They last for years. b) Are people drinking the water in their toilets? Non-rechargeable batteries Before Edison plugged in his incandescent lamp, there were at least 22 previous illuminating incarnations of the light bulb. Las Jarretaderas, Nayarit, Mexico, Dirtiest Town in the... Green Weddings – Part 1 – The Invitations, Meat Free Mid Week Recipe – Frittata with Asparagus, Tomato, and Fontina, Do you really need to purchase an Air freshener? This bullet gets a bonus rant for leaf blowers. If you need fresh air, you could, well, open a window. You can compost the newspaper after you use it (just not in a pile that's meant to nourish beds for edible plants). Maybe you already cut some of these things out of your life, or maybe some of these are things you can’t live without. I've ranted on here in the past about bottled water. One of our customers over here in New Zealand is working on a system for your number 1. Secondarily, they include things like … But hold on. Sell us liquid soap and package it in a plastic container with a big plastic pump. If you use the plastic utensils designed for Teflon pots and pans, you're using, well, plastic to cook your food. The inventor of Teflon was inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame (yes, that's a thing). We are aimed at Australians who want to take a stand and make differences in their lives and to show their love for the wonderful land we live on. Here’s a starter list of 5 things we can all live without, one that has worked well for me that I hope can be of benefit for you as well. Share this: Advertisement. "In a new Pediatrics study…laundry detergent packets emerged as the biggest contributor to hospitalizations and serious medical effects among any other kind of detergent poisoning." How to increase the profits on that? Brewing coffee is such a wonderful ritual. I actually need to update my photo on all my social media accounts. How can you sell happy, satisfied people more stuff? Toothpicks 4. Mine seem soft enough. The credit for who invented the light bulb often goes to Thomas Edison. Ditch the fabric softener while you're at it. The internet and everything relating to it, as well as something to access it with i.e. You could also attempt to eliminate the source of your funky smells. I accept that. When you spray a chemical window cleaner like Windex on glass—unless you wear a protective mask—you end up breathing in the stuff. I never used baby wipes when my kids were infants. YET IT IS PERFORMED STRAIGHTFORWARDLY ENOUGH: BY TAKING SEVERAL OF THE OUTPUT STREAMS ISSUING FROM A WET MILL (CORN MEAL, CORN STARCH, CORN SWEETENER, AS WELL AS A HANDFUL OF TINIER CHEMICAL FRACTIONS) AND THEN ASSEMBLING THEM INTO AN ATTRACTIVELY NOVEL FORM. I'm not saying everyone should do what I do. I find that young kids get really excited when you talk to them about packing a garbage-free lunch. I saw an article on this subject from U.S. News and World Report’s Rick Newman at Yahoo! An entire industry—the consumer products industry—manufactures and invents need in order to market and sell us new and unnecessary products—the things the Mad Men had to develop ad campaigns for. The great thing about people in general is we can learn and adapt to new situations – and this time we have to start pairing down our lives to remove some of the things that are unnecessary and bad for the environment. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. For cleaning (and other purposes), I make scrap vinegar from apple peels and ferment my kombucha to the point of strong vinegar. If you want damp washcloths on the go, you can wet them, store them in a reusable container and put that container in your diaper bag. Interpreting the claims of corporations selling us supposedly greener products can be confusing. Plastic disposables are usually made up of a mix of plastics which cannot be recycled in our systems and end up being landfill. Take back the bar! Raise your hand if you actually like these noisy, fossil-fuel burning, carbon-dioxide-spewing noisemakers. Thoughtlessly use a metal spatula in there and you can damage the coating. Covid online shopping has become so popular that Amazon is now the biggest company in the world and has started expanding drone deliveries and Amazon Go stores where you can check out without a cashier. And since they've been at it for, well, let's say 70 years—although some products appeared earlier—most of us don't remember a time when we didn't live this way—consuming all sorts of products that we have been convinced will make our lives easier and better, products such as fast food, plastic wrap, disposable everything…. Disposable Nappies Northern wildflower: things we can live without by Catherine Lafferty September 13, 2020 September 11, 2020. Edison did away with all of that and found a way for the power to flow. In the 21st century, necessities are the most important need in our life and that we cannot live without.A necessity is something that is absolutely needed. And besides, you're not actually supposed to ram these things into your delicate ear drums to clean out the wax. We have said it time and time again, there really are things we can now start to live without. