'm suggesting that increasing the labor supply = wage reduction. It's not controversial. HiPointDem Feb 2013 #164

My issue with that stance is that it plays into the hands of the 1%... love_katz Feb 2013 #168

I get that it's absolutely a fact that the entry of women into the workforce in a major way HiPointDem Feb 2013 #174

Women are not responsible for the depression of wages. love_katz Feb 2013 #175

THANK YOU, love! elleng Feb 2013 #165

You're making me feel old Smll_Ax3 Feb 2013 #134

You young folks and your penicillin! Hissyspit Feb 2013 #140

I agree with all of this except the confrontational tone and a focus on inter-generational butt-hurt limpyhobbler Feb 2013 #144

My grocer wrote the bill with carbon paper & pencil fadedrose Feb 2013 #145

Big difference . . . Richard D Feb 2013 #151

one of my biggest peeves Texasgal Feb 2013 #157

Right, more planned obsolescence. elleng Feb 2013 #158

Message auto-removed year of the cat Feb 2013 #222

The problem with the 'throw-away' kind of products is... love_katz Feb 2013 #163

I get a little peeved, and a little puzzled when... love_katz Feb 2013 #166

Thanks AGAIN, love_. elleng Feb 2013 #169

More than welcome. love_katz Feb 2013 #170

I've really appreciated your 'rants' here; elleng Feb 2013 #171

Thank you for speaking out. Yes environmentalism started in the 60s. DevonRex Feb 2013 #203

Oh, bright blessings to you, and thank you. love_katz Feb 2013 #205

This 'green thing' mass email has been talked about on the Snopes forum since bike man Feb 2013 #172

Lost it's way at the end... bl968 Feb 2013 #173

I do have to point out a few things dsc Feb 2013 #176

yay! generational conflict! fishwax Feb 2013 #177

my grandpa was composting. victory garden since the war. pansypoo53219 Feb 2013 #178

We also burned trash in backyard incinerators, and drove gas-guzzling boats... VOX Feb 2013 #179

And most of those smartasses cartach Feb 2013 #180

Pandora Radio only lets me pass on a few songs each hour demwing Feb 2013 #183

Things seem better back then, the simpler life, for sure. But, disagree that it was all Laura PourMeADrink Feb 2013 #185

Very Good Post Angry Dragon Feb 2013 #186

I would love to go back to the days of paper packaging, glass jars and bottles, returnable sinkingfeeling Feb 2013 #187

The young clerk responded, JayhawkSD Feb 2013 #188

What was old is new again... Javaman Feb 2013 #189

The idea that the "green thing" is an individual's choice is the problem jcboon Feb 2013 #190

Whew +++++ FINALLY +++++ Bingo Bingo marions ghost Feb 2013 #213

And we wore an onion on our belt, because that was the fashion at the time... AngryAmish Feb 2013 #191

This is the only response to the OP that is worth anything ajk2821 Feb 2013 #200

Thank goodness the old days are gone. I'm 65 and I remembered when I worked and southernyankeebelle Feb 2013 #194

The discussion should be- We didn't have 7 billion people back then. Gregorian Feb 2013 #195

But the baby boomers were the ones that invented all that disposable trash. Kablooie Feb 2013 #201

An environmentally sensitive lifestyle is a frugal lifestyle. lumberjack_jeff Feb 2013 #214

Okay... jmowreader Feb 2013 #215

still she should bring reuseable bags and recycle everything ThomThom Feb 2013 #216

Riding mowers are not easy!!! Don't knock them. Glassunion Feb 2013 #218