And while I don't ignore the environmental effects, what bothers me is how ungrounded people are anymore. I always about the older generations when they'd talk of living on the farm raising their own meat. Such as when butchering hogs they'd say 'we used everything but the squeal.'
They used, reused, and repurposed anything, simply because they didn't have the money to just buy new and throw away.
You see that everywhere now. People eat out, or it's microwaved and chuck the container in the garbage. Buy cheap light-use crap they don't need, in the landfill when it quickly breaks and go buy another. No savings, no skills, just live impulsive, cavalierly and in the moment.
They just act like the money and conveniences are always gonna be there - until the day they aren't.
But, as I've said here before - the suburbanite lifestyle is going to be the death of us all. I guess I'm just too much embedded into the old way of thinking to always be ready for the lean times if they ever come.
That's right - And I was guilty of it myself. When I lived in town (and granted there were 6 of us then, and I am but one), we did TWO cans, packed down, overflowing, every week, and still often brought garbage to the ranch if there was going to be room in the shop/barn can... Or a special trip out to the county green cans once a month, not including bi-annual trips to the dump with a full load.
Now I can haul it out once every three or four MONTHS. That's just a crazy difference.
That's somewhere between 24/32 cans+ to 1.
But several things do apply - I was way too busy to stop and mess with anything... A slave to that lifestyle. So was my wife. So boxed meals and crappy snacks ruled the day. Hot pockets all around.
And again, as busy as we were, a lot of fast food and pizza, and myself, fast food for breakfast every day too, because I was on the run. Several mocha cups a day and uncountable pop and beer cans made it to the floorboards and then to the cans... Likewise the wife. So tons more packaging that is nearly nonexistent now. I literally live on less money than I used to spend on mochas alone.
No garden, store bought veggies, fruits, and store bought meat. Tons upon tons more packaging.
And the garbage stunk - No chickens, no compost heap, and no worry for skunks, coons, and bears, so all the garbage went right in the can, and needed to go to the curb... Now, mostly because of bears, any cans get rinsed out before crushing (and do get crushed), same with glass before crushing... and my garbage never stinks, even sitting there for months (recyclables for a year or more). So no more tendency to pitch it off the cuff. it is a measured action every time.
And yea, you're right about crappy wallyworld appliances and such, everything on the cheap... Mostly just moving too fast to mess with it, so bought *whatever* just to get it out of my face. One year, I bought SIX vacs. SIX!!! And with warranty such a mess, and restocks too expensive, We just wound up pitchin it for (yet) another piece of crap.
All of that is no more. I am full swing back into my raising. If it breaks I fix it. If I can't fix it, I find another one used (and probably broken and fix that instead). I look for old stuff that doesn't break and restore it to new for another 50 years of life... It is very very unusual for me to buy new - and then I look for the best I can get... and I can afford it.
It's just a different way, the rural life... And I think a better one. And all it takes is to holler 'nuff on the rat race, and learn how to do otherwise... For me, that was a journey to old paths and sanity.