The Ugly Holiday Sweater and other wasteful items

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And stop with the plastic tablecloths! Used once and tossed.

oooh I love a plastic tablecloth when I do art activities with the kids. I just had friends over for cookie decorating ( yes they ate the cookies) and after we were done we just balled up the tablecloth and threw it away. I guess it’s a waste of plastic but I’m alright with it 2-4 times a year.

It’s fine. I had a book by the union of concerned sciences and it says that too often people focus on the wrong measures, as evidenced by this thread. Christmas decorations? My ornaments are nearly 50 years old. My nutcracker is 28. They bring me immense joy. The book says not to worry about using paper/plastic for an occasional picnic or gathering. Eating little to no meat, driving efficient cars, and reducing flying have a much greater impact. You should also vote in politicians who prioritize the environment and support environmental organizations that are educating, improving, and lobbying.

I definitely think people should be mindful about reducing consumption, but you don’t need to be sanctimonious about it. It will work against the cause.

and give up gas cook topd. I love to cook and had no idea how much they contribute to pollution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don’t need to be worrying about ugly Christmas sweaters. We need to be working to eliminate fast fashion.

It’s an example of a larger problem. People buy tons of stuff that they will only use rarely. I’m guilty too—I have a snow cone maker in my kitchen cabinet. Stuff is so cheap now that people think nothing of paying $20 for a sweater they will wear once to a theme party. It’s like everything in our lives is disposable. Read stuff from anyone who lived before WWII and life was just so different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Start the list…

Do people actually buy ugly sweaters? Isn’t the idea to wear something you already have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And stop with the plastic tablecloths! Used once and tossed.

oooh I love a plastic tablecloth when I do art activities with the kids. I just had friends over for cookie decorating ( yes they ate the cookies) and after we were done we just balled up the tablecloth and threw it away. I guess it’s a waste of plastic but I’m alright with it 2-4 times a year.

It’s fine. I had a book by the union of concerned sciences and it says that too often people focus on the wrong measures, as evidenced by this thread. Christmas decorations? My ornaments are nearly 50 years old. My nutcracker is 28. They bring me immense joy. The book says not to worry about using paper/plastic for an occasional picnic or gathering. Eating little to no meat, driving efficient cars, and reducing flying have a much greater impact. You should also vote in politicians who prioritize the environment and support environmental organizations that are educating, improving, and lobbying.

I definitely think people should be mindful about reducing consumption, but you don’t need to be sanctimonious about it. It will work against the cause.

You mean those plastic tablecloths that are intended to be thrown away? I have some plastic tablecloths (like what they used to call oilcloth but probably not made the same) I've gotten from thrift stores. I use them under my tablecloth as a cheap table protector (have never got to the point of buying pads like my in laws had), I use them for messy stuff, sometimes I cut them into pieces for small protectors. Wipe them off and they're fine. They're stored in the pantry if not using.

I cut up paper bags and lay them down when doing messy projects. Use to use newspaper in the old days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And stop with the plastic tablecloths! Used once and tossed.

oooh I love a plastic tablecloth when I do art activities with the kids. I just had friends over for cookie decorating ( yes they ate the cookies) and after we were done we just balled up the tablecloth and threw it away. I guess it’s a waste of plastic but I’m alright with it 2-4 times a year.

Why can’t you just clean it afterward and reuse? How dirty could it have gotten with cookie decorating?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use k cups and wrapping paper. But we adopted DD and didn’t give birth to any humans do does that offset my waste? Oh and our dogs are both rescues. I get most of DDs clothes from the thrift store too.

In DCUM there is no shade of gray. You are good or bad.

You my dear have failed.

If you are living, you are wasting resources. Death is the best option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use k cups and wrapping paper. But we adopted DD and didn’t give birth to any humans do does that offset my waste? Oh and our dogs are both rescues. I get most of DDs clothes from the thrift store too.

You totally win with the adoption PP. All these other sanctimonious biddies giving birth to (possibly multiple) children and doing way more to harm the environment anything you do. Their virtue signaling with the JAPANESE FABRIC is actually quite laughable.

The people who have the most children right now actually consume the least. African women have the highest birth rate. Africans pollute the least. That is, until we show them how to "live". Mhm, we need to tell them how they have to eat exotic imported stuff wrapped in plastic, dried mangoes in plastic, gatorade, six types of shoes for each kid.
ONE tiny American family can outpace seven families in the real world (I no longer use the term "developing" world, since we are the ones who need to develop)

BTW, pp, did you fly overseas to get your kid, or was it a local adoption.

The racism in this post is breathtaking. Do you think people in Africa don’t know about exotic imported stuff wrapped in plastic?? Or Gatorade? Do you think they won’t know these things until the white man tells them about it?? What on earth????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And stop with the plastic tablecloths! Used once and tossed.

oooh I love a plastic tablecloth when I do art activities with the kids. I just had friends over for cookie decorating ( yes they ate the cookies) and after we were done we just balled up the tablecloth and threw it away. I guess it’s a waste of plastic but I’m alright with it 2-4 times a year.

