2022 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Gem-gem

PipneyJane said:

@QueenJess said:

@Laura_Elsewhere said:

@QueenJess, yes I saw that too - I think it means garments. I know when I read something else recently about only wearing 10 items of clothing for a week of outfits it didn't count undies, etc...

Well that would make more sense. I think they’ve tried to boil it down too much as I have many questions on their 6 points!

3 should be pretty easy as an adult (might be less easy as a growing child - or for that matter now I think about it, if you lose/gain weight, become pregnant or generally change your body shape in any way!) and although I’m a big environmental advocate, isn’t small changes usually best (although accepting we are probably past that point to make a difference now). I mean, if everyone did this, there would be closures and bankruptcy of clothing stores all over the place (which obviously leads to redundancies and other problems).

My thoughts exactly.

Humans can, collectively, make small changes which would add up to a big difference.  We've already made a big mind-set change by becoming Fashion-on-the-Rationers.  Ditto because we're active on MSE, we tend to have a different mindset to most of the population.  If we have a collective motto it's "Don't Waste".  

Fixing food waste and eliminating short car journeys are  small changes an individual could make which would make a huge difference.   According to WRAP, 20% of all UK food is wasted, which is the equivalent of 5% of UK territorial carbon emissions .  Whereas, according to the Office of National Statistics, 40% of all car journeys are for distances of less than 2 miles, which could easily be walked or bicycled.  Back when I lived in inner Melbourne, I used to have a mantra:  if it took less than half an hour, walk it.  More than that, cycle.  If it took more than half an hour to cycle, then either use public transport or drive if there was no direct public transport route.  

(Yes, a 2 mile walk today would probably take me about half an hour, e.g. the walk into our nearest market town  While technically quicker if I took a bus, I'd probably spend all the travel time "saved" waiting for the damn bus to show up.) 

- Pip

DH and I walk to all local places (up to 4 miles away). We use public transport for journey within Greater London (for my DH it is free - all buses, trains and tubes after 9:30, I have to pay). DH cannot drive anymore due to health, so when by himself, travels to all football games via public transport. Shopping is done on foot. We use rucksacks. 

I drive the car when we travel to family and friends - long distance or go to quizzes out of area. (Though we do look out for train deals - to see if we can do it cheaper by train eg London to Taunton). Car is 9 years old this year, only done 42,000 miles. 

Gem-gem

weenancyinAmerica said:

Reading of socks wearing out made me think of all the ways I have used odd ones over the years - as sock puppets when I was little, then to making teddy bears, sock monkeys, dolls, doll clothes and bedding as I was a little older, using them over the end of the mop for cleaning, dusting with my hand inside, cutting out squares for cleaning in the kitchen, even cutting good parts for making patchwork squares for blankets for the cats and dogs, and again into doll bedding. Even making scrunchies for hair. Safety holders for cell phones. Over shoes in the suitcase. To hold medicine together in suitcase. As dog toys and cat toys. Very little of my socks make it to the trash - what is left goes in the compost pile or is shredded for the birds.

Thank you for sharing this. I have just chucked a pair of socks - elastic top went. I they would be great to wear and dust my blinds with. 

Gem-gem

Interesting idea with the three garments a year. I might be able to achieve it if it was three full outfits a year!

Still no spends for me 😁👏

@Laura_Elsewhere congratulations on Your forthcoming wedding. I hope you achieve the dream wedding, that you and Mr Elsewhere would like and have a long and happy marriage together. 

My DH and I, went off and got married on the quiet. No hassle, just the two of us and two witnesses. We wanted to focus on what comes after - our marriage not on so much on the wedding day. 

CapricornLass

OOOOOH  A wedding!   How exciting!

Once you've done the deed, so to speak, Laura, let us know and I will bake one of my special chocolate cakes for our afternoon natter to celebrate.  I will start saving rations now.......

PipneyJane

Gem-gem said:

PipneyJane said:

@QueenJess said:

@Laura_Elsewhere said:

@QueenJess, yes I saw that too - I think it means garments. I know when I read something else recently about only wearing 10 items of clothing for a week of outfits it didn't count undies, etc...

Well that would make more sense. I think they’ve tried to boil it down too much as I have many questions on their 6 points!

3 should be pretty easy as an adult (might be less easy as a growing child - or for that matter now I think about it, if you lose/gain weight, become pregnant or generally change your body shape in any way!) and although I’m a big environmental advocate, isn’t small changes usually best (although accepting we are probably past that point to make a difference now). I mean, if everyone did this, there would be closures and bankruptcy of clothing stores all over the place (which obviously leads to redundancies and other problems).

