Hey!
This is the last post for this month, but do not worry! i ll write you if i did any shopping today or tomorrow(i m sure this day is tomorrow somewhere in US)! For today, i did not do shopping! BUT!! i had a graduation gift from my lovely/wise adviser/ listener! Sorry guys! i did not wait for 2 more days to wear that neclace... Somethings cannot be postponed!
Besides, neclace was not the only present that i got from her! i had great dinner also. Salad rocks!!!! And i should not forget to thank my little brother and my caring uncle. This was sooo not forgettable.
This was a good day, still is! Because, i have just send an application to this festival thanks to my dear M. He called me few hours ago to say that today could be the last day to apply! This is a festival in Norway. Check it out if you like, 'cos it seems like they gave us one more day to think! If i & M ll be there, you ll know every detail for sure. (Ssshhh!! Do not scream! Everybody is sleeping! at least here:)
And tomorrow...will be a looong day! Slow Food Lady and i and my roomy will meet and discuss Slow Food Movement! i am planning to write you about interview which i -again- am planning to make. If it will not be an interview, it will be something that you are going to be surprised!! Wait for it(Barney effect)!!
Lessons to be learned:
1) Enjoy your day!! So.. keep reading this blog:))
2) Let your roomy to know that you are not going to be at home for few days before you already arrive there!
3) Say 'Thanks!' to your friends/family.. and good bye to Nutella!
Cheers!!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 28th(we got a mail!!)
Hey!
Today, we got a mail from Slow Food Lady and guess what!! We -i and my roomy- will go to meet her on Thursday!!! i am happy:)
Then this means, i am going to set my new challange as... No Packed Food OCTOBER! BUT!! It seems like it is going to be a goooood challange, real challange, challange-challange! You may think why i think like that. Let me explain(i do not know why i am asking this every time as if you can say 'no')! Today, my very good friend from high school B came home and we spent hours full of thinking and sharing... Of course one of the topics we talked about was my blog. You surprised, right? i am sure you did! So, we started to think what we can do to live without packed food. Without chocolate in package, chips in package, snacks in package, pasta in package, milk in package, nutella in package, soda in package, tea in package, soy sauce in package, cereals in package, yogurt in package.. Ok i m not going to tell more about my eating habit, you already notice that is not that healthy.
Btw, after thursday, i ll be at home with my sustainable mum and not that sustainable sister:)) So for 4 days, it could either be easy or seriously hard! Because, even mum is sustainable, there are many dangerously delicious dishes that i can hardly resist. But deal is deal!! i trust myself!!
Lessons to be learned:
1) Psychology classes help me to motivate myself! Hollywood teaches more about making you feel hero:P
2) Do not eat junk food! It can be hard to quit if you want to be an environmentalist one day!
3) Do not bother your friends with your blog page. Can be dangerous!!
Cheers!!
Today, we got a mail from Slow Food Lady and guess what!! We -i and my roomy- will go to meet her on Thursday!!! i am happy:)
Then this means, i am going to set my new challange as... No Packed Food OCTOBER! BUT!! It seems like it is going to be a goooood challange, real challange, challange-challange! You may think why i think like that. Let me explain(i do not know why i am asking this every time as if you can say 'no')! Today, my very good friend from high school B came home and we spent hours full of thinking and sharing... Of course one of the topics we talked about was my blog. You surprised, right? i am sure you did! So, we started to think what we can do to live without packed food. Without chocolate in package, chips in package, snacks in package, pasta in package, milk in package, nutella in package, soda in package, tea in package, soy sauce in package, cereals in package, yogurt in package.. Ok i m not going to tell more about my eating habit, you already notice that is not that healthy.
Btw, after thursday, i ll be at home with my sustainable mum and not that sustainable sister:)) So for 4 days, it could either be easy or seriously hard! Because, even mum is sustainable, there are many dangerously delicious dishes that i can hardly resist. But deal is deal!! i trust myself!!
Lessons to be learned:
1) Psychology classes help me to motivate myself! Hollywood teaches more about making you feel hero:P
2) Do not eat junk food! It can be hard to quit if you want to be an environmentalist one day!
3) Do not bother your friends with your blog page. Can be dangerous!!
Cheers!!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 27th(good things!)
Hey!
Today was a good day! Not only because i did not buy anything, but also 'cos i received a mail from my friend L... from erasmus!! Few days ago, i sent mails to some of my friends from erasmus to tell them that i started to write a blog about my environmental challanges. Actually, this was the main reason that is why i write this blog in english and not in my own language: i wanted my foreign friends to read my blog also. No!! Right sentence should be: i wanted to force my foreign friends to read my blog also:)) What can i say? i have been a very very good good student in Management!! So, PR forever:)
Yes! Then my dear friend L replied me back saying me that she liked it(i can't keep myself sharing with you like a Marshall sharing 'baby-on-board' in How i met your mother!). BUT!! More important than this, she also had good news for environment and the community! Here is what she told me. Unfortunately, this is in Danish, but still you may want to have a look! Google translate helps! The idea here as she shared with us that this is a project about to have 'affordable, ethical and tasty vegetables and fruit:)' (exactly in her own words! Is not it a-ma-zing?)
Ok! Let s make it more clear. Sometimes, i behave like you already saw what she sent to me. However, you did not unless you are a fan and also a hacker!! In that organization, people spend 3 hours in a month to produce organic, local fruits and vegetables and have right to buy in cheaper price in return. It started in Copenhagen and they ,as part of the project, extend it to Amager! She, unlike me, is too modest saying that she is not the most active one.
Now, you see what is a-ma-zing!! This seemed to me as a really good project, since: it enables people to see where our foods come from, to understand it needs too much effort to make them ready for us to eat, to work together, to see there can be local and organic fruits and vegetables with an affordable price.. And it seems like it is going to be i bigger project! You see, just one step.. or maybe we should say one BIG step we need to go forward. Then we become Ussain Bolt! (Am i exagerating again?!)
Btw, L was the person who introduced 2nd hand store in Tilburg to me. It was my first time to visit 2nd hand store. i was sooooo, tooooo, veeerryyy impressed!! i m sure i am going to tell about it also. Do you think i am too talkative/ writative?!
Lessons to be learned:
1) Internet is not the only way to communicate with people, and Farmville is not the only place that you can produce something! (i know it sounds weird when 'i' say this:P)
2) Go to 2nd hand store and be impressed!! (good feeling!)
3) There is not such a word like writative! Do not believe everything you see!!!
Cheers!!
PS: You can believe me:)
Today was a good day! Not only because i did not buy anything, but also 'cos i received a mail from my friend L... from erasmus!! Few days ago, i sent mails to some of my friends from erasmus to tell them that i started to write a blog about my environmental challanges. Actually, this was the main reason that is why i write this blog in english and not in my own language: i wanted my foreign friends to read my blog also. No!! Right sentence should be: i wanted to force my foreign friends to read my blog also:)) What can i say? i have been a very very good good student in Management!! So, PR forever:)
Yes! Then my dear friend L replied me back saying me that she liked it(i can't keep myself sharing with you like a Marshall sharing 'baby-on-board' in How i met your mother!). BUT!! More important than this, she also had good news for environment and the community! Here is what she told me. Unfortunately, this is in Danish, but still you may want to have a look! Google translate helps! The idea here as she shared with us that this is a project about to have 'affordable, ethical and tasty vegetables and fruit:)' (exactly in her own words! Is not it a-ma-zing?)
