Rant Against the Machine

So, my post today will be a short one - albeit one with lots of opinions as opposed to food sharing. An occurrence in my life in the past week has resonated with me and I'm hoping something similar hasn't happened to anyone else making the effort to alter their own lifestyle...if it has, then this one's for you!

Whichever city you're in, give 'em a whirl!

My general qualm is with people who don't appreciate others' efforts to reduce waste and to live differently than what they may deem to be "normal" (a word that I truly DESPISE!) The long and the short of it is, on one of my weekly visits to the London Farmer's Market I was treated rather rudely by my usual apple farmer. Now, let me first be VERY clear that I still believe this market to be a fabulous one and all the farmers and vendors that partake in it to be friendly, good-minded people. 

It just so happened that on this one particular Saturday morning, when I asked to please dump my purchased apples into my own basket rather than take them in the bag within which they were lying in the farmer's basket, I felt rather annoyed. The woman at the stall obviously remembered my similar request from previous weeks, rolled her eyes, said, "oh ya..right" and then walked away leaving me to struggle with the large baskets on my own. Usually friendly, yes. Accepting of my desire to not accept fresh apples in a useless plastic bag, no.

Now, this will certainly not deter me from purchasing produce at this farmer's stall, but I ask: why the unnecessary judgement for something that causes no inconvenience to the stall and actually saves them money by leaving an extra bag? Search me. I found it even more odd to have this interaction at a market where customers are encouraged to return used egg cartons for refilling and where cheese counters applaud cheese-cloth vs. paper. 

Available in most home stores.

So, instead of saying "Ah well" and moving on with my life, I've decided to put out a big "Piffle on them!" (as my Brit Mum + Dad would say) to encourage all of you eco-lifestyle-striving people to keep up with what you're doing. By not accepting bags or presenting my own travel mug to coffee counters, I've encountered varied reactions - all of which I take with a grain of salt. I mean, who are you doing this for anyway, right? But when those negative, unwilling individuals step into your path, it can be offsetting. 

With this "short rant" already being significantly longer than expected, I'll end simply. Continue bringing your laundry bags to the store or farmer's market, refuse others' refuse, and smile while doing it. Other interested people may be watching ;)

P.S. Please check out Wild Craft Permaculture: a website for a company we discovered at a convention today - incredible garden ideas, workshops, and solutions. Permaculture is the new green!