Going green?

It struck me, once again, while visiting my folks in Michigan, that they have been the model of "going green" way before it was a hip little saying that referenced behavior that contributes to the care and concern for our natural resources on planet earth.

Now, I will be clear. They have never, to my knowledge, been motivated by the concern for our natural resources, but rather, the cost of the use of those natural resources. But, hey, who says that's not still "green" right?

All those strange and embarrassing things I had to admit our family did while growing up? Those things would be so cool now!

Some examples: We had solar heat panels installed on the roof of our home.

We separated our trash and only threw away cans and glass (however, rather than recycle the rest, we took it out back and burned it in a barrel) then we consolidated garbage with my grandma and only had the truck make one stop.

Rather than subscribing to the newspaper, we wait until the neighbor is finished reading it and they pass it along by dropping it in the paper box that was affixed to the mailbox for this purpose alone.

Reuse of all bags, boxes, and containers. And I mean all. baggies were washed and reused. Plastic cutlery lasted a lifetime by hand washing and reusing. Napkins were tossed after use, but those were always snagged from McDonald's or someplace anyways. I remember feeling so humiliated when I wasn't allowed to throw away my disposable paper lunch sack, but used it over and over until it finally split and the apple inside went rolling away.

parkay containers became freezer jam containers. Cool whip containers were Tupperware.

We had those high efficiency light bulbs way before anyone else.

We had a water conservation contraption on the shower head that only allowed a stream of water out at a time (picture holding your thumb over the end of a hose so only a stream comes shooting out) ahhh, refreshing feeling in the shower....watch your eyes!

If you left your radio playing or light on in a bedroom without being in there......well, let's just say you didn't do that!

My dad carpooled to work every day for almost 40 years.

We canned and froze our own vegetables and fruit, raised our own chickens (and a couple of hogs when I was really little), hunted for some of the meat (venison, rabbit, pheasant). We had a deep freezer in our basement that could easily fit 5 dead bodies and it was full. We had a pantry that looked like a fully stocked grocery store. Things were bought on sale, in bulk, and frozen or shelved with a date written on them in a magic marker.

OK, that's just a few things off the top of my head. I'm sure there are countless other things. And, in hindsight, I am SO glad they did all of these things (and still do). Because, regardless of their motivation (to save money) it has still reduced the carbon footprint of the Carlson clan.

And, I might add, that by saving all that money, they were able to buy the condo in Florida where they spend each winter (and invite us to visit and vacation for free!)

My parents.....going green. I might have been embarrassed as a kid, but now I am proud.