Simplifying Life

ceridwen

EDITED OUT - sorry

lilac_lady

To lead a simple life is to find peace of mind. Once you realise that "things" don't bring happiness you're on the right path. I love to watch the birds feeding, take GS to the swingpark, change my library books and listen to the radio while I'm working around the house. You don't need to spend money to have a good day.

ceridwen

Still thinking throughout the day about that tv programme. Would certainly welcome anything further along those lines myself. It does feel - on thinking about it - like there is someone missing each time there is a debate about planning permission for a development/fuel options for the future (ie whether to think further along nuclear power lines etc)/whether to build a road, etc - that someone being someone specifically mandated to talk and vote on behalf of the environment (as - remembering my current signature phrase - it cannot speak for itself). As I recall - the American Indians had/have a phrase about bearing in mind the effect of their decisions 7 generations hence - sounds about right.

Aril

I haven't seen the programme Ceridwen but I too think it is important to think about the impact our actions might have upon future generations. Sometimes I seriously wonder if I should have had a child atall [I adore my son I hasten to add] but then I think we should also have hope. I am no paragon by any means but I do try and I do also try to improve in many ways to lessen my impact and also make my son aware/act upon eco issues [he's just been the compost monitor at school] in a way in which he understands.
These are my personal responses ]not intended as a jibe at any one else] to a couple of questions that you raised:
Yes I very deliberately [or should I say we] decided to only have one child. We came in for much criticism at the time but I have never regretted it and it was the right decision for us.
With regards to the car...we have a car so certainly not a saint and we both drive it. However, we have only ever had one car which is used for only necessary journeys. I walk/cycle as does the rest of the family nearly all the time.

I leave you with a quote about happiness today:
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything tham comes along their way.
Anon
and one from Harold Wilson whose approach seems a very grounded one to me:
I am an optimist, but I'm an optimist that carries a raincoat.
Aril

Ellidee

Aril yet another thought provoking post from you. Thankyou ! :A

Aril

Oooh sorry meant to include this one aswell that my friend emailed me last week and have a feeling this one was written for me for when I'm in my dotage...it made me smile....:D
If you can't be a good example- then you'll have to be a horrible warning.
[sorry don't know who to attribute it to]
Aril

Jillinoz

A thought-provoking read from The Guardian on how shopping around can be a euphemism for yet another demand on our time...

http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/consumer/story/0,,2243072,00.html

Jillinoz

moanymoany

Jillinoz wrote: »

A thought-provoking read from The Guardian on how shopping around can be a euphemism for yet another demand on our time...

http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/consumer/story/0,,2243072,00.html

Jillinoz

I do so agree. I know that Sainsburys value tomatoes are better than Tescos, but Tesco is near me, I use the vouchers to buy tickets through the tunnel for holidays, and when I get my shopping delivered I am used to tesco's system.

I also think that if I spent time going to Sainsburys I would have to buy a lot of tins to save money after driving there. I could probably save money by doing some of my shopping in Asda as well. But I'm sure that when walking around I would see things and put them in the basket. My nearest Lidl is a fifteen minutes drive.

We recently looked at our gas/electricity supplier. By having an internet account with the same supplier we save about £96 a year. By changing supplier the saving could have been £112 - we decided that the upheaval of changing was not worth £16!

ceridwen

Jillinoz wrote: »

A thought-provoking read from The Guardian on how shopping around can be a euphemism for yet another demand on our time...

http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/consumer/story/0,,2243072,00.html

Jillinoz

Very true - I find myself torn sometimes between my "moneysaving instincts" and my "simplifying" instincts in that respect - so take it on a case by case basis, depending on how busy I am that week.

When it comes to shopping time generally - I get particularly frustrated by having to buy a product I already own and am due to get a good bit more use from - but cant because its reached its BO Point (ie Built-in Obsolescence Point) - the length of time the manufacturer has designed it to last (which is usually shorter than is reasonable - and these days seems to be getting even shorter - yep we all had a bit of a grin the other day when that celebrity wrote to Marks and Spencer complaining that his pants last a much shorter time than they used to - but he DID have a point and extra shopping time coming up to buy them all over again). Right - just off to make dinner whilst listening to a 30 year old radio (thats seen out several ones I bought in more recent years - so I feel I've had fair wear from that - which is just as well as it would still be very expensive by 2008 price levels!)

moanymoany

My Turkish friend was staying with me and her hair dryer broke. When she asked me where she could take it to get it mended I realised that we don't mend things.

In Turkey she takes broken things to be mended - I would buy new because the cost of mending would be as expensive - IF I could find someone to do it!