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @ZeroWasteChef . OH YES, AND VITAMINS AND MINERALS, WHICH ARE ADDED TO GIVE THE PRODUCT A SHEEN OF HEALTHFULNESS AND TO REPLACE THE NUTRIENTS THAT ARE LOST WHENEVER WHOLE FOODS ARE PROCESSED. The Pew survey finds that people of different ages often make these luxury-or-necessity calculations through different lenses. These toxic pucks turn your toilet water blue and kill 99.9 percent of germs in the toilet water. I'm just explaining what I do. If you prefer to feel like your home has grown in space (rather than feeling like you’ve outgrown grown the space) never has there been a more motivating time (thanks to the internet) to start culling your home. Posted by Rebecca | May 9, 2011 | Features, Life + Style, News + Science | 2 |. When agilists talk about simplicity, we don’t mean living with a hundred things or forsaking the modern world to go live on a communal farm somewhere. It is necessary in areas where water sources are polluted and where tap water is not of suitable drinking quality, but everywhere else tap water is generally a better option for the environment and perfectly ok to drink. It takes all of five minutes. Do you actually admire Sisyphus? A well-masticated apple. Know what else constitutes applesauce on the go? If everyone simply banned bottled water from their homes—not if you live in Flint of course—we would eliminate huge amounts of plastic waste. We do many things … You Tweeted: And Speaking Of WEIRDNESS… When we started #DateMe two years ago, DateMe Diaries didn’t exist yet. Now I was able to wash my hair a handful of times during this stretch of time, but as for full-body cleansing, we had to drive to a local hot spring with locker rooms to experience the luxury of a hot shower. We're switching our banks, super or pension funds if they invest in coal, oil or gas and we're sending an open letter to the world's leading financial institutions that are funding fossil fuels to tell them to stop! Using rechargeable batteries is a no brainer. But wait there's more! The thing is, we can consume only so much to meet our basic needs—and I'm not talking about subsistence-level needs. And besides, wouldn't you enjoy sipping your non-Keurig-brewed coffee from a real cup rather than a plastic-lined paper one? Replace paper towels with old t-shirts cut into rags. If you use the plastic utensils designed for Teflon pots and pans, you're using, well, plastic to cook your food. 9. 6. I found it difficult to watch a bunch of white, sexist, racist, entitled, whiskey-swilling, chain-smoking, philandering men develop ad campaigns to sell Americans things they didn't need. These strike me as a bit ludicrous. She runs her kitchen following three simple rules: no packaging; nothing processed; no waste. Even if compostable plates, cutlery, cups and straws truly were compostable, they still waste resources. Check it out at http://www.paperlessreceipt.com/. The rent and location were awesome, but there was one problem. Plastic shopping bags 0 shares. Rebecca is our webmaster and fellow writer who loves all things green – especially architecture and scuba diving! Give washable nappies a go, just like our parents, grand parents, great grand parents etc did! Okay, I know A LOT of women work very hard to cover their gray and won't go for this one, so I saved it for last (it seemed the most radical one on the list). Smartphone. WHAT AN ALCHEMY! I was slow to see the hit show Mad Men. My daughter makes small squares for makeup application and removal. Also Read: Ways to live a happy life. The thing is, we can consume only so much to meet our basic needs—and I'm not talking about subsistence-level needs. There are many things we can live without in our homes. For breakfast, we eat homemade granola, toast, sourdough pancakes, oatmeal and omelets, for example. In the last few years, I have developed a Cruella De Vil-esque shock of grey through my bangs and silver all over the place. Here is a list of 21 such products, grouped into a few different categories. Regardless of if they are made of paper or plastic, these are disposable items that create tons of waste. These products also usually claim to soften clothes. Yes, they do usually cost a few bucks more for the initial purchase, and may use small amount of electricity to recharge. If you need to line your garbage pail, first, compost. Next, since you no longer have to deal with this wet waste, simply line the trash can with newspaper. How much less would most of us consume if we fulfilled only these needs—and not our superfluous wants, wants planted in our heads by marketers? I am aging. They also tend to wear quickly. Love is so much bigger than romance. Air fresheners have been found to contain the controversial, potentially harmful substance, phthalates. Disposable razors Thoughtlessly use a metal spatula in there and you can damage the coating. Half my stuff didn’t fit in the place. 10. But eventually they pay for themselves. Well, today there are tons of things we can live without, but some things can't. Furniture, old clothes… You can still live comfortably and not miss them at all. Protecting Australia's precious coral reefs is a passion of hers! This works amazingly well. Use reusable bags. Like bottled water, I have ranted about these in the past also. In the UK, supermarket giants Tesco and Sainsbury announced recently that they will replace the plastic sticks in ear swabs with paper ones. Nowadays, the most of the people will think the first necessity is money, second is mobile phone and the third is food and water and so on. When I first went plastic-free, my coworkers all wanted to know how I dispose of my garbage. Before Benjamin Franklin figured out electricity, we all lived without it. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. We have said it time and time again, there really are things we can now start to live without. I cook with stainless steel pots and pans and enameled cast iron. Yes, some things are more difficult without electricity. