Using Less Resources In These Difficult Times: Covid-19

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by startinganew, Apr 3, 2020.

  1. startinganew

    startinganew Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    386
    Likes Received:
    670
    Trophy Points:
    173
    Gender:
    Female
    Are you trying to use less resources in your daily life given the current times? Can you share how and what you are doing? Even if it is small or simple change - it might inspire all of us to do a little more.
     
    kkrish, jskls, SinghManisha and 5 others like this.
    Loading...

  2. startinganew

    startinganew Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    386
    Likes Received:
    670
    Trophy Points:
    173
    Gender:
    Female
    I will start:
    - Trying to spend only a few minutes in the shower to use less water.
    - After years of thinking about it, I started a compost bin two weeks ago to make use of all the vegetable cuttings and peels from our kitchen.
     
    kkrish, Thyagarajan, Mehana and 4 others like this.
  3. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,481
    Likes Received:
    30,224
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    I am ashamed to write this but what the heck! : ) Most people do this in regular times but it took me a pandemic to get serious about it: Aiming to reach a near-zero raw vegetables and cooked food wastage mode. The first step was to add items to the list after looking properly in the fridge and in all the kitchen cabinets. No guess work. No impulse buy in the store. This was hard - curbing the impulse to buy something just like that since others are obviously buying whatever they find in the store. If I think something cannot be used in two weeks, I am not picking it up. (Daals, rice I have enough for a month at any time).

    And my biggest achievement, one that I almost put on FB. : ) Cleaned 3 bathrooms twice in the past two weeks without using any paper towel. Finally got to use a big bag of 12 x 18 inch terry "rag" towels bought years ago.

    Reduced toilet paper usage by the household. For about two days, it was zero. : ) Without getting into too many details... mostly due to having bidets already installed years ago. Trained the kids to avoid tp use if needed. But relaxed it after two days when I found some tp in a store. Felt sorry for the younger one when I heard, "I have to be at home with you for five months." That really can be the end of the world for a teen anywhere! I responded with an offer of "contraband" for the "5 month prison term": "You can use tp now like before." : )

    =======
    All that said, I wonder how the whole world now washing hands properly and using so many sanitizing supplies/chemicals will impact mother earth.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2020
  4. Amulet

    Amulet IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    3,147
    Likes Received:
    5,088
    Trophy Points:
    408
    Gender:
    Female
    We used to dine out in restaurants at least a couple of times a week. That is totally out now.

    There are studies of how long one has to practice a new thing before it becomes a "habit". This applies to both good, and especially, to bad/unhealthy things.

    We must strive not to get trapped in new things. I am sure someone is printing Make-America-Lax-Again T-shirts and hats.
     
  5. shravs3

    shravs3 IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    3,207
    Likes Received:
    5,845
    Trophy Points:
    425
    Gender:
    Female
    We are not having breakfast on weekdays. Ofcourse not because of quarantine but due to IF which we started few months ago.
    So definitely this helps in saving lots of food items.
     
  6. Mehana

    Mehana Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,659
    Likes Received:
    1,813
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Female
    Started thinking about adding more vegetables to my garden, it might be helpful during this time, save money and healthy as well.

    Planning to reduce dairy for long time, slowly switching to black coffee only with little milk. Healthy as well for my age and good saving milk products especially at this time

    Kids: started doing more homemade snacks . Reduce preservatives and healthy as well
     
  7. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,640
    Likes Received:
    12,463
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male
    :hello:A great thread in COVID 19 times.

    2. It is a great idea to have a brain storming session in times when solutions are elusive. Across different age groups, one may get a spectrum of ideas in using resources which with passage of time likely get scarce as when Nations are at loggerheads or in war or as at present pandemic.

    3. By habit, many old generations living alone away from their offspring and above sixty and seventy might be already thrifty but they might be able to contribute here. It is said if some activity practised repeatedly it turns into a habit and research proved that a maximum of twenty one times needed before the activity set into habit. (@Amulet)

    4. When it comes to medicine needs for hypertension or and diabetics there is no scope For thriftiness. No alternate might fit the bill. Their routine by habits already fixed.

    5. With social distancing, it has become necessary for me to stop the delivery persons knocking at my doors. I had stopped milk, news paper, domestic help(s). I had the opportunity of my friends abroad telling me in advance what to do and stock groceries and with their sharing of difficulties in good time had put many of my friends here in India in better position to cope with resources stretched.

    6. With no milk we turned vegans. We sacrificed morning first filter and second instant coffee resulting in less consumption of sugar, better bowel movement and our general well being is better than pre- pandemic days. Body is better exercised by doing lots of domestic work no need to go to gym. We feel more fit than before. No bread so no toast saved on energy electricity or and fuel LPG. COMPLETE Landry work from gathering to drying on clothesline on every third day against alternate days.

    • Life style changes recommended by physician considered well nigh impossible now turned so easy. We could sacrifice staple milk curd buttermilk coffee sugar....
    7. We stopped buying ready made pouched wet Udhayam Dough for idli/ dosa. We were buying 4 packets a week. Now it is grounded at home once in four days with Preethi. Daily now we make wonderful enough dosa and idli. Few days we may carry on entire day only with idli/dosa. For a change, she would make Fried rice or samba broken uppuma. We do consume less rice less sambar but more lemon rasam using less dal. I lend a helping hand and at times stand as a catalyst with her doing great cooking.

