How do you define waste?
Daily | June 5th, 2008
Getting wasted. The urge to purge.
Carrie says: Buying things you never use. And all of the over-packaging saddens me, because where does it all go? Waste is the squandering of time, resources and energy.
Danielle says: Repetitive whining. What a waste of precious energy.
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June 5th, 2008 at 3:06 am
I agree Danielle,nothing is going to change if you keep on whining…
June 5th, 2008 at 3:23 am
Under-used talents, unfullfilled dreams and… regrets..
June 5th, 2008 at 3:41 am
Watching tv.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:12 am
Over buying and packaging – we all have too much of everything.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:00 am
The mile long paper receipts I get from the grocery store even if I’m purchasing less than eight items.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:31 am
Procrastinating. Asking endless “what if” questions rather than just getting started and discovering on the way.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:33 am
Today is definately a throw away society. I remember from my youth…appliance repair, you brought your toaster, iron, coffeepot, etc. in to be repaired. Shoe repair: you brought your shoes in to be resoled, resewn, heels restored.
In todays’ society these items are made cheaply to be thrown out, so you will buy another…
June 5th, 2008 at 5:34 am
running water – for no reason
while brushing teeth, waiting for it to get hot, etc.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:35 am
To me, waste is defined as millions of dollars in advertising spent on flooding my mailbox and TV screen with things I don’t want. I only need to be told about something 10 times – after that I don’t need to be reminded anymore times. I either want it and get it, or I don’t. Quit wasting time and money.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:58 am
Buying things just to buy things seems to me to be a waste of time, attention, and resources. Buying things meant for throwing away – the modern complicity with planned obsolescence – blech! It’s hard to value what you won’t care for, and if the things in a life all seem disposable, then the life itself starts to seem that way too.
It’s also possible to waste time and energy being uber efficient, ultra utilitarian, and extremely conservationist – but that misses the point too. Grasping at every speck of every Thing is wasteful, if it takes up all a person’s attention and focus. So, I suppose I’d say I think waste happens wherever gratitude doesn’t.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:19 am
Watching tv. So why do I do it????????
June 5th, 2008 at 6:22 am
Complaints and whining make the top of my list.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Things that weigh you down. Waste is the layers of packaging surrounding the items you need. The cacophony of superfluous information that finds its way into our dialogue. The financial debts that tie chains around our legs.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:34 am
You might actually really need a break! Sometimes even people who eat junk food are actually hungry, after all.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:42 am
I live in a commute-by-car-community that has lots of wide open spaces without a great public transportation system. The biggest waste here is the time and fuel commuters spend sitting in traffic.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Spending time dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Today is what we’ve got!
June 5th, 2008 at 7:00 am
A life unlived.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:12 am
3 hours spent on ebay!
June 5th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Plastic toys and Toys-R-US. What ever happened to playing outside for fun?
June 5th, 2008 at 7:41 am
I agree with you completely.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:42 am
unacheived potential.
a day gone by without showing your love for the people around you.
time spent doing what other people feel is important and not what you feel is worthy.
buying “stuff” you don’t need or want and that will fall apart so you can buy more…
June 5th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Poverty is the original green. My parents grew up poor and learned to use everything. As fuel and every other thing goes up in price I am learning to use more, waste less, and appreciate everything.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:46 am
YEah!! I agree with both of you, one from inside, one from outside, but both types of waste inteconnected… and if everybody could take a look at this website and did something about it, there would be less of all waste!! http://www.storyofstuff.com/
Cheers
Claudia
June 5th, 2008 at 7:46 am
A sad waste is not being present and listening to the stories of our friends and loved ones, especially the elders.
June 5th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Complaining to your Congressman about globalization by writing on unrecycled paper with ink tested on animals!
June 5th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Waste is my own negtive thinking. I usually work through all of my initial ‘hurt child’ emotions and turn it around though.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Tell me about it! I am soo guilty of this! Weaning myself off…thankfully household chores don’t allow the time!
June 5th, 2008 at 9:12 am
My biggest pet peave, is the waste of precious time by not having good time management. If you manage your time better, especially at work and with mundane chores, you then allow time for the beautiful things in life. Talking with your kid for 15 minutes, sitting out on the deck for a glass of wine with your partner before dinner, taking a drive in the sportscar at sunset. Life is faced pass you can’t miss out on the beautiful moments that make life worth living.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:14 am
So true about our culture’s idea of easily tossing things. My hubby called for a replacement part on a coffee maker; he was told they don’t make replacement parts, but they’d send out a brand-new maker. It was tough to put that huge, lovely, not very old coffee maker in the trash simply because a tiny but crucial part didn’t work. Supposedly, companies actually make things NOT to last as long now, so we’ll have to buy new items (and it costs as much or more to replace something as it does to buy the whole thing new!). Take a look at http://www.storyofstuff.com about all our stuff …
June 5th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Time spent worrying (that you’re not good enough, not thin enough, not young enough…) rather than doing.