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, How to make your home environmentally friendly, warm and still save money this winter. Kids eat these poisonous packets regularly, indicated by the rise in calls to poison control centers regarding such cases. Repeat. Back then, I had also recently finished Michael Pollan's masterpiece, The Omnivore's Dilemma, and no longer wanted to buy or eat cereal after learning about how manufacturers produce it: IN MANY WAYS BREAKFAST CEREAL IS THE PROTOTYPICAL PROCESSED FOOD: FOUR CENTS' WORTH OF COMMODITY CORN (OR SOME OTHER EQUALLY CHEAP GRAIN) TRANSFORMED INTO FOUR DOLLARS' WORTH OF PROCESSED FOOD. You could also attempt to eliminate the source of your funky smells. Each of us will have unique items on our list, and it can be a valuable exercise to create a personal list. I will completely change my life and my home in one big sweeping movement” we know it isn’t that simple and it takes time to adjust to new things. I've ranted on here in the past about bottled water. Your car; Most people are not willing to give up their four wheeled best friend. There has to be a better way to run this system considering it takes trees and chemicals to create these receipts that litter our cars, handbags and wallets! Will you take the pledge to switch your bank, super or pension fund if they invest in fossil fuels? Okay, I actually can't imagine a medical condition for which a doctor would prescribe K-Cups… I'm talking about the majority of situations here. God knows it needs it. An insulin pump 2. I know many of you like to use these swabs for applying cosmetics. 10 things I can live without, or how to simplify your life and not die trying Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. 1. Consumer products companies like Johnson & Johnson and Proctor & Gamble can sell us only so many bars of soap. Feed child. Not only do these non-biodegradable pods produce an immoral amount of plastic waste, they also represent well our addiction to convenience, speed and instant gratification. Modern advances in dentistry and toothbrush technology almost eliminate the need for the toothpick entirely. Stay tune and read what I have to say. Sharon Gailer; August 27, 2016. Without these 15 things, it's over. There are three things that I can’t live without, other than basic needs that are required for a human to survive: 1. When it begins to flake, it gets into your food. Here is a list of 21 such products, grouped into a few different categories. 10 Things Americans Can't Live Without. For example… To make puréed sweet potatoes, for example, you first buy a sweet potato. Basic necessities like air, water, fire, food, shelter, mobile, wifi etc are not the things I am mentioning because that's what everyone needs and will make my answer a plagiarised one. H2O (water) (Your reaction) Thank you! From Deepak Chopra to Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, read on as some of the most inspirational (and coolest!) Using our resources to make these disposable products is pure waste when we have reusable alternatives. I do however eat a healthy diet, exercise and practice yoga. Back when my daughter wrote her blog The Plastic-Free Chef, a representative from Dupont once left a comment on a post, saying that Teflon was great stuff and totally safe. And besides, wouldn't you enjoy sipping your non-Keurig-brewed coffee from a real cup rather than a plastic-lined paper one? Buy an apple. Bathing with it? Disposable dusting clothes can be replaced with feather or those fuzzy dusters. Metal lunch containers do cost more than plastic baggies—initially. "You have arrived, MKat," I told her. Ten things… If something stresses us, it ‘kills’ us. If they weren’t available, would people forget they needed them in the first place? The show serves as both entertainment and a this-is-how-we-got-here anthropological study. I'm not sure who said this, but I have told my kids from the time they were little that "It's the marketer's job to make you unhappy." Douching increases the growth of bacteria and yeast and has been linked to both infertility and an increased risk of contracting STDs. I do have to admit, I wouldn't mind some of those little baby food jars to add to my jar collection but after looking at the Gerber website, I found only plastic packaging. When we think about it, toothpicks are useful, but almost entirely unnecessary. I look forward to seeing their launch and how they get on in the marketplace! We don’t encourage people to wake up one day and say “yes, today is the day! Read Next: 9 Tips For a Successful Plastic Free July. Interpreting the claims of corporations selling us supposedly greener products can be confusing. 8. However, being able to reuse them over and over again outweighs both of these costs and results in much less potentially harmful waste. Yuck. Let the leaves stay put, rot and nourish your soil. In fact, his first patent for the ligh… However, if we’re being honest it should really be who invented the better light bulb. The damage the plastic shopping bag does is just not worth it anymore – sea creatures swallowing the pieces, it breaks apart in our oceans and poisons fish, it sits in our landfills being pulled apart by crows ugh. 3. Consumers could just scoop out the detergent. Two questions: a) Why does anyone need blue toilet water? Paper towels can easily be replaced with cloth napkins or just using separate tea towels. In other cases (mainly home appliances that offer convenience, comfort and entertainment), it’s the older respondents more inclined to see a necessity. When you think fragrance, think nasty chemicals. These make me weep for humanity. Yeah, I didn't think so…. Majority of time we glance at them once then put them in the recycling bin. I'm just scratching the surface in this post but these seemed like a good start. 17 things we just couldn’t live without. I have simmered water and baking soda in my crock pot on low to remove odors. We now present: This Week’s 6 Things You Can’t Live Without. What Edison did was improve on the design and the distribution capabilities. I don't have the time or energy to fight a losing anti-aging battle by consuming a bunch of products. Why the need to kill germs in the toilet? To clean your toilet, pour in some vinegar, wait 10 minutes, swirl a toilet brush around in there and flush. I mean the basic needs for a comfortable—not opulent—life: a decent home to live in (not a shack); healthy, good, real food to eat (not processed food-like products); and a nice, yet modest wardrobe (I buy many of my clothes at thrift shops and just look basically normal).