Ok! Let s make it more clear. Sometimes, i behave like you already saw what she sent to me. However, you did not unless you are a fan and also a hacker!! In that organization, people spend 3 hours in a month to produce organic, local fruits and vegetables and have right to buy in cheaper price in return. It started in Copenhagen and they ,as part of the project, extend it to Amager! She, unlike me, is too modest saying that she is not the most active one.
Now, you see what is a-ma-zing!! This seemed to me as a really good project, since: it enables people to see where our foods come from, to understand it needs too much effort to make them ready for us to eat, to work together, to see there can be local and organic fruits and vegetables with an affordable price.. And it seems like it is going to be i bigger project! You see, just one step.. or maybe we should say one BIG step we need to go forward. Then we become Ussain Bolt! (Am i exagerating again?!)
Btw, L was the person who introduced 2nd hand store in Tilburg to me. It was my first time to visit 2nd hand store. i was sooooo, tooooo, veeerryyy impressed!! i m sure i am going to tell about it also. Do you think i am too talkative/ writative?!
Lessons to be learned:
1) Internet is not the only way to communicate with people, and Farmville is not the only place that you can produce something! (i know it sounds weird when 'i' say this:P)
2) Go to 2nd hand store and be impressed!! (good feeling!)
3) There is not such a word like writative! Do not believe everything you see!!!
Cheers!!
PS: You can believe me:)
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 25th & 26th(what if!!)
Hey!
Sorry for the delay but i m not going to write about eco-labeling. Today was a tough day. Not because i am sooo atracted by a shirt or shoes or necklace or all, but i did thought. You know it happens sometimes!
Yesterday, i received a kind mail from Slow Food Lady that next week in some day we could have tea together: i, my roomy and Slow Food Lady. This was one of the good news. The other good news is that we are going to have 'tea'. Probably, you do not know: i am tea addicted. Till here, i was a normal person except of drinking liter of tea everyday.
After that, i started to think how we are affected by the conditions we live in. This can sound weird to you. i mean it seems like a basic question that every 4-year-old kid can ask or answer. (My intention is not to offend kids who are 4 or under 4.) However, sometimes due to lack of imagination or memory, we do not think what it can mean. Yes, i know it started to be a meaningless writing.. BUT!! Here is my point:
When i am at home with my sustainable mum, we have our meals at home. Meals are home-made, actually mum-made. We are going out for some special occasions like to celebrate something or for something that we can not cook at home and believe me there is not too many things that mum can not cook. Therefore, i can say there is almost no fast food in my life when i am with mum. To make it clear, i would like to explain what kind of meals we have at home. First of all, we do not fry everyting. Neither burgers nor coke are part of our daily diet. We have cooked vegetables sometimes mixed with meat(can be chicken or red meat) and have always salad. Moreover, we do not buy everything in packages. It was a shocking moment for me to see salads-ready to eat- in packages. And ready to eat soups.. When i say ready to eat, i mean it! You just need to heat up. You do not need to cut all ingredients, to boil the water, to mixed them, to stir till they get ready.. NO!! You just need to put them in the microwave and here it is! When did we become that lazy??
i know you started to say 'But you do not have a kid, you do not have a house to 'run', you do not have a full time job(btw, how do you know that i do not have a full time job!!)'etc... You may be right.. or you just accept everything as it comes. People survived when they do not have ready-to-eat soup! i am not saying that we need to live as our hunter-gatherer ancestors had lived. i do not think that i could live in such a patriarchal society also. Again i hope you heard my sarcastic laughter about modern-patriarchal society!!
BUT!! What if we were born ,not 3000 years but 10 years earlier? Could we still talk about how hard life would be without ready-to-eat soup?
Lessons to be learned:
1) Mums are lovable!
2) Try living with not-ready-to-eat meals!!
3) Do not judge people according to their occupation: i could have been a full time worker!!!
Cheers!!
Sorry for the delay but i m not going to write about eco-labeling. Today was a tough day. Not because i am sooo atracted by a shirt or shoes or necklace or all, but i did thought. You know it happens sometimes!
Yesterday, i received a kind mail from Slow Food Lady that next week in some day we could have tea together: i, my roomy and Slow Food Lady. This was one of the good news. The other good news is that we are going to have 'tea'. Probably, you do not know: i am tea addicted. Till here, i was a normal person except of drinking liter of tea everyday.
After that, i started to think how we are affected by the conditions we live in. This can sound weird to you. i mean it seems like a basic question that every 4-year-old kid can ask or answer. (My intention is not to offend kids who are 4 or under 4.) However, sometimes due to lack of imagination or memory, we do not think what it can mean. Yes, i know it started to be a meaningless writing.. BUT!! Here is my point:
When i am at home with my sustainable mum, we have our meals at home. Meals are home-made, actually mum-made. We are going out for some special occasions like to celebrate something or for something that we can not cook at home and believe me there is not too many things that mum can not cook. Therefore, i can say there is almost no fast food in my life when i am with mum. To make it clear, i would like to explain what kind of meals we have at home. First of all, we do not fry everyting. Neither burgers nor coke are part of our daily diet. We have cooked vegetables sometimes mixed with meat(can be chicken or red meat) and have always salad. Moreover, we do not buy everything in packages. It was a shocking moment for me to see salads-ready to eat- in packages. And ready to eat soups.. When i say ready to eat, i mean it! You just need to heat up. You do not need to cut all ingredients, to boil the water, to mixed them, to stir till they get ready.. NO!! You just need to put them in the microwave and here it is! When did we become that lazy??
i know you started to say 'But you do not have a kid, you do not have a house to 'run', you do not have a full time job(btw, how do you know that i do not have a full time job!!)'etc... You may be right.. or you just accept everything as it comes. People survived when they do not have ready-to-eat soup! i am not saying that we need to live as our hunter-gatherer ancestors had lived. i do not think that i could live in such a patriarchal society also. Again i hope you heard my sarcastic laughter about modern-patriarchal society!!
BUT!! What if we were born ,not 3000 years but 10 years earlier? Could we still talk about how hard life would be without ready-to-eat soup?
Lessons to be learned:
1) Mums are lovable!
2) Try living with not-ready-to-eat meals!!
3) Do not judge people according to their occupation: i could have been a full time worker!!!
Cheers!!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 24th(... the map!!)
Me again!!
i realized that i wrote 'the map' but did not mention about it.
So here is the story of the map:
2 months ago , my roomy promised me to buy a world map as a bday present. It seemed as a win-win game. My 'win' part was that i would have got the present that i wanted for years -there are many questions about what i did not buy it by myself still- and for my roomy's 'win' part was that i was not going to ask her about where some countries are!!