Why can’t you just clean it afterward and reuse? How dirty could it have gotten with cookie decorating?

because it was $1 and I don’t want to. It was covered in icing and sprinkles. Could I have shaken it off outside and wiped it off? Sure, but I don’t want to. That’s why I buy them… so I can throw them away after.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use k cups and wrapping paper. But we adopted DD and didn’t give birth to any humans do does that offset my waste? Oh and our dogs are both rescues. I get most of DDs clothes from the thrift store too.

You totally win with the adoption PP. All these other sanctimonious biddies giving birth to (possibly multiple) children and doing way more to harm the environment anything you do. Their virtue signaling with the JAPANESE FABRIC is actually quite laughable.

The people who have the most children right now actually consume the least. African women have the highest birth rate. Africans pollute the least. That is, until we show them how to "live". Mhm, we need to tell them how they have to eat exotic imported stuff wrapped in plastic, dried mangoes in plastic, gatorade, six types of shoes for each kid.
ONE tiny American family can outpace seven families in the real world (I no longer use the term "developing" world, since we are the ones who need to develop)

BTW, pp, did you fly overseas to get your kid, or was it a local adoption.

it was local. DD was born in Maryland. Drove my car about 20 mins to the adoption office to meet her and bring her home.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the k cups. Coffee is bad and so wasteful. They do sell reusable ones though which I use at my sister’s (coffee is still weak though!).

Also any beverage in a plastic bottle (and especially water!).
Candy or other items that come with extra plastic packaging (baby bottle pops, Costco box of appetizers that has a bunch of extra boxes and plastic molded food holders on the inside, etc., littlegogurt containers) So unnecessary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And stop with the plastic tablecloths! Used once and tossed.

Easily reusable...shake, wipe off...good for many uses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain to me like I'm 5 how much better for the environment cloth wrapping is?

I can see if you are already reusing something you might throw away, or something from the thrift, that either you will reuse (people give it back to you) or that you are certain they will reuse.

But certainly purchasing new cloth or not being certain it would be reused isn't better than paper. Especially if the cloth is cotton ("thirsty crop")?

I have a relative that makes a big Hanukah party every year. She has many cloth bags that she has made. They all go back to her at the end of the party and are reused year after year. I just found one that she used at my wedding shower and told me to keep and re-use. I will be doing so..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And stop with the plastic tablecloths! Used once and tossed.

oooh I love a plastic tablecloth when I do art activities with the kids. I just had friends over for cookie decorating ( yes they ate the cookies) and after we were done we just balled up the tablecloth and threw it away. I guess it’s a waste of plastic but I’m alright with it 2-4 times a year.

It’s fine. I had a book by the union of concerned sciences and it says that too often people focus on the wrong measures, as evidenced by this thread. Christmas decorations? My ornaments are nearly 50 years old. My nutcracker is 28. They bring me immense joy. The book says not to worry about using paper/plastic for an occasional picnic or gathering. Eating little to no meat, driving efficient cars, and reducing flying have a much greater impact. You should also vote in politicians who prioritize the environment and support environmental organizations that are educating, improving, and lobbying.

I definitely think people should be mindful about reducing consumption, but you don’t need to be sanctimonious about it. It will work against the cause.

You mean those plastic tablecloths that are intended to be thrown away? I have some plastic tablecloths (like what they used to call oilcloth but probably not made the same) I've gotten from thrift stores. I use them under my tablecloth as a cheap table protector (have never got to the point of buying pads like my in laws had), I use them for messy stuff, sometimes I cut them into pieces for small protectors. Wipe them off and they're fine. They're stored in the pantry if not using.

I cut up paper bags and lay them down when doing messy projects. Use to use newspaper in the old days.

You can do messy activities outside.

[Anonymous]

How about using real socks or stockings for the fireplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in the process of downsizing so very tuned into the wasteful stuff in my house. The worst right now are presents that people gave us especially the little cute Knick knacks. Ceramic baby blocks, figurines, vases, it goes on and on. So hard to get rid of (no one wants them) but feel bad trashing them.

and this is why I'm a grinch and am refusing to exchange gifts with my siblings and their kids. None of us need anything and we can all buy exactly what we want. There is nothing meaningful I can buy for any of them so I'm done with it. One sibling and I have kids the same age and every year we exchanged gift cards in the exact same amount. Stupid. We also were exchanging gift baskets of food. Think about the waste there. The packaging and the fuel and resources used to move crap from one place to another is terrible.

I love Christmas but I'm over the gift portion of it.

All this. The responses to this thread surprised me because the biggest waste is obviously the gifts people give each other. I grew up celebrating x-mas so I know how hard it is to separate the commercialism from other parts, but it's really such a relief that my family now does none of it.

Though last year I did buy some lights to hang. It's was such a dreary time and they really lifted my spirits. But I use them almost daily as mood lighting so I don't really consider that a holiday purchase.