posted 6 years ago
As the flip side of the discussion of what folks might be giving up during their permaculture or simplification journey, I thought I'd list things that I'm not personally ready to give up.....and why. It might be interesting to see what it hear people are doing and thinking.
... Soap. I'm not ready to go soapless or poo-less. Reason? I get really dirty, sweaty, and greasy working on this farm. A good hot soapy shower at the end of the day works wonders for my mental health, and physical health considering how easy it us to get skin infections in the tropics.
... Hot water. I think one of the last things of civilization that I want to give up is a hot shower. Washing in cold water isn't my idea of fun.
... Cooked food. While I do eat plenty of raw foods, I not yet interested in an all raw diet. I really like soups and stews. Cooked foods taste different than raw, and I like the taste of cooked in many cases.
... Meat. I not only enjoy a good steak or pulled pork, I also physically feel better including some meat in my diet.
... Gasoline. While I've drastically cutback my use, I can't foresee voluntarily eliminating it. Using a horse and wagon or bicycle to get to town might often be enjoyable but the traffic here wouldn't allow for that.
... Internet. In today's world, I want Internet.
... Living rural. Although some day I may need to move to town due to my age, for right now I enjoy have elbow room around me. I don't want to live right next door to another person. I like open space. I like to be surrounded by nature.
... My animals. I'm aware that others think it is nuts to have lots of cats, dogs, sheep, chickens, etc. But I like it. They make me part of nature, part of the world, part of a rural life. I'm not interested in eliminating them yet.
... Plastics. While I've reduced my dependency upon them, I still use plastic items.
... Sugar. While I no longer buy packaged sugar or foods with sugar in them, I still enjoy a daily small glass of fresh cane juice and a weekly cherry soda. And if someone were to offer me a Sees butterscotch lollipop, I surely wouldn't turn it down.
... Shoes. Some people here are going shoeless, but I'm not willing to do that. My feet are tender and I don't want to put up with constantly treating cuts.
... Motorized tools. While I do prefer to work with small equipment (atv, tiller, chainsaw, weedwacker, drill, saws, etc) vs heavy equipment, I'm not the least bit interested in giving up motorized tools.
... Electricity. I'm not a big user of electricity. I've reduced quite a bit. But I'm not interested in totally eliminating it. I really like having a water pump, refrigerator, freezer, and a light on at night.
It's never too late to start! I retired to homestead on the slopes of Mauna Loa, an active volcano. I relate snippets of my endeavor on my blog : www.kaufarmer.blogspot.com