Over buying and packaging - we all have too much of everything.
Kirsty
· 1 year ago
The mile long paper receipts I get from the grocery store even if I'm purchasing less than eight items.
Romana Mirza
· 1 year ago
Procrastinating. Asking endless "what if" questions rather than just getting started and discovering on the way.
Mary Evans
· 1 year ago
Today is definately a throw away society. I remember from my youth...appliance repair, you brought your toaster, iron, coffeepot, etc. in to be repaired. Shoe repair: you brought your shoes in to be resoled, resewn, heels restored. In todays' society these items are made cheaply to be thrown out, so you will buy another...
chantal
· 1 year ago
running water - for no reason while brushing teeth, waiting for it to get hot, etc.
Kristin
· 1 year ago
To me, waste is defined as millions of dollars in advertising spent on flooding my mailbox and TV screen with things I don't want. I only need to be told about something 10 times - after that I don't need to be reminded anymore times. I either want it and get it, or I don't. Quit wasting time and money.
RecollectedStephanie
· 1 year ago
Buying things just to buy things seems to me to be a waste of time, attention, and resources. Buying things meant for throwing away - the modern complicity with planned obsolescence - blech! It's hard to value what you won't care for, and if the things in a life all seem disposable, then the life itself starts to seem that way too.
It's also possible to waste time and energy being uber efficient, ultra utilitarian, and extremely conservationist - but that misses the point too. Grasping at every speck of every Thing is wasteful, if it takes up all a person's attention and focus. So, I suppose I'd say I think waste happens wherever gratitude doesn't.
Shannon
· 1 year ago
Watching tv. So why do I do it????????
Xai Vicente Charles
· 1 year ago
Complaints and whining make the top of my list.
laurie_matthews
· 1 year ago
Things that weigh you down. Waste is the layers of packaging surrounding the items you need. The cacophony of superfluous information that finds its way into our dialogue. The financial debts that tie chains around our legs.
RecollectedStephanie
· 1 year ago
You might actually really need a break! Sometimes even people who eat junk food are actually hungry, after all.
Beth C.
· 1 year ago
I live in a commute-by-car-community that has lots of wide open spaces without a great public transportation system. The biggest waste here is the time and fuel commuters spend sitting in traffic.
Kathleen
· 1 year ago
Spending time dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Today is what we've got!
Ellen
· 1 year ago
A life unlived.
Krystl
· 1 year ago
3 hours spent on ebay!
Donna
· 1 year ago
Plastic toys and Toys-R-US. What ever happened to playing outside for fun?
Tina Woodlee
· 1 year ago
I agree with you completely.
Kathi
· 1 year ago
unacheived potential. a day gone by without showing your love for the people around you. time spent doing what other people feel is important and not what you feel is worthy. buying "stuff" you don't need or want and that will fall apart so you can buy more...
Tina Woodlee
· 1 year ago
Poverty is the original green. My parents grew up poor and learned to use everything. As fuel and every other thing goes up in price I am learning to use more, waste less, and appreciate everything.
Claudia
· 1 year ago
YEah!! I agree with both of you, one from inside, one from outside, but both types of waste inteconnected... and if everybody could take a look at this website and did something about it, there would be less of all waste!! http://www.storyofstuff.com/ Cheers :) Claudia
Sharon
· 1 year ago
A sad waste is not being present and listening to the stories of our friends and loved ones, especially the elders.
Donald McMillan
· 1 year ago
Complaining to your Congressman about globalization by writing on unrecycled paper with ink tested on animals!
Lisa D.
· 1 year ago
Waste is my own negtive thinking. I usually work through all of my initial 'hurt child' emotions and turn it around though.
Lisa D.
· 1 year ago
Tell me about it! I am soo guilty of this! Weaning myself off...thankfully household chores don't allow the time!
Katie Kay
· 1 year ago
My biggest pet peave, is the waste of precious time by not having good time management. If you manage your time better, especially at work and with mundane chores, you then allow time for the beautiful things in life. Talking with your kid for 15 minutes, sitting out on the deck for a glass of wine with your partner before dinner, taking a drive in the sportscar at sunset. Life is faced pass you can't miss out on the beautiful moments that make life worth living.
Emily-Sarah
· 1 year ago
So true about our culture's idea of easily tossing things. My hubby called for a replacement part on a coffee maker; he was told they don't make replacement parts, but they'd send out a brand-new maker. It was tough to put that huge, lovely, not very old coffee maker in the trash simply because a tiny but crucial part didn't work. Supposedly, companies actually make things NOT to last as long now, so we'll have to buy new items (and it costs as much or more to replace something as it does to buy the whole thing new!). Take a look at http://www.storyofstuff.com about all our stuff ...
Kate
· 1 year ago
Time spent worrying (that you're not good enough, not thin enough, not young enough...) rather than doing.
Also, shrink wrap covering more shrink wrap covering packaging if the thing you actually need.
Kate
· 1 year ago
I meant "of the thing", clearly.
Lindsey
· 1 year ago
A life spent in pursuit of material gain.
Lisa
· 1 year ago
Idling cars.
Gina Marie
· 1 year ago
The lack of appreciation for the complete potential of something.
Bevin
· 1 year ago
Trips to places like Target or WalMart to buy cartloads of stuff that I don't need or that will become trash in a few weeks. What a monumental waste of money and TIME!
