Sunday – Sustainability
What does sustainability mean to you? If something is sustainable, it lasts, right? Sustainable friendships, for example, they last your whole life. That’s probably my favorite kind of sustainability.
My parents were probably my first influencers when it comes to environmental sustainability. Not that they were big Greenpeace fans or were vegans and didn’t drive big diesel guzzling cars. No, but I believe that at the time, they were kind of pioneers when it came to recycling and upcycling. My mom cleaned out the plastic bags used in the kitchen, dried them and reused them. She fixed our clothes. And as soon as recycling became possible, she was on it. She never used a drier. My dad fixed everything that broke in the house. Nothing was just thrown away if it no longer worked, because dad always believed in trying to fix it before you buy a new one.
Dad used to grumble and swear over things that broke. He’d complain that the broken thing was badly built. “I don’t know how I’m going to fix this,” he’d exclaim. But my mom would smile at him and listen because she knew he’d soon be heading down to his workshop and start tinkering. He’d come back up with the item (apparently easily) fixed and ready to go again.
On many occasions, he had to come up with his own solution to repairing things because unfortunately there was nowhere to buy the parts he’d need to fix the thing that needed mending. He was happily surprised when we lived in the US, because there he found many stores that sold tools and parts that could be used for fixing all kinds of stuff. More of a DIY mentality. His kind of mindset.
Dad was also very good at fixing cars. The “old fashion” ones before everything became electronic. Then, the time came when my parents got a car he couldn’t fix. Because it was mostly electronically controlled. He couldn’t get to the motor. He had to give it to the experts at the garage. Secretly, dad was happy. At this time in his life, he was tired of spending all day getting his hands greasy trying to fix something in the car. So this progress was good.
People from my parents’ generation and previous ones were used to the fact that appliances, machines and other stuff lasted longer and were fixed if broken. Ever since I was young I marvelled at this. I remember saying to my parents when I was a teenager that I thought we needed to go back to how it was when my grandparents were younger. A bit naive, I know. Maybe also because I thought I would have loved to go around in a horse and carriage! But for certain things, this is still what I believe. I love it when something can be mended.
There are “repair cafés” popping up in this country, where people who are handy and know how to fix all kinds of stuff help you out with your broken items.
I truly believe that we need to be grateful for all the resources, materials and humans that were involved in a product’s lifespan. Agree? What’s the most incredible or grateful mending you (or a family member) has done? Be well sweet friends, take care and let this image make you smile.