However, it did not work in the way that she wished for since i started to ask for countries which i could not find on the map where they are. i have never been sooo good at geography :S
BUT! Everything has a turning point. As i told you, i started to read 'Confessions of an Eco-sinner' by Fred Pearce and he has written in the early pages where every stuff comes from country by country. It means, now , i have reason to learn where these countries are to see how Eco-sinner i am as he discovers how he is. Yes, sometimes i am having hard times to explain myself why i am like this, why i need to find an ecological -not saying rational- reason to learn :))
The good part of that game is that it seems like i ll learn each country by heart. The bad part is i ll learn each counrty with a broken eco-heart! Because, different countries mean too much carbon release due to transportation which we support by buying it. However, it may also mean, as Fred Pearce said, we may be proud to have contributed to some local economy or given a leg up to some hard-pressed community.
i wish we did not have to 'help' these countries and had fair trade -i mean it- instead.
That was the story of a map!
Lesson to be learned:
Study geography when you are young!!
Cheers!!
i realized that i wrote 'the map' but did not mention about it.
So here is the story of the map:
2 months ago , my roomy promised me to buy a world map as a bday present. It seemed as a win-win game. My 'win' part was that i would have got the present that i wanted for years -there are many questions about what i did not buy it by myself still- and for my roomy's 'win' part was that i was not going to ask her about where some countries are!!
However, it did not work in the way that she wished for since i started to ask for countries which i could not find on the map where they are. i have never been sooo good at geography :S
BUT! Everything has a turning point. As i told you, i started to read 'Confessions of an Eco-sinner' by Fred Pearce and he has written in the early pages where every stuff comes from country by country. It means, now , i have reason to learn where these countries are to see how Eco-sinner i am as he discovers how he is. Yes, sometimes i am having hard times to explain myself why i am like this, why i need to find an ecological -not saying rational- reason to learn :))
The good part of that game is that it seems like i ll learn each country by heart. The bad part is i ll learn each counrty with a broken eco-heart! Because, different countries mean too much carbon release due to transportation which we support by buying it. However, it may also mean, as Fred Pearce said, we may be proud to have contributed to some local economy or given a leg up to some hard-pressed community.
i wish we did not have to 'help' these countries and had fair trade -i mean it- instead.
That was the story of a map!
Lesson to be learned:
Study geography when you are young!!
Cheers!!
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 23rd & 24th(Book cycling and the map!!)
Hey!
Yesterday and also today, i did not buy anything but pastry.
After sharing that very important piece of my life(!), i can start telling you what my friend S told me about book cycling. He was told by Hungarian friend -or by a person who have lived in Hungary for some reason, i am not sure about the reason, could be anything including Erasmus!- that there was a system that you can buy the book which you can return after reading. Financial part of that process works in that way: You pay the entire price of a book. When you finish it, you return the book to the store which they pay you back but keep small amount as a rent service. If you do not use the book properly, for instance you tear some pages or spill your coffee over the book, you are not paid back. What if you like the book and want to buy it? Did you forget?? You already bought the book!! So, just keep it:) Then you can live happily ever after...
Meanwhile, i m still searching for my new challange. BUT! i made a big step towards it by sending a mail to one of the activists of Slow Food Action in Turkey. i ll tell you who, if i have a chance to meet her and ask her for her permission. You see how respectful i am about the borders... and modest, but probably you have already noticed it ;)
So, for tomorrow, i ll write about slow food, or maybe i can postpone it till the time i ll be sure about my new challange. Yes, then tomorrow, i ll write about eco labeling. i guess i need to learn what it is before i start writing:)
Lessons to be learned:
1) You can live happily ever after with a book!
2) You can have one night stand with a book, also!!
3) And do not mess up with food!!!
Cheers!!
Yesterday and also today, i did not buy anything but pastry.
After sharing that very important piece of my life(!), i can start telling you what my friend S told me about book cycling. He was told by Hungarian friend -or by a person who have lived in Hungary for some reason, i am not sure about the reason, could be anything including Erasmus!- that there was a system that you can buy the book which you can return after reading. Financial part of that process works in that way: You pay the entire price of a book. When you finish it, you return the book to the store which they pay you back but keep small amount as a rent service. If you do not use the book properly, for instance you tear some pages or spill your coffee over the book, you are not paid back. What if you like the book and want to buy it? Did you forget?? You already bought the book!! So, just keep it:) Then you can live happily ever after...
Meanwhile, i m still searching for my new challange. BUT! i made a big step towards it by sending a mail to one of the activists of Slow Food Action in Turkey. i ll tell you who, if i have a chance to meet her and ask her for her permission. You see how respectful i am about the borders... and modest, but probably you have already noticed it ;)
So, for tomorrow, i ll write about slow food, or maybe i can postpone it till the time i ll be sure about my new challange. Yes, then tomorrow, i ll write about eco labeling. i guess i need to learn what it is before i start writing:)
Lessons to be learned:
1) You can live happily ever after with a book!
2) You can have one night stand with a book, also!!
3) And do not mess up with food!!!
Cheers!!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 22nd(challange or what?)
Hey!
Sorry, i could not write yesterday. Instead, i went for a walk with my dear friend F's close friend S from Erasmus, to our university which is one of the greenest universities in Turkey. Better than that, it will be greener after the project that we are working on currently. i ll tell about the project later a lot. For now, i d like to keep it as a surprise.
BTW, i did not do shopping yesterday! Do not send the flowers to my room for congradulation. i like them when they are in their habitat:))
Yes, as i said i am still thinking about my next challange. The day before yesterday when we met with my dear friends C(yes, the one that you have already known), G, M, Gü and my roomy, that helped me about my new possible/potential/'future' challanges. C sugested me to collect ,let say, 500 glass bottle and carry them to recycle center. It can also be plastic bottles or cans. At first, i thought it would be le-gen-dary(i want How i met your mother to start!!Barney rocks!!!), but then i need to check if it is legal. Because, as far as i know there is kind of law which says all waste belongs to municipalities. We ll see. Another challange would be, again by C and supported by Gü, to convince primary school teachers and directors to talk 10 min during the class and inform them about what it could be done to get greener. i ll think about it also.
Enough for talking about my challanges. i ,even i am not an expert, want to write a bit about energy harvesting. you can reach more info from here, wikipedia. Start point here is that, we are surrounded by many type of external energy. Other than sun, wide, tide kind of renewable sources, there is energy from radiowaves from our aplliances like TV satellite, cellphones, PC's as well as kinetic energy produced by our body movements or energy from body temprature.. However, these energy types sometimes can not be coverted efficiently to energy that we can use for large power demanding machines, instead they can be used for small appliances. As i told, it is not my major so i am not an expert but it seems soo interesting to me. Can you imagine how large amount of energy just goes(i do mean not it dissappears. it would be disrespectfull to thermodynamic:) without functioning?
Actually, i had one more thing to tell but i decided to write it tonight! Thanks my friend F's erasmus friend S who is also my friend now -getting complicated!- for telling me about different system for book cycling which will be the next subject!!
Lessons to be learned:
1) If you have a chance, go to Erasmus!! Fun is guaranteed as well as friendship.
