I remember it well

[The One]

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag 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. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, they returned their 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 they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day.

In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator
in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and
didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two
blocks.

Back then, they washed the baby's diapers because they didn't have the
throw-away kind. They 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, they didn't have the green thing back in her
day.

Back then, they 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, not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn't have electric machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the
lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right, they didn't have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled
their writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just
because the blade got dull..

But they 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 rode the school bus instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour
taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they 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 the old folkswere just because they didn't have the green thing back then?

[Sowelu]

I Don't blame the elderly, my grandmother saved and reused everything :). beautiful post

[king anthony]

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag 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. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, they returned their 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.


Very well written and very true.

You have shared more then "they didn't have the green thing back then" - one thing you demonstrated clearly is the "social conditioning" of these times.

I applaud you.

[Lost Soul]

Thank you for sharing your insights.

Paper sacks weren't discarded after being used. They were used to line garbage cans in the house and when filled, went into larger garbage cans.

Older folks didn't have computers or printers that were obsolete and discarded in five years or less. They used typewriters and carbon paper and re-used the carbon paper numerous times too. Older generations didn't go out and spend a whole lot on fashion clothing. They made their own clothes and when it wore out, they mended it. Older folks didn't get soda or coffee in styrofoam cups either. They had paper cups or sat at the diner and drank from ceramic mugs that were washed for the next customer. Real old folks didn't burn up a lot of electricity to listen to music. They had a radio, had a family member play an instrument or cranked up the Victorola. On some of them (the cabinet model), if you want to adjust the volume, you opened or closed the doors. on it. Since razor blades were mentioned, real old folks sharpened their razors on a leather strop.