Wheel

Wheel, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The sun was at its golden hour, low on the horizon. It painted surreal colours. This old wheel sits in front of my house, parked there by former owners. Long unused for its original purpose it has been beaten by the weather.

Yet it has found a new purpose, simply decorative. We live in a throwaway society wanting ever more and discarding the "old" Electronics become out of date long before they stop working, yet we think nothing of replacing them. At the time this wheel was made, belongings were precious. Old string was reused, clothing recut and remade or the fabric could be sewn into a quilt making new from old.

I am a techie - I can't say I always live by those principles, but I am trying to move more to a simpler life where less is more. It's the only way this planet will keep on rolling.

Jan 9/10: Drying the Boots

Jan 9/10: Drying the Boots, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The Daily Shoot assignment was newspapers which many say are a dying entity. I started to think of the many ways I use my daily newspaper after it has been read. Some, as in this image sop up the wetness of boots from outside. Newspapers are great for starting a fire in my fireplace. I crumple up sheets and stuff them under the grate. Newspapers are the perfect material when washing windows. Despite their inky text they polish the glass to a shine. And when short of wrapping paper, I have certainly wrapped gifts in the coloured comic section. What will we do if newspapers disappear?

I find it ironic that I carry my reusable bag to the grocery store so as to save the environment only to buy plastic bags for my kitchen garbage can and to clean my cats' litter boxes. Better to pay for bags that won't fall apart than to pay the grocery store 5¢ to wrap my groceries in one that may spring a leak and will not be able to be reused.

I hope to continue to have my daily paper delivered to my home (a job for a person) and to reuse my newspapers in as many ways as I can.

Day 44: Good Intentions

Day 44: Good Intentions, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Reusable shopping bags are de rigeur now. Some stores are phasing out bags and others pay five cents for each bag of your own you use for your groceries. I'm all for saving on plastic (though I do sometimes take the plastic as I have cats with litter boxes to clean). It's just that for years I have avoided wearing clothing with labels and now I find myself carrying around advertising for a variety of stores. So hard to be politically correct from every angle.

It's interesting to see how the tipping point has been reached. I carry around a nylon shopping bag that folds into itself. I used to get eyed peculiarly when I said I didn't need a bag. Now, so often, people ask before I even whip it out, whether or not I need a bag. Little steps to save the planet - but let's hope our governments finally start taking the big steps needed. If individuals can change, so can the corporations that are the largest causes of the state of our planet. Wishful thinking.