2) Energy is everywhere!!
Cheers!
Sorry, i could not write yesterday. Instead, i went for a walk with my dear friend F's close friend S from Erasmus, to our university which is one of the greenest universities in Turkey. Better than that, it will be greener after the project that we are working on currently. i ll tell about the project later a lot. For now, i d like to keep it as a surprise.
BTW, i did not do shopping yesterday! Do not send the flowers to my room for congradulation. i like them when they are in their habitat:))
Yes, as i said i am still thinking about my next challange. The day before yesterday when we met with my dear friends C(yes, the one that you have already known), G, M, Gü and my roomy, that helped me about my new possible/potential/'future' challanges. C sugested me to collect ,let say, 500 glass bottle and carry them to recycle center. It can also be plastic bottles or cans. At first, i thought it would be le-gen-dary(i want How i met your mother to start!!Barney rocks!!!), but then i need to check if it is legal. Because, as far as i know there is kind of law which says all waste belongs to municipalities. We ll see. Another challange would be, again by C and supported by Gü, to convince primary school teachers and directors to talk 10 min during the class and inform them about what it could be done to get greener. i ll think about it also.
Enough for talking about my challanges. i ,even i am not an expert, want to write a bit about energy harvesting. you can reach more info from here, wikipedia. Start point here is that, we are surrounded by many type of external energy. Other than sun, wide, tide kind of renewable sources, there is energy from radiowaves from our aplliances like TV satellite, cellphones, PC's as well as kinetic energy produced by our body movements or energy from body temprature.. However, these energy types sometimes can not be coverted efficiently to energy that we can use for large power demanding machines, instead they can be used for small appliances. As i told, it is not my major so i am not an expert but it seems soo interesting to me. Can you imagine how large amount of energy just goes(i do mean not it dissappears. it would be disrespectfull to thermodynamic:) without functioning?
Actually, i had one more thing to tell but i decided to write it tonight! Thanks my friend F's erasmus friend S who is also my friend now -getting complicated!- for telling me about different system for book cycling which will be the next subject!!
Lessons to be learned:
1) If you have a chance, go to Erasmus!! Fun is guaranteed as well as friendship.
2) Energy is everywhere!!
Cheers!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 21st (book recycling!)
Hey!
Today, i did not buy any clothes, shoes or accesories fyi.
Instead, i thought about how to decrease number of our purchases. You have already known that i believe in freecycling. Wait! 'believe' would not be the best word to explain how i feel about freecycling. Yes, i have strong feelings about 'freecycling' but sometimes ,as in all relationships, we need to have a talk! However, it is kind of monologe since freecycling do not talk to me and i am the only one who do the talking! To be honest, i do not think that one day, everyone will start not using money at all. There will not be such a system. BUT!! People can not have that much stuff. i mean technically there is no way to keep everything that you have bought unless you are Brangelina. You will need a space for 'new comers'. That point, you can start supporting freecycling!!! By doing that, you can be 'green' ,although it is just the light green.
i was not supposed to open our relationship to public. i actually start writing to tell what came to my mind. Probably, it is already done by someone, but i have not heard about that. i know you already stopped reading, but for the ones who are so patient to come that point, here is my thought: i love reading book. it is different kind of love so should not be counted as an affair.(i am distracted again!) Yes, i love books, but sometimes it is financially hard to buy all books. You may suggest me to go to library. i do go to library. However, you may have -at least i do- hard times to find lastly published books. Besides, i want to read them at the time they find their place on the bookstores' shelves. i know i want a lot, but who can blame me for being a human :P Therefore, i thought there can be a 'book section' under freecycling that people can buy only one and can exchange te book with other people. i did not go deeply about process - or maybe i did but am hiding from you:) - and i know there can be so many bugs of the system like who will decide what to buy, what happens if one person -or many people- decides not to buy but just keeps others' books, bla bla. BUT!! What if it works?!
Lessons to be learned:
1) Have a little faith in people! (More than a little is recommended!!)
2) Books are important!
3) Orgaize what you want to write 'before' writing not 'during' the writing process. (This one was just a little advise to myself, hope you did not get bored:)
Cheers!!
PS: Tomorrow, i ll write about discussion of a next challange and hopefully energy harvesting!!
Today, i did not buy any clothes, shoes or accesories fyi.
Instead, i thought about how to decrease number of our purchases. You have already known that i believe in freecycling. Wait! 'believe' would not be the best word to explain how i feel about freecycling. Yes, i have strong feelings about 'freecycling' but sometimes ,as in all relationships, we need to have a talk! However, it is kind of monologe since freecycling do not talk to me and i am the only one who do the talking! To be honest, i do not think that one day, everyone will start not using money at all. There will not be such a system. BUT!! People can not have that much stuff. i mean technically there is no way to keep everything that you have bought unless you are Brangelina. You will need a space for 'new comers'. That point, you can start supporting freecycling!!! By doing that, you can be 'green' ,although it is just the light green.
i was not supposed to open our relationship to public. i actually start writing to tell what came to my mind. Probably, it is already done by someone, but i have not heard about that. i know you already stopped reading, but for the ones who are so patient to come that point, here is my thought: i love reading book. it is different kind of love so should not be counted as an affair.(i am distracted again!) Yes, i love books, but sometimes it is financially hard to buy all books. You may suggest me to go to library. i do go to library. However, you may have -at least i do- hard times to find lastly published books. Besides, i want to read them at the time they find their place on the bookstores' shelves. i know i want a lot, but who can blame me for being a human :P Therefore, i thought there can be a 'book section' under freecycling that people can buy only one and can exchange te book with other people. i did not go deeply about process - or maybe i did but am hiding from you:) - and i know there can be so many bugs of the system like who will decide what to buy, what happens if one person -or many people- decides not to buy but just keeps others' books, bla bla. BUT!! What if it works?!
Lessons to be learned:
1) Have a little faith in people! (More than a little is recommended!!)
2) Books are important!
3) Orgaize what you want to write 'before' writing not 'during' the writing process. (This one was just a little advise to myself, hope you did not get bored:)
Cheers!!
PS: Tomorrow, i ll write about discussion of a next challange and hopefully energy harvesting!!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 20th(what did not i do today?!)
Hey!
Today, i did not buy anything! i know you were not surprised. Me neither!
What else i did not do today?
i did not use plastic bag! (BAG IT!)
i did not use dryer for laundry! (Actually, we do not have a dryer.)
i did not leave my PC plugged! (Turning off is not enough since PC's and all electronic appliances start consuming energy at the time they are plugged in.)
i did not use more than 100 things!(Probably, going to be my next challange)
i did not leave lamps switched on! (My roomy complained a bit, 'cos i did not see her while she was still in the room!)
i did not keep water flaw while brushing my teeth!(Thanks to my kindergarten teacher!)
i did not drive private car! (It does not seem possible unless i have one.)
i did not eat a lot!(My doctor told me that i m more then well-fed! One more reason to go to doctor. They make you greener!)