Also, shrink wrap covering more shrink wrap covering packaging if the thing you actually need.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:45 am
I meant “of the thing”, clearly.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:01 am
A life spent in pursuit of material gain.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Idling cars.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:15 am
The lack of appreciation for the complete potential of something.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Trips to places like Target or WalMart to buy cartloads of stuff that I don’t need or that will become trash in a few weeks. What a monumental waste of money and TIME!
June 5th, 2008 at 10:48 am
I agree with both of you and I think one of the worst type of waste would have to be anything in excess. Like buying too much of something you don’t need; drinking too much alcohol; watching too much TV; spending too much money you may not have like buying on credit; eating too much,and I could go on and on. It only results in waste of energy, time, opportunity, etc.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:56 am
piling your plate full of food and eating only half of it! also, i feel that buffets are wasteful. whatever does not get eaten gets thrown away.
June 5th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Waste..something I don’t find insightful,useful, meaningful….
June 5th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
oh! huge peeve of mine. There are some mind-blowing stats on how much water we’d conserve if, as a nation, we’d just TURN THE TAP OFF in between brushing.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
$40,000 Debt (and have nothing to show for it). Draining relationships. buying too much and using too little. being greedy. Being spoiled. Americans are wasteful and spoiled. I had the chance to go to Africa and the children their have less material wealth but more spiritual wellbeing and are much happier.
WASTE is having misplaced priorities!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
A comment on the photo next to your answer today. Although EnviroSax are great and reusable, I like to take my non-waste commitment a step further by using bags made of recycled materials such as Tote2Go! bags or other examples like that. Sorry, even though they are one of my clients, I still love their products and love to promote them.
Reclaim! Reduce! Reuse!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Sorry, “bags made of reclaimed materials”
June 5th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I totally agree. Though we would be far more inclined to get things repaired if the cost of said repair wasn’t so often nearly the purchase price of a complete replacement.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I agree with Mary Ellen and others who speak of our “throw away” society. I grew in the Philippines, where ever little thing was precious, especially food. I’ve lived in America for 20 years now and I find myself doing the same thing. My parents and grandparents knew how to repair anything and everything. I hardly mend a sock, let alone repair even a minor appliance.
I’m afraid it sometimes translates into our relationships as well. Not just with spouses but sometimes with friends. I like the motto: “never cut what you can untangle”. I want to live more consciously and re-acquaint myself with treasuring things we own as well as cherishing the people in our lives.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Not living up to our potential.
hugs
c
June 5th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
buying food and watching it rot in the fridge; leaving half of a meal on a plate. so sad when you think of the millions of people who did not even get an ounce of grain today.
June 5th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
absolutely. go to your local farmers’ market or craft fair and pick out a few little gems.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I define ‘waste’ as time spent worrying. That time could be spent doing, thinking, speaking, or listening.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:54 am
Waste of resources makes me really concerned, especially if we had more gratitude for something then we may consider its usefulness before discarding. or even having it in the first place. Waste is THE environmental hazard. Helen
June 6th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Paying for phone service that is commandeered by telemarketers. If I want something or need services, I contact a business or supplier. They don’t need to contact me first!
June 7th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Somewhat along the lines of Carrie – not using the things that you DO have. Use your nice crystal, silver, dinnerware and linen napkins for yourself, not just your company.
June 12th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Waste…Getting so caught up the hustle of everyday life that you miss the beautiful moments. I agree with the overpackaging, especially those horrible huge plastic shells they seal everything in at Costco. Why do we need a gift card packaged in a plastic container larger that my one year old? It’s maddenning. I also hate all the time I have to give away to everyday life tasks such as paying bills, wish everything was direct withdrawl and I could forget about it.
http://www.snickerdoodles.typepad.com
August 14th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Don’t get me started. I am an ardent environmentalist and I see it every day all day. Think of it this way – whatever cannot be recycled or composted goes into a landfill for thousands of year and we are running out of space, not to mention all the toxic chemicals that are leaching into the soil/earth.
August 28th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Finger-on-the-pulse trendiness. This is in for the next five minutes, then its going to be….