I’ve been traveling this weekend and Monday, so I don’t have a proper post today. But I wanted to pass along this interesting article on Washingtonians who lived through the Great Depression. These folks have wisdom to share and, unfortunately, some of it might become quite relevant:
The common adage of the time, McKenzie recalled, was: “Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do. Do without.”
Anyway…food for thought.
4 Comments
Jonathan,
I thought you should know that, for my work computer, yours’ is my homepage. It’s a refreshing way to start my day at work at Broome County, New York’s largest hunger outreach warehouse. I really enjoy reading about food waste, as many of my most wholesome experiences while homeless, and more recently while connecting with my mother by spotting a nice score and while working with CHOW have revolved around food rescue and recovery. I’m noticing while reading your posts, that you’ve been doing a lot of research. Since today’s post seems so pithy, I’m wondering if you might direct me to some hard (and boring) data on food waste. I’ve found quite a bit on my own, and anything you might share with me would certainly help out.
Something I’ve noticed lately (with pantries and banks closing down around the country) is that a community which has experienced hardships throughout the last few decades is better equipped to weather the storm. CHOW has been around for over 30 years serving this community, and when the shit hits the fan people know to help CHOW because they know that people will be leaning on us even more. In a lot of the communities where the banks and pantries are closing, there hasn’t necessarily been that experience over the years. Homelessness may be more invisible, and the plight of the hungry more stigmatized and ignored. In a community that is well-off, a few thoughtful individuals can support hunger relief operations for their local pantry through the best of times, but when it gets hard it’s time for everyone to pitch in; that seems to be the message from a lot of the old-timers in the article you’ve posted today. I wonder if the data backs up my suspicions about the pantries and banks closing around the country.
Great article to read and share. I often got that line from my Grandpa when he was alive. “People these days don’t know how to stretch a dollar”.
In a way I think he is wrong, I think that we can learn to be this way when our circumstances force it on us, just like what happened to them.
Dan, I’m honored to be your home page. Now if you can only swap an ‘l’ for that ‘r’ in Broome County.
I’d have responded yesterday, but was on the road…Anyway, the best advice I have for you is to browse through the posts in the “Stats” category on the righthand sidebar. Let me know if you find data backing up your suspicion.
Danielle,
I agree, but with one twist: I think many people don’t know how to stretch a dollar because they haven’t had the need or inclination to do so.
I think there is also a “waste is luxury” mindset. The idea that I can afford to throw away food, last year’s clothes, “out of style” furniture, etc. is a way of demonstrating to the world that I am financially successful. It is most common in the nouveau riche and their children seem to embrace it with passion, which I don’t understand.