One more important thing about today: i felt LUCKY again thanks to my friend M! He sent me this movie's link: BAG IT!! i am looking forward to watching it as soon as it ll be released. This movie is about a guy who decided not to use plastic bag at all. As he tells, you can not imagine how much it can change your life. i am sure i ll write about it when i see the movie! Since i am informed about movie and am informed by my dear friend M, i feel myself 2 times luckier!!
And one more: i met my roomy's great instructor who couraged me about biking. She is going to show me less dangerous way to ride my bike:)) Let s see, if i ll keep walking or start biking. i am sure you get really, sooo, veerrryy excited:P i feel 3 times luckier!!
And one more: i learned a bit more about 'energy harvesting' which my friend C suggested me to search and my cousin Ci explained how it works. i feel 4 times luckier! But, sometimes i feel like i would be nothing without people close to me. i am sorry to be right about that:))
Cheers!!
Today, i did not buy anything! i know you were not surprised. Me neither!
What else i did not do today?
i did not use plastic bag! (BAG IT!)
i did not use dryer for laundry! (Actually, we do not have a dryer.)
i did not leave my PC plugged! (Turning off is not enough since PC's and all electronic appliances start consuming energy at the time they are plugged in.)
i did not use more than 100 things!(Probably, going to be my next challange)
i did not leave lamps switched on! (My roomy complained a bit, 'cos i did not see her while she was still in the room!)
i did not keep water flaw while brushing my teeth!(Thanks to my kindergarten teacher!)
i did not drive private car! (It does not seem possible unless i have one.)
i did not eat a lot!(My doctor told me that i m more then well-fed! One more reason to go to doctor. They make you greener!)
One more important thing about today: i felt LUCKY again thanks to my friend M! He sent me this movie's link: BAG IT!! i am looking forward to watching it as soon as it ll be released. This movie is about a guy who decided not to use plastic bag at all. As he tells, you can not imagine how much it can change your life. i am sure i ll write about it when i see the movie! Since i am informed about movie and am informed by my dear friend M, i feel myself 2 times luckier!!
And one more: i met my roomy's great instructor who couraged me about biking. She is going to show me less dangerous way to ride my bike:)) Let s see, if i ll keep walking or start biking. i am sure you get really, sooo, veerrryy excited:P i feel 3 times luckier!!
And one more: i learned a bit more about 'energy harvesting' which my friend C suggested me to search and my cousin Ci explained how it works. i feel 4 times luckier! But, sometimes i feel like i would be nothing without people close to me. i am sorry to be right about that:))
Cheers!!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 19th(organic&C!)
Hey!
Today, in the morning, i realized that i did not mention if i bought something in last 2 days. NO!! i also did not buy anything today. It was not a big deal as i already told. This was what i thought as a 'modest' person until my close & honest & helpfull & funny &..(this list gets longer)friend said to me it was not even a small deal!! Other then feeling smaller than the deal, i felt that i need to experience more radical challanges. Ok... This also was what he suggested me to do!!
What can be a real challange for me? i hope to find it soon. You can suggest me something also. If you won t, i m sure one of my friends will do. They have already become sooo creative:))
Other than this, my same friend C gave me very good news: He found Eco-sinner's pdf format after searching for it for an hour... or more:) This means you are going to listen stories from the book soon!! Meanwhile, i m going to do some research about 'energy harvesting'. Yes, this was also his idea and not mine . Are you happier now?!!
Now, i can start writing about my first visit to 'organic food market'! Yesterday, i went to 2 open markets. First one was a regular open market i am used to going. Because, it is close to my home so i can go there on foot. No oil-based transportation- check! It is cheaper- check! It is fresher than the ones which are sold in market chains- check! You come face to face with sellers who are also -most of the times- producers- check! These are all good for me. About 'organic open market', prices were a bit higher but not as much as i expected to see. This is summer term, so i think it is normal to see lower prices in all markets- check! You come face to face with 'all' producers=sellers- check! You do not use plastic bags, 'cos they give you everything in paper bags- double check! Taste of tomatoes in organic market is greater and equal to taste of tomatoes in regular open market- check!
Only bad thing about going to organic market is that i need to take the bus :S i do not know if i can go to organic market every saturday..but you know how sensitive i am about tomatoes:P
Cheers!!
Today, in the morning, i realized that i did not mention if i bought something in last 2 days. NO!! i also did not buy anything today. It was not a big deal as i already told. This was what i thought as a 'modest' person until my close & honest & helpfull & funny &..(this list gets longer)friend said to me it was not even a small deal!! Other then feeling smaller than the deal, i felt that i need to experience more radical challanges. Ok... This also was what he suggested me to do!!
What can be a real challange for me? i hope to find it soon. You can suggest me something also. If you won t, i m sure one of my friends will do. They have already become sooo creative:))
Other than this, my same friend C gave me very good news: He found Eco-sinner's pdf format after searching for it for an hour... or more:) This means you are going to listen stories from the book soon!! Meanwhile, i m going to do some research about 'energy harvesting'. Yes, this was also his idea and not mine . Are you happier now?!!
Now, i can start writing about my first visit to 'organic food market'! Yesterday, i went to 2 open markets. First one was a regular open market i am used to going. Because, it is close to my home so i can go there on foot. No oil-based transportation- check! It is cheaper- check! It is fresher than the ones which are sold in market chains- check! You come face to face with sellers who are also -most of the times- producers- check! These are all good for me. About 'organic open market', prices were a bit higher but not as much as i expected to see. This is summer term, so i think it is normal to see lower prices in all markets- check! You come face to face with 'all' producers=sellers- check! You do not use plastic bags, 'cos they give you everything in paper bags- double check! Taste of tomatoes in organic market is greater and equal to taste of tomatoes in regular open market- check!
Only bad thing about going to organic market is that i need to take the bus :S i do not know if i can go to organic market every saturday..but you know how sensitive i am about tomatoes:P
Cheers!!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 18th(without the hot air and mum!!)
Hey!!
i told you that my mum is 'sustainable'. i mean the way she lives. However, she is not a big fan of sustainability. You know, when you are born with something, it comes so normal to you that you do not need to be a fan:)) It is mum!! BUT!! She does not want me to be that sustainable!!
i ll tell you how sustainable i am that caused my mum to say me 'You are not allowed to be 'sustainable'!!' As you all know -hopefully- i am trying to find something for every month to lead more sustainable life. Well, Shopping-free September was just the beginning. Hope you do not mind!! So i have been thinking about which one of the followings can be my next challenge: 1- Only organic food diet 2- Only 100 things to live with 3- Meat-free month.. 'Meat-free' were the last words that my mum let me say!! To be honest, i do not think that i ll ever be able to be a vegetarian and i am sincerely sorry about that. However, the point was not what i felt, it was how mum reacted! She suggested me to have a challenge month of 'not thinking at all' and she did not forget to say 'It has already started to take 40 minutes until you finish your sentence!' That was the end of discussion. However, meet-free month challange is still on my list.
