The alternative to cuts

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 09 Jan 2011, 16:56

Natural selection.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 09 Jan 2011, 17:15

Lord Beria3 wrote:You do realise that the vast majority of the female species like their home comforts, apart from a few smelly, hairy hippies?

That attitude might give you eco credit, but don't expect to pull a bird!

It's the smelly hairy hippies I'm after.

nexus · Post by **nexus** » 09 Jan 2011, 17:45

Wow Beria- good luck with finding a girlfriend with that attitude.

woodpecker · Post by **woodpecker** » 09 Jan 2011, 19:26

maudibe wrote:Dont buy:

Newspapers
Christmas Cards
Airplane Tickets
Foreign Holidays
Anything begining with I (I-phone etc)
Mobile Phones
Kipple
Fashion
Haircuts
Keepsie up with Joneses
Imported foodstuffs (ok apart from olives and limes and rum!)
Dishwashers
Tumbledryers
Useless Kitchen Gadgets
DVDs
CDs
Pay to view / Cable

My mobile phone is what I use for all my work (email, SMS, phone, Web). I have a 4-yr old Blackberry which was bought second hand, and is really complaining now (buttons temperamental), so probably time to replace.

Imported foodstuffs: note that just about all legumes are imported (beans, chick peas, lentils etc etc) As are many other parts of a vegetarian diet. Hmm.

I have lots of useful kitchen gadgets: pressure cooker, steamers, mixing bowls, cookie cutters, pie trays, old-skool scales, whisks, casseroles... Home cooking uses them all. I avoid anything plastic and anything with a motor or power requirement.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 09 Jan 2011, 19:40

woodpecker wrote:I have a 4-yr old Blackberry which was bought second hand

I'd have thought that a 4 year old blackberry would be pretty rancid and squidgy by now

.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 09 Jan 2011, 20:21

woodpecker: a few things about legumes that have to be considered, before making blanket statements, in relation to the wider point about the effects of where you money ends up.

I'd concur with your 'hmm' regarding legumes if you simply grab what Trashco et al offer you. You have to look further that that - it's not easy.

Point one: are these goods certified organically grown and are the farmers getting a good deal for their work?

Point two: where do they come from? Genuine puy lentils are grown in France, not China, and are an excellent food. Chick peas, soya beans and several other pulses are grown in Europe.

I'd say the bulk of what I eat has to measured in food metres, not miles.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 09 Jan 2011, 21:02

Dried pulses have about 1/2 the transport footprint because they're about 1/2 the weight and vol of fresh ones. Fresh beany-type things that go up poles are about the easiest, best bang-for-area things you can grow, at least in these parts.

Lord Beria3 · Post by **Lord Beria3** » 09 Jan 2011, 21:48

Andy Hunt wrote:
Lord Beria3 wrote:You do realise that the vast majority of the female species like their home comforts, apart from a few smelly, hairy hippies?

That attitude might give you eco credit, but don't expect to pull a bird!
It's the smelly hairy hippies I'm after.

Glad somebody likes them!!!

woodpecker · Post by **woodpecker** » 09 Jan 2011, 23:03

emordnilap wrote:woodpecker: a few things about legumes that have to be considered, before making blanket statements, in relation to the wider point about the effects of where you money ends up.

I'd concur with your 'hmm' regarding legumes if you simply grab what Trashco et al offer you. You have to look further that that - it's not easy.

Point one: are these goods certified organically grown and are the farmers getting a good deal for their work?

Point two: where do they come from? Genuine puy lentils are grown in France, not China, and are an excellent food. Chick peas, soya beans and several other pulses are grown in Europe.

I'd say the bulk of what I eat has to measured in food metres, not miles.

The original point made was about "imported food". Made/grown in France or Spain or Turkey is also imported. Same for most nuts, seeds, dried fruit etc. I can (and do) grow borlotti-type beans here, but is this done at all commercially? I was also thinking of stuff like miso sold in wholefood shops, which so often seems to come from Japan. Surely no reason why it shouldn't be produced closer to home? Most of the stuff in the local wholefood etc. shop seems to come from quite a way away.

tattercoats · Post by **tattercoats** » 10 Jan 2011, 09:36

Goodness. There's clearly a demographic imbalance going on somewhere. My single female eco-minded, political, capable, creative and practical friends despair of finding blokes to settle down with...

Much food for thought in the original meat of the thread, too. Thanks, guys...

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 10 Jan 2011, 09:40

tattercoats wrote:Goodness. There's clearly a demographic imbalance going on somewhere. My single female eco-minded, political, capable, creative and practical friends despair of finding blokes to settle down with...

Send them to West Wales

.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 10 Jan 2011, 11:32

woodpecker wrote:
emordnilap wrote:woodpecker: a few things about legumes that have to be considered, before making blanket statements, in relation to the wider point about the effects of where you money ends up.

I'd concur with your 'hmm' regarding legumes if you simply grab what Trashco et al offer you. You have to look further that that - it's not easy.

Point one: are these goods certified organically grown and are the farmers getting a good deal for their work?

Point two: where do they come from? Genuine puy lentils are grown in France, not China, and are an excellent food. Chick peas, soya beans and several other pulses are grown in Europe.

I'd say the bulk of what I eat has to measured in food metres, not miles.
The original point made was about "imported food". Made/grown in France or Spain or Turkey is also imported. Same for most nuts, seeds, dried fruit etc.

I know - I was thinking of the amount of stuff that comes from China and the like. Much supermarket stuff is from there. I think if we could manage with European stuff alone, we'd be doing well, though I'd like to see canal and rail used for goods transport more.

MrG · Post by **MrG** » 13 Jan 2011, 17:03

Just don't go to shops basically.

Non food shops that is. They don't have anything useful in them as a rule. Well Ok hardware shops are necessary even after you've got all your tools (which I haven't I just scandalously borrow whatever I need).

I mean basically I buy food, drink and drugs. What else do you need?

I grow virtually all my own veg but I eat meat, butter, bread, drink milk. And I make my own booze and pick my own mushrooms so really I don't know where the money goes!! ENERGY, transport that's another big one, keeping a roof over my (and others) head. That one's getting written off though I'm buying a boat and putting a burner in so there goes energy too.

I need to hitch more.. and of course the boat is a form of transportation as well as an extremely cheap house.

I went in a shop (TK max) the other day with a friend I was actually considering buying new boots

I actually thought I'd give the old ones one more night out dancing (coz so comfy) then realised if I did I'd be walking home barefoot.. So I'm in a shop and I realised how long it was since I'd been in a shop shop (kipple shop).. years.. not sure how many.. more than 3. I got totally lost in the whole shopping area of town, didn't know where anything was.

Needless to say I had to get the hell out of there and didn't buy anything. Place was freaking me out.

Anyway my last pair of british army boots standard issue lasted over 5 years and I walk everywhere. I know my size so I think I'll just get 3 or 4 pairs online.. last me all the way through the long emergency. You will never never beat british army boots. I only replace clothes if I lose them when I'm shitfaced and then its charity shop all the way.. otherwise I just MEND them or fnd ones someone else lost when they were shitfaced

The new lady is actually someone I went out with 10 years ago.. she was I have to admit slightly dismayed when she realised I was wearing the same clothes! She tried to throw away my t shirt

I just said 'yeah and I bet you think I washed it since you last saw me as well'