    8. We had stopped using can or bottled water. Aqua guard is fixed just a few days WHO announced COVID Is pandemic. We wish we got this long long ago.

    9. We save plenty of water which is noticeable. With maid we were switching on motor to fill overhead tank twice and some times even thrice. Now it is only once in the early morning or late night. Every third day, Our swabbing the floor (she & I share) of 550 sq ft turned more effective with less water consumption.

    10. We try the one pot one shot method of cooking that minimises cleaning the cooking vessels. Sink looks clean for a longer period. No accumulation for a long period for maid to come and clear. We use less water and our cleaning is more effective than the maid’s work.

    12. Bathrooms and WC are sparkling with our cleaning and we get profound sleep and refreshed. No special exercise or gym to be FIT.
    Overall, it is felt that Less is More in pandemic
    & More Was Less in pre-pandemic
    .

    GOD - cleanliness is next to Godliness
    GOD - dwells in well kept homes.
    GOD - Your presence felt in mobile and immobile universe.
     
  8. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,640
    Likes Received:
    12,463
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male
    @startinganew
    :hello:A great thread in COVID 19 times.

    2. It is a great idea to have a brain storming session in times when solutions are elusive. Across different age groups, one may get a spectrum of ideas in using resources which with passage of time likely get scarce as when Nations are at loggerheads or in war or as at present pandemic.

    3. By habit, many old generations living alone away from their offspring and above sixty and seventy might be already thrifty but they might be able to contribute here. It is said if some activity practised repeatedly it turns into a habit and research proved that a maximum of twenty one times needed before the activity set into habit. (@Amulet)

    4. When it comes to medicine needs for hypertension or and diabetics there is no scope For thriftiness. No alternate might fit the bill. Their routine by habits already fixed.

    5. With social distancing, it has become necessary for me to stop the delivery persons knocking at my doors. I had stopped milk, news paper, domestic help(s). I had the opportunity of my friends abroad telling me in advance what to do and stock groceries and with their sharing of difficulties in good time had put many of my friends here in India in better position to cope with resources stretched.

    6. With no milk we turned vegans. We sacrificed morning first filter and second instant coffee resulting in less consumption of sugar, better bowel movement and our general well being is better than pre- pandemic days. Body is better exercised by doing lots of domestic work no need to go to gym. We feel more fit than before. No bread so no toast saved on energy electricity or and fuel LPG. COMPLETE Landry work from gathering to drying on clothesline on every third day against alternate days.

    • Life style changes recommended by physician considered well nigh impossible now turned so easy. We could sacrifice staple milk curd buttermilk coffee sugar....
    7. We stopped buying ready made pouched wet Udhayam Dough for idli/ dosa. We were buying 4 packets a week. Now it is grounded at home once in four days with Preethi. Daily now we make wonderful enough dosa and idli. Few days we may carry on entire day only with idli/dosa. For a change, she would make Fried rice or samba broken uppuma. We do consume less rice less sambar but more lemon rasam using less dal. I lend a helping hand and at times stand as a catalyst with her doing great cooking.

    8. We had stopped using can or bottled water. Aqua guard is fixed just a few days WHO announced COVID Is pandemic. We wish we got this long long ago.

    9. We save plenty of water which is noticeable. With maid we were switching on motor to fill overhead tank twice and some times even thrice. Now it is only once in the early morning or late night. Every third day, Our swabbing the floor (she & I share) of 550 sq ft turned more effective with less water consumption.

    10. We try the one pot one shot method of cooking that minimises cleaning the cooking vessels. Sink looks clean for a longer period. No accumulation for a long period for maid to come and clear. We use less water and our cleaning is more effective than the maid’s work.

    12. Bathrooms and WC are sparkling with our cleaning and we get profound sleep and refreshed. No special exercise or gym to be FIT.
    Overall, it is felt that Less is More in pandemic
    & More Was Less in pre-pandemic
    .

    GOD - cleanliness is next to Godliness
    GOD - dwells in well kept homes.
    GOD - Your presence felt in mobile and immobile universe.

    Ps: my heartfelt thanks to OP . You & I know the trigger for your posting this timely helpful thread.
    God Bless.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2020
    Caughtinbetween likes this.
  9. Caughtinbetween

    Caughtinbetween Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    542
    Likes Received:
    748
    Trophy Points:
    188
    Gender:
    Female
    Money spent on outside food is less . Trying to finish pantry supplies completely before shopping for new stock including that long forgotten packet of semolina and bombino semiya to make upma as many times as possible.
     
  10. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,640
    Likes Received:
    12,463
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male
    :hello:Hi studies show breakfast is important meal of the day and depriving body in the morning would invite other issues like deficiency in hormone production, regeneration, metabolism etc. I trust you must have had factored in these points before skipping the vital breakfast.
    God Bless.
     
    kkrish likes this.

Share This Page