My thoughts exactly.

Humans can, collectively, make small changes which would add up to a big difference.  We've already made a big mind-set change by becoming Fashion-on-the-Rationers.  Ditto because we're active on MSE, we tend to have a different mindset to most of the population.  If we have a collective motto it's "Don't Waste".  

Fixing food waste and eliminating short car journeys are  small changes an individual could make which would make a huge difference.   According to WRAP, 20% of all UK food is wasted, which is the equivalent of 5% of UK territorial carbon emissions .  Whereas, according to the Office of National Statistics, 40% of all car journeys are for distances of less than 2 miles, which could easily be walked or bicycled.  Back when I lived in inner Melbourne, I used to have a mantra:  if it took less than half an hour, walk it.  More than that, cycle.  If it took more than half an hour to cycle, then either use public transport or drive if there was no direct public transport route.  

(Yes, a 2 mile walk today would probably take me about half an hour, e.g. the walk into our nearest market town  While technically quicker if I took a bus, I'd probably spend all the travel time "saved" waiting for the damn bus to show up.) 

- Pip

DH and I walk to all local places (up to 4 miles away). We use public transport for journey within Greater London (for my DH it is free - all buses, trains and tubes after 9:30, I have to pay). DH cannot drive anymore due to health, so when by himself, travels to all football games via public transport. Shopping is done on foot. We use rucksacks. 

I drive the car when we travel to family and friends - long distance or go to quizzes out of area. (Though we do look out for train deals - to see if we can do it cheaper by train eg London to Taunton). Car is 9 years old this year, only done 42,000 miles. 

Are you going to be affected if the London ULEZ is extended, @Gem-gem?  We are, since both our cars have diesel engines.  Mine is 13 years old, DH's 11.

- Pip

MrsCD

Just looked to see what ULEZ  was. I'm glad I live in the country. The prices are ridiculous! No wonder people can't afford to live in or around London. 😥

basketcase

MrsCD said:

Just looked to see what ULEZ  was. I'm glad I live in the country. The prices are ridiculous! No wonder people can't afford to live in or around London. 😥

I had to look it up too. 

I recently travelled down to Greenwich from Scotland to bring DD and her chattels back home to start a new job.  I had absolutely no idea such a thing existed!  Fortunately, according to the checker, my car's compliant!

I agree that the prices are ridiculous.  OTOH, pollution is a huge problem and the public transport system's excellent and cheap. And disabled drivers etc seem to be exempt.  OT(Other)OH, it's a pain in the neck that you've got to know you need to pay to know you need to pay!  That seems a bit sneaky...

Laura_Elsewhere

Gem-gem said:

@Laura_Elsewhere congratulations on Your forthcoming wedding. I hope you achieve the dream wedding, that you and Mr Elsewhere would like and have a long and happy marriage together. 

My DH and I, went off and got married on the quiet. No hassle, just the two of us and two witnesses. We wanted to focus on what comes after - our marriage not on so much on the wedding day. 

Thankyou, everyone! And yes, of course there will be photos!

Gem, that's very nearly what we're having - we've had so much drama in the last few years with M.I. and his son being in and out of hospitals for more than one major life-threatening thing each, and a pandemic on top of that, we really have no interest in any big fancy wedding.
Us two, his son as Best Man, and one of my closest friends as Best Woman, and her very very lovely mum coming along to be All Our Families for us... just the five of us. And probably a pub meal afterwards.
And by sheer fluke I, who never wins anything, won a free break in a very very very lovely high-end rural self-catering converted-steading in a place very special to us both, and we've been able to arrange it as honeymoon so once we wave goodbye to our three wedding guests we shall drive home and collect pre-packed food and drink and bags, and then set off for our tiny honeymoon   

It couldn't be lovelier, in our opinion... 

Laura_Elsewhere

MrsCD said:

Just looked to see what ULEZ  was. I'm glad I live in the country. The prices are ridiculous! No wonder people can't afford to live in or around London. 😥

Then again, my dentist moved to a small market-town 8 miles from this large town - for a 12 noon appt today I had to leave the house at 08:05 in order to get the first possible bus that got me there about half-ten, with then 1.5 hrs to wander round til the appt. Thankfully M.I. drove out to collect me, otherwise I'd have had a quick sprint to only just catch the half-one bus back to town and a 2.5 mile walk home, and would get home around 4pm.

He is a very very good dentist and I have very very dreadful teeth so it is worth it, but if I had to take time off paid work it would basically mean the entire day lost. And I have a LOT more than one appt a year!!!!

Nonnadiluca

Congratulations on your serendipitous win, what a wonderful surprise that must have been!