After making our relationship -me and mum- publicly known, there is the thing that i said i ll tell about the book 'Without the Hot Air' . In the book, David MacKay questions if there is enough energy produced by renewable energy sources comparing to our energy consumption. The answer is in the book. (You are going to hate me unless you already did!!) While reading that book, you are going to find not only usefull information as well as comparisons, but also the funny and useful way to calculate your possible energy consumption. Of course, there would be some differences between your energy consumption and calculations based on your habits and the region where you live since it deals with UK.
Last words... i am going to write about my 'organic open market' visit tomorrow!! It will be 'delicious'!
Cheers!!
PS : Sister D, you are exempt from reading my next post.
PSS: Everybody else, do not worry! It is not going to hurt:)
i told you that my mum is 'sustainable'. i mean the way she lives. However, she is not a big fan of sustainability. You know, when you are born with something, it comes so normal to you that you do not need to be a fan:)) It is mum!! BUT!! She does not want me to be that sustainable!!
i ll tell you how sustainable i am that caused my mum to say me 'You are not allowed to be 'sustainable'!!' As you all know -hopefully- i am trying to find something for every month to lead more sustainable life. Well, Shopping-free September was just the beginning. Hope you do not mind!! So i have been thinking about which one of the followings can be my next challenge: 1- Only organic food diet 2- Only 100 things to live with 3- Meat-free month.. 'Meat-free' were the last words that my mum let me say!! To be honest, i do not think that i ll ever be able to be a vegetarian and i am sincerely sorry about that. However, the point was not what i felt, it was how mum reacted! She suggested me to have a challenge month of 'not thinking at all' and she did not forget to say 'It has already started to take 40 minutes until you finish your sentence!' That was the end of discussion. However, meet-free month challange is still on my list.
After making our relationship -me and mum- publicly known, there is the thing that i said i ll tell about the book 'Without the Hot Air' . In the book, David MacKay questions if there is enough energy produced by renewable energy sources comparing to our energy consumption. The answer is in the book. (You are going to hate me unless you already did!!) While reading that book, you are going to find not only usefull information as well as comparisons, but also the funny and useful way to calculate your possible energy consumption. Of course, there would be some differences between your energy consumption and calculations based on your habits and the region where you live since it deals with UK.
Last words... i am going to write about my 'organic open market' visit tomorrow!! It will be 'delicious'!
Cheers!!
PS : Sister D, you are exempt from reading my next post.
PSS: Everybody else, do not worry! It is not going to hurt:)
Friday, September 17, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 17th(without the hot air!!)
Hey!
When i was doing my internship in REC(Regional Environment Center, Turkey) last summer, we -i and Joy- were expected to do research about energy efficiency. Energy efficiency at home, in the office, on the road(i mean transportation, so aircraft was included:)..While doing that research, Joy found a book,Sustainable Energy- Without the Hot Air, by David MacKay. i had started to read that book immediately. What can i say? i am a very very good good girl.
i ll tell about the book tomorrow!!
But at the end of my next post, there will be some lessons to be learned from:
1. You can not be sure about where you can meet good friends. i was lucky to work with Joy!
2. Reading a good book is always fun! Even though you do not agree with every line:)
3. Do not forget to unplug stuff :))
Cheers!!
When i was doing my internship in REC(Regional Environment Center, Turkey) last summer, we -i and Joy- were expected to do research about energy efficiency. Energy efficiency at home, in the office, on the road(i mean transportation, so aircraft was included:)..While doing that research, Joy found a book,Sustainable Energy- Without the Hot Air, by David MacKay. i had started to read that book immediately. What can i say? i am a very very good good girl.
i ll tell about the book tomorrow!!
But at the end of my next post, there will be some lessons to be learned from:
1. You can not be sure about where you can meet good friends. i was lucky to work with Joy!
2. Reading a good book is always fun! Even though you do not agree with every line:)
3. Do not forget to unplug stuff :))
Cheers!!
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 16th(eco-sinner continues!)
Hey!
Today, somehow, our internet just decided not to work. That is why i m going to post it a day later. i ll save this as a word document for now. i do not know why i am explaining it to you. Probably because i would like to say, this was not my idea, it was my roomy’s! Or maybe i m trying to show myself how passionate i am about writing. (i wish you could hear sarcastic laughter:)
To say it at first, i did not buy anything today. Actually, i just went out to pay the bills and to buy some vegetables. Vegetables were from market and were not organic. Even though i didnot buy organic foods, i read a lot about them today. i am planning to go to open 'organic' market on Saturday. Then, i ll see if there is a huge price difference between organic and non-organic foods. i ll write about it later.
Today, i would like to keep writing about interview with Fred Pearce. This is the second part of the interview, and earned my respect as much as the first one. However, while reading it, i realized one more time that environmental friendly decisions cannot be made without considering social justice. Wow, i said big words!! Let’s make it softer: environment has strong ties with social environment. In the 2nd part of the interview, there are some important points: 1) Market related problems: People are not knowledgable enough to distinguish the bad from the good. 2) Structure related problems: If we pursue more production instead of less but efficient production , it will not help environment. 3) Less developed countrys’ problems: Whether we should care about ,while deciding to buy, where it is produced(local - global) or by whom it is produced(western – less developed). I m not going to write more about interview ‘cos i am sure you are soo willing to read the whole interview unless you have already read!
I just want to say couple more words. When i read that interview, i wanted to have that book soo much since i could not find online pdf form. However, i am almost sure that i ll not be able to find it in book stores here. One solution left: i had to order it from US or UK which will cause a rise in my Carbon footprint. On the one hand, reading that book to understand more, on the other hand releasing more carbon which i try to make ‘0’.
Life had never been/ is never /will never be as concrete as ‘black and white’! Seems like i m gonna place an order for that book :)
Cheers!!
Today, somehow, our internet just decided not to work. That is why i m going to post it a day later. i ll save this as a word document for now. i do not know why i am explaining it to you. Probably because i would like to say, this was not my idea, it was my roomy’s! Or maybe i m trying to show myself how passionate i am about writing. (i wish you could hear sarcastic laughter:)
To say it at first, i did not buy anything today. Actually, i just went out to pay the bills and to buy some vegetables. Vegetables were from market and were not organic. Even though i didnot buy organic foods, i read a lot about them today. i am planning to go to open 'organic' market on Saturday. Then, i ll see if there is a huge price difference between organic and non-organic foods. i ll write about it later.
Today, i would like to keep writing about interview with Fred Pearce. This is the second part of the interview, and earned my respect as much as the first one. However, while reading it, i realized one more time that environmental friendly decisions cannot be made without considering social justice. Wow, i said big words!! Let’s make it softer: environment has strong ties with social environment. In the 2nd part of the interview, there are some important points: 1) Market related problems: People are not knowledgable enough to distinguish the bad from the good. 2) Structure related problems: If we pursue more production instead of less but efficient production , it will not help environment. 3) Less developed countrys’ problems: Whether we should care about ,while deciding to buy, where it is produced(local - global) or by whom it is produced(western – less developed). I m not going to write more about interview ‘cos i am sure you are soo willing to read the whole interview unless you have already read!
I just want to say couple more words. When i read that interview, i wanted to have that book soo much since i could not find online pdf form. However, i am almost sure that i ll not be able to find it in book stores here. One solution left: i had to order it from US or UK which will cause a rise in my Carbon footprint. On the one hand, reading that book to understand more, on the other hand releasing more carbon which i try to make ‘0’.