Anne
· 1 year ago
I agree with both of you and I think one of the worst type of waste would have to be anything in excess. Like buying too much of something you don't need; drinking too much alcohol; watching too much TV; spending too much money you may not have like buying on credit; eating too much,and I could go on and on. It only results in waste of energy, time, opportunity, etc.
lezin bogan
· 1 year ago
piling your plate full of food and eating only half of it! also, i feel that buffets are wasteful. whatever does not get eaten gets thrown away.
Lynda
· 1 year ago
Waste..something I don't find insightful,useful, meaningful....
Danielle LaPorte
· 1 year ago
oh! huge peeve of mine. There are some mind-blowing stats on how much water we'd conserve if, as a nation, we'd just TURN THE TAP OFF in between brushing.
Ngonzi Truth Crushshon
· 1 year ago
$40,000 Debt (and have nothing to show for it). Draining relationships. buying too much and using too little. being greedy. Being spoiled. Americans are wasteful and spoiled. I had the chance to go to Africa and the children their have less material wealth but more spiritual wellbeing and are much happier. WASTE is having misplaced priorities!
Kaytlyn
· 1 year ago
A comment on the photo next to your answer today. Although EnviroSax are great and reusable, I like to take my non-waste commitment a step further by using bags made of recycled materials such as Tote2Go! bags or other examples like that. Sorry, even though they are one of my clients, I still love their products and love to promote them.
Reclaim! Reduce! Reuse!
Kaytlyn
· 1 year ago
Sorry, "bags made of reclaimed materials"
Andrew
· 1 year ago
I totally agree. Though we would be far more inclined to get things repaired if the cost of said repair wasn't so often nearly the purchase price of a complete replacement.
Josie
· 1 year ago
I agree with Mary Ellen and others who speak of our "throw away" society. I grew in the Philippines, where ever little thing was precious, especially food. I've lived in America for 20 years now and I find myself doing the same thing. My parents and grandparents knew how to repair anything and everything. I hardly mend a sock, let alone repair even a minor appliance. I'm afraid it sometimes translates into our relationships as well. Not just with spouses but sometimes with friends. I like the motto: "never cut what you can untangle". I want to live more consciously and re-acquaint myself with treasuring things we own as well as cherishing the people in our lives.
Cindy
· 1 year ago
Not living up to our potential. hugs c
lael o'brien
· 1 year ago
buying food and watching it rot in the fridge; leaving half of a meal on a plate. so sad when you think of the millions of people who did not even get an ounce of grain today.
lael o'brien
· 1 year ago
absolutely. go to your local farmers' market or craft fair and pick out a few little gems.
Mackenzie Biggar
· 1 year ago
I define 'waste' as time spent worrying. That time could be spent doing, thinking, speaking, or listening.
Helen
· 1 year ago
Waste of resources makes me really concerned, especially if we had more gratitude for something then we may consider its usefulness before discarding. or even having it in the first place. Waste is THE environmental hazard. Helen
Janet
· 1 year ago
Paying for phone service that is commandeered by telemarketers. If I want something or need services, I contact a business or supplier. They don't need to contact me first!
C.S. - Composed Lovely
· 1 year ago
Somewhat along the lines of Carrie - not using the things that you DO have. Use your nice crystal, silver, dinnerware and linen napkins for yourself, not just your company.
kerrymac
· 1 year ago
Waste...Getting so caught up the hustle of everyday life that you miss the beautiful moments. I agree with the overpackaging, especially those horrible huge plastic shells they seal everything in at Costco. Why do we need a gift card packaged in a plastic container larger that my one year old? It's maddenning. I also hate all the time I have to give away to everyday life tasks such as paying bills, wish everything was direct withdrawl and I could forget about it. www.snickerdoodles.typepad.com
Shannon Fitzgerald
· 1 year ago
Don't get me started. I am an ardent environmentalist and I see it every day all day. Think of it this way - whatever cannot be recycled or composted goes into a landfill for thousands of year and we are running out of space, not to mention all the toxic chemicals that are leaching into the soil/earth.
Alison
· 1 year ago
Finger-on-the-pulse trendiness. This is in for the next five minutes, then its going to be....
All Comments
In todays' society these items are made cheaply to be thrown out, so you will buy another...
while brushing teeth, waiting for it to get hot, etc.
It's also possible to waste time and energy being uber efficient, ultra utilitarian, and extremely conservationist - but that misses the point too. Grasping at every speck of every Thing is wasteful, if it takes up all a person's attention and focus. So, I suppose I'd say I think waste happens wherever gratitude doesn't.
a day gone by without showing your love for the people around you.
time spent doing what other people feel is important and not what you feel is worthy.
buying "stuff" you don't need or want and that will fall apart so you can buy more...
Cheers :)
Claudia
Also, shrink wrap covering more shrink wrap covering packaging if the thing you actually need.
WASTE is having misplaced priorities!
Reclaim! Reduce! Reuse!
I'm afraid it sometimes translates into our relationships as well. Not just with spouses but sometimes with friends. I like the motto: "never cut what you can untangle". I want to live more consciously and re-acquaint myself with treasuring things we own as well as cherishing the people in our lives.
hugs
c
www.snickerdoodles.typepad.com