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In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day." The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment." (oh no, he didn't)
He 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 the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old 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 a wadded up old newspaper 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?
I'm curious why stores still use the plastic bags, remember at the department stores your purchase would be in a bag or box with their name on it.
I guess just that one thing put alot of people out of work, anyone know who makes the plastic bags we get at the grocery stores etc.?
Send this link to the people you know, who think they know everything.
In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day." The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment." (oh no, he didn't)
He 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 the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old 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 a wadded up old newspaper 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?
I'm curious why stores still use the plastic bags, remember at the department stores your purchase would be in a bag or box with their name on it.
I guess just that one thing put alot of people out of work, anyone know who makes the plastic bags we get at the grocery stores etc.?
Send this link to the people you know, who think they know everything.
I remember a lot of the things you mention but then in the late 50s and in the 60s, we became a disposable society. So, for the most part, I think the kid was right. His parents and even grandparents probably embraced the use and toss philosophy back in the day.
Thanks for the thoughtful story. It really is amazing how pretty much everything is treated as disposable today. I'm in the recycling industry and it is absolutely amazing the gazillions of everything that gets tossed every day, without a thought. Forget the billions of pens, lighters, razors, etc. that gets the heave ho. Now tvs, computers, cell phones, etc. are treated as short term items to be tossed soon and replaced with the latest and greatest models. With technology advancing so fast this can easily be a matter of months and not years,
You know what they say about necessity being the mother of invention so I guess we'll see more and more need for recycling, after all every little bit helps.
This viral message is so full of factual errors and general bull****, I'm not surprised it's well forwarded.
Nearly every point about "the good old days" jumps from one era to another, isn't accurate, fails to see the reality of what made the "good old days good" and ignores the fact that re-regulation of American life to favor corporate profit over people is why we lost what we had -- that and fear of living next door to brown people since it pretty much ruined walkable neighborhoods.
Wow what a good story. I remember a lot of that as well.
I remember running to be the first one to get the milk to get the cream from the top !
Fruit was loose, not all wrapped up in plastic packages.
Meat was from the butcher and wrapped in brown paper.
Everything you bought was put into a paper bag.
In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day." The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment." (oh no, he didn't)
He 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 the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old 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 a wadded up old newspaper 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?
I'm curious why stores still use the plastic bags, remember at the department stores your purchase would be in a bag or box with their name on it.
I guess just that one thing put alot of people out of work, anyone know who makes the plastic bags we get at the grocery stores etc.?
Send this link to the people you know, who think they know everything.
Hey, you guys had lead paint and asbestos, I'm not convinced.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wade52
Just last month I tried to buy a refill cartridge for a ballpoint pen I'd had for years.
I remember a lot of the things you mention but then in the late 50s and in the 60s, we became a disposable society. So, for the most part, I think the kid was right. His parents and even grandparents probably embraced the use and toss philosophy back in the day.
You didn't change with the times?
We can agree to disagree, the kid wasn't right IMO.
Who made the rules for no more glass bottles? I think disposable diapers was a good thing for all the moms out there.
This viral message is so full of factual errors and general bull****, I'm not surprised it's well forwarded.
Nearly every point about "the good old days" jumps from one era to another, isn't accurate, fails to see the reality of what made the "good old days good" and ignores the fact that re-regulation of American life to favor corporate profit over people is why we lost what we had -- that and fear of living next door to brown people since it pretty much ruined walkable neighborhoods.
Its just something to think about it, being brown had nothing to do with my post
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