Life had never been/ is never /will never be as concrete as ‘black and white’! Seems like i m gonna place an order for that book :)
Cheers!!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 15th(eco-sinner!)
Hey!
Here is an interview from a website that i m following. i know it was a harsh beginning. If you clicked already, you should feel terrified. Otherwise, you should see me. i guarantee you to be terrified after seeing my terrified face!!
If you have not clicked yet, i recommend you to do. Anyways, i m going to write about it a bit. Fred Pearce, writer of the book 'Confessions of an Eco-Sinner' , have made a research about what sources of our products are. While searching for that, he said, he found himself confronted with ethical questions. He questions 'fair trade'. Although he is not against fair trade, he wants more and real trade. However, if we want have fair trade, we should be willing to pay more also. It is understandable. However, people may still think that the cheaper it is, the more environment-friendly it is! It is also understandable.
Because, marketing departments use different ways to attract different segments. Yes, i graduated from the management department. For instance, if you ,as a marketing manager, want to sell your eco-friendly products to people who want/need to save money, you need to tell them how much money they can save by using 'this' instead of 'that'. That is the way they use while promoting A+ washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers.. Btw, they are right about money saving. However, there is something more important than saving money: saving energy! Energy is one of the most crucial sources which we hardly live without. (i ll write about other people who do not need to save money but care about environment or the ones who become environmentalists because it is the rising trend:) So, it may explain why we think the cheaper as the more eco-friendly.
However, there are some products we pay really less when we think about production process. As i said, i am just a simple management gradute, but it is not hard to think about what ingredients/ products are used and where they come from. Just transportation costs may equal to the price, let alone manufacturing. i am not going to give econ101 lecture which i do not feel efficient enough, but without doing mass production, it is hard to balance costs and profits. How did we come to that point?? Confused!! Yes, to sum up, cheaper is not better for environment.
Namely, money is not everything, it just rules the world :) But other than that, it does not tell all the truth about environment...
To buy or not to buy, that is the question.
Cheers!!
PS: As you have already concluded, i did not buy anything today:))
Here is an interview from a website that i m following. i know it was a harsh beginning. If you clicked already, you should feel terrified. Otherwise, you should see me. i guarantee you to be terrified after seeing my terrified face!!
If you have not clicked yet, i recommend you to do. Anyways, i m going to write about it a bit. Fred Pearce, writer of the book 'Confessions of an Eco-Sinner' , have made a research about what sources of our products are. While searching for that, he said, he found himself confronted with ethical questions. He questions 'fair trade'. Although he is not against fair trade, he wants more and real trade. However, if we want have fair trade, we should be willing to pay more also. It is understandable. However, people may still think that the cheaper it is, the more environment-friendly it is! It is also understandable.
Because, marketing departments use different ways to attract different segments. Yes, i graduated from the management department. For instance, if you ,as a marketing manager, want to sell your eco-friendly products to people who want/need to save money, you need to tell them how much money they can save by using 'this' instead of 'that'. That is the way they use while promoting A+ washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers.. Btw, they are right about money saving. However, there is something more important than saving money: saving energy! Energy is one of the most crucial sources which we hardly live without. (i ll write about other people who do not need to save money but care about environment or the ones who become environmentalists because it is the rising trend:) So, it may explain why we think the cheaper as the more eco-friendly.
However, there are some products we pay really less when we think about production process. As i said, i am just a simple management gradute, but it is not hard to think about what ingredients/ products are used and where they come from. Just transportation costs may equal to the price, let alone manufacturing. i am not going to give econ101 lecture which i do not feel efficient enough, but without doing mass production, it is hard to balance costs and profits. How did we come to that point?? Confused!! Yes, to sum up, cheaper is not better for environment.
Namely, money is not everything, it just rules the world :) But other than that, it does not tell all the truth about environment...
To buy or not to buy, that is the question.
Cheers!!
PS: As you have already concluded, i did not buy anything today:))
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 14th (spending money)
Hey!
One more day without shopping! Correction: without shopping for clothes. i made that correction on purpose. As i told you already, i am not that much of a shopping person(don't dare to remind me my 3 pairs of shoes)!
However, today, i realized that i m prone to buy 'something'. When i stepped out of the house ,i first wanted to buy a newsapaper which i normally read from the internet(yes, i am still reading newspaper!! See, how intellectual i am:) Then, on the way back to home, i wanted to eat something. One more correction: i first see 'çiğ köfte'(one of the most delicious food in my opinion, especially with hot spice), then i felt hungry, then i wanted to buy. Or maybe, i first wanted to buy something, then i felt hungry to justify my intention to buy.
Does it seem ridiculous to you? Makes sense for me. i ll tell you what, but there are 2 parts i guess i need to explain.(The following story is not fictional and all about me. Do not try at home!) First, i claim that system seduces us to buy. Probably, i am not the fist person who have claimed that. Moreover, it makes us addicted to spend money. Seriously! We used to spend money on goods we liked and lived with happily 'ever after'. Currently, we are going for 'shopping'. Not for specific need. Btw, need is preferable, but 'want' is also acceptible. Basically, we are going for 'spending'!! Then, this means ,just as in this case, i may want to spend money first and then feel hungry! About other part which requires explanation.. Which seems ridiculous to my roomy for sure is that i 'need to' justify my intention to buy, since it is totally contradicting with my environmentalist side. i need to buy less, i need to use less, i need to eat less. Now, you understand better why i hesitate sometimes to be 'green-er' =P
BUT ,as always, there is a 'but' part! i feel much better when i m greener. So let the sun shine for autotrophs and green heterotrophs including me!!
PS: Ok! for the rest also ..
Cheers!!
One more day without shopping! Correction: without shopping for clothes. i made that correction on purpose. As i told you already, i am not that much of a shopping person(don't dare to remind me my 3 pairs of shoes)!
However, today, i realized that i m prone to buy 'something'. When i stepped out of the house ,i first wanted to buy a newsapaper which i normally read from the internet(yes, i am still reading newspaper!! See, how intellectual i am:) Then, on the way back to home, i wanted to eat something. One more correction: i first see 'çiğ köfte'(one of the most delicious food in my opinion, especially with hot spice), then i felt hungry, then i wanted to buy. Or maybe, i first wanted to buy something, then i felt hungry to justify my intention to buy.
Does it seem ridiculous to you? Makes sense for me. i ll tell you what, but there are 2 parts i guess i need to explain.(The following story is not fictional and all about me. Do not try at home!) First, i claim that system seduces us to buy. Probably, i am not the fist person who have claimed that. Moreover, it makes us addicted to spend money. Seriously! We used to spend money on goods we liked and lived with happily 'ever after'. Currently, we are going for 'shopping'. Not for specific need. Btw, need is preferable, but 'want' is also acceptible. Basically, we are going for 'spending'!! Then, this means ,just as in this case, i may want to spend money first and then feel hungry! About other part which requires explanation.. Which seems ridiculous to my roomy for sure is that i 'need to' justify my intention to buy, since it is totally contradicting with my environmentalist side. i need to buy less, i need to use less, i need to eat less. Now, you understand better why i hesitate sometimes to be 'green-er' =P
BUT ,as always, there is a 'but' part! i feel much better when i m greener. So let the sun shine for autotrophs and green heterotrophs including me!!
PS: Ok! for the rest also ..
Cheers!!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 13th (available..)
Hey!
i m still thinking about 'needs' and it seems like it will take a bit more time before writing it. Sometimes, i m thinking if i am too young to be an 'environmentalist'! i m kidding:))
Then today, i ll write about how things are extra 'available'. Yesterday, i and my roomy and my other very close friend 'H' and another one, 'M' and.. ok we all were talking to each other by using every possible communication tools. Some of us were online on FB, some were on Skype, on gtalk, on MSN and i was talking only to my roomy, she is a great organizer. it is called networking=)) Coming back to our topic, we were talking about how things are changing in Turkey and i suddenly found myself talking about how tomatoes are different from the ones that my sustainable mum had eaten when she was a kid! And i should say my mum is not an old lady. Then, i kept talking about how future generations will remember or know tomatoes? will tomatoes have same taste? Will they find any tomatoes or will all tomatoes be in the form of ketchup?
Then, i could not help myself thinking about why this is too hard to tell people that 'nothing is unlimited'? (i didnot start crying, there was no rain and no soundtrack at the background!)Actually, answer was simple: because everthing is available! You probably never had problem to find tomatoes in the open market, in grocery stores, in markets where you daily shop, in your fridge.. It is not only about tomatoes: meat=burger, potatoes=chips, chocolate= chocolate(in every form!)..
So whenever we want to have something, only thing we need is 'unit of exchange=money'! We don't see the process of production, don't know what happens if rain just decides not to fall anymore? And rain is not the only necessity :S
Yes, then my roomy tried to make me calm down. She said loudly that it is the way it is. And she probably said silently that she needed to move asap :)
i didnot buy anything, btw!!
cheers!
i m still thinking about 'needs' and it seems like it will take a bit more time before writing it. Sometimes, i m thinking if i am too young to be an 'environmentalist'! i m kidding:))
Then today, i ll write about how things are extra 'available'. Yesterday, i and my roomy and my other very close friend 'H' and another one, 'M' and.. ok we all were talking to each other by using every possible communication tools. Some of us were online on FB, some were on Skype, on gtalk, on MSN and i was talking only to my roomy, she is a great organizer. it is called networking=)) Coming back to our topic, we were talking about how things are changing in Turkey and i suddenly found myself talking about how tomatoes are different from the ones that my sustainable mum had eaten when she was a kid! And i should say my mum is not an old lady. Then, i kept talking about how future generations will remember or know tomatoes? will tomatoes have same taste? Will they find any tomatoes or will all tomatoes be in the form of ketchup?
Then, i could not help myself thinking about why this is too hard to tell people that 'nothing is unlimited'? (i didnot start crying, there was no rain and no soundtrack at the background!)Actually, answer was simple: because everthing is available! You probably never had problem to find tomatoes in the open market, in grocery stores, in markets where you daily shop, in your fridge.. It is not only about tomatoes: meat=burger, potatoes=chips, chocolate= chocolate(in every form!)..
So whenever we want to have something, only thing we need is 'unit of exchange=money'! We don't see the process of production, don't know what happens if rain just decides not to fall anymore? And rain is not the only necessity :S
Yes, then my roomy tried to make me calm down. She said loudly that it is the way it is. And she probably said silently that she needed to move asap :)
i didnot buy anything, btw!!
cheers!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 9th-10th-11th&12th(bike)
Hellöööö!!
i could not have written for 4 days, but as i told, i had no internet. You know what happens when i have no internet. Though, i had not bought anything. i am also proud that i kindly refused to 'take' -not buy- my aunt's earrings. she got really surprised and said me that i can use them after that month:)
To be honest, i don't believe that i can reach to the point where i can ignore my 'consumer' side totally. i wish i could be Mevlana or Gandhi, but i am not. On the one hand, it is because i am not that wise. But, on the other hand, needs of that day is a bit different from today's. or is it so?
i was thinking about it today, and i decided to understand what are the things i call as need. i ll write about it soon. Hopefully, i am not going to have a giant list of needs!!
Today, i would like to write about my passion.. BIKE!! i had been in Tilburg, Holland for 4 months.. heaven for riding a bike. (Besides it was sooo special for me,since i had my first bike ever in there!!) That was a great experience. Seeing 5-year-old kids, 70-year-old teenagers, students, business men, mums, dads riding their bikes, not caring any weather condition..weather part, i may be exaggerating , but other than that, these are all true!! However, Dutch people are also lucky about infrastructure. You can find bike roads in every road. You can be sure that you are not hit by a car.(But you can not be sure that your bike is in safe! Don't forget to lock your bike!!) You never feel like you are a mountain biker!(i mean it is good thing. You don t need to have strong muscles to ride:) Every street has traffic lights for bikes. Parking facilities are unimaginably great. LEGENDARY!!
Why did i tell you this? Because, as i said you i decided to have a bike. However, all people who care me are soo worried about that. i can't blame them. Read everything that i wrote about Tilburg and add 'not' in every sentence.(it may be gramatically wrong but you got the point:P) Besides, you can not be sure about safety of your bike!
i havenot decided yet but sometimes, although you want to be more environment-friendly, 'things' don't let you!(but i still have some plans about this!wait for it!!)
Hope to come up with new solution..
Cheers!!
i could not have written for 4 days, but as i told, i had no internet. You know what happens when i have no internet. Though, i had not bought anything. i am also proud that i kindly refused to 'take' -not buy- my aunt's earrings. she got really surprised and said me that i can use them after that month:)
To be honest, i don't believe that i can reach to the point where i can ignore my 'consumer' side totally. i wish i could be Mevlana or Gandhi, but i am not. On the one hand, it is because i am not that wise. But, on the other hand, needs of that day is a bit different from today's. or is it so?
i was thinking about it today, and i decided to understand what are the things i call as need. i ll write about it soon. Hopefully, i am not going to have a giant list of needs!!
Today, i would like to write about my passion.. BIKE!! i had been in Tilburg, Holland for 4 months.. heaven for riding a bike. (Besides it was sooo special for me,since i had my first bike ever in there!!) That was a great experience. Seeing 5-year-old kids, 70-year-old teenagers, students, business men, mums, dads riding their bikes, not caring any weather condition..weather part, i may be exaggerating , but other than that, these are all true!! However, Dutch people are also lucky about infrastructure. You can find bike roads in every road. You can be sure that you are not hit by a car.(But you can not be sure that your bike is in safe! Don't forget to lock your bike!!) You never feel like you are a mountain biker!(i mean it is good thing. You don t need to have strong muscles to ride:) Every street has traffic lights for bikes. Parking facilities are unimaginably great. LEGENDARY!!
Why did i tell you this? Because, as i said you i decided to have a bike. However, all people who care me are soