Monday, December 11, 2006

Saving Scrap, Sicknote and Shrinkage

I had another post written but I was packing my things and I got to thinking. As a child, more often than not my mother always found an extra use for something. After reading newspapers were used to light the jiko, clean windows, line shelves and more. By doing this we ended up getting the maximum use from something before throwing it away and ended up buying less. In her quest to save money my mother was is a defacto environmentalist. This ended up being passed to me. How, you ask?Let me give you an example or two.

1.I buy the 24 pack mineral water bottle crate. After I drink the water in a bottle, that bottle is used to a) carry drinking water in the gym b) contain used oil after cooking c) carry liquid detergent when I go do laundry at a friend's place.

2.As students we get free subscriptions to the NY Times. So I end up having alot of extra issues in my house. I have found multiple uses for them; a) lining the shelves in the kitchen b) used them to add a few inches to my jua kali tv stand that is made up of a bucket, wooden board and 5 inches of newspapers ( I have a tv stand but decided that I would assemble it when I moved out). c) I used what I had today to wrap up my porcelain plates. I may be a bachelor but I dont eat off plastic and paper plates.

3.Whenever I go shopping and I have polyethene bags. I use these to line my waste paper bin, carry out trash and to carry stuff around when I dont want to use my backpack.

I do know I could do a whole lot more but the thing is that every small step counts. Here in the West people tend to be very wasteful, it is said that America generates around 70% of the world's trash on it's own.
I think that if we are going to call ourselves environmentally conscious, we might as well do ourselves the favour of making sure it is reflected in our everyday lives. Remember, the earth still needs your help!

If there is anyone who has ever needed to visit a witchdoctor, it is this man. He suffered a concussion over the weekend. Chris Kirkland was once a Liverpool player and was touted as the next big thing, being in contention for a place on the English team, but a constant stream of injuries and bad luck put paid to that. This dude has managed to get injured whenever a big opportunity has come his way. The British media dubbed him "sick note" at one point in time. Name it and most probably he has had it, knee injuries, shoulder injuries, back problems, a broken finger, broken wrist,kidney injury, groin injury and now a concussion.

"I want people to stop talking about the injuries, to stop saying 'oh, Chris Kirkland, always injured', and say 'this lad is good, he can play'.

During his four seasons on Merseyside, Kirkland made just 45 appearances due to his injury problems, resulting in another loan move to West Brom last season.
- Chris Kirkland on Sporting Life Website

Someone please help this man! How he finds the strength to go on, is way beyond me.

On a lighter note; I now know why Idian housewives in the Parklands part of Nairobi are known for indulging in illicit relationships with their shamba boys and watchmen. Wouldn't you if your man was part of the itty-bitty committee??

9 comments:

egm said...

Plenty can be saved by being resourceful and recycling the use of various things around the house.

As for that club, this line made me cheka: It's not size, it's what you do with it that matters," he said. From our population, the evidence is Indians are doing pretty well.

Happy painless moving!

Acolyte said...

@ EGM
I do agree there is so much that we waste that can be used one more time!
A chic told me that size does matter, so I dont buy that line anymore.
I have so little to move that it isnt painful at all!

Don_quixote said...

After watching "the day after tommorow" which chastisised me more than any thing has in a while not to mention the al gore documentary, i have been singing about global warming to all my pals till i got dubbed "mother earth". Its not just about littering or just throwing away stuff coz you can, the things that can be done with just one box or paper bag is amazing.

Am sure most indian men are cursing the ones who did that survey now every one will have loads of jokes to go around or maybe its like that poet said "of inches and centimetres......"

p.s you blog has it in for me I BEDSHEET YOU NOT!!! si you see every time i try to leave a comment the word verification does not load even when i refresh 5 times, it drains out the "try to be a petient person" in me.

Anonymous said...

Good that you are playing your part in saving our environment :-)
About the itsy-bitsy committee...i can't imagine a man going kwa kiosk kusema nipe hio condom ka-dogo LOL!

Chatterly

Anonymous said...

Aaaa.. Recycling, Kenyan style. Good desription. I remember the unga packets made great lunchboxes to carry chapos and sandwiches to school for break snacks. Have an easy successful move.

Size does matter! The idea of size that is. When the chick gets a hold of it, just the idea of what it can do... Hey ladies help me out here! That article - on the Beeb no less!

Quintessence said...

LOL...nostalgia man...ta for the memories

Rant's of an angry somali man said...

usiki we u always bring me back lots memories.....damn!....our household was the same.....read this and remembered back in primo when told to cover books i would go cover them with newspapers only to go to school and being charazwad 4 using them....about kirkland namwonea huruma sana usiki nika amerogwa i hope one this dayz he'll prove himself.

Girl next door said...

My peroz (esp. my Dad) belong to that school of environmentalists and I've adopted the same habits. We also used to cover books with newspaper. I use old newspapers and magazines for my art projects. After living with an extremely eco-conscious roommate, I've learned to recycle even more.

I read that article yesterday. Indians are not the only ones who'll benefit from better fitting condoms.

Ichiena said...

Old calendars for book covers, pegs for hanging curtains, cracked glass for toothbrush holder, Kimbo / Kasuku containers for flower pots, used matchsticks for toothpicks (OMG! I'd forgotten that one)

In retrospect, we were such scrooges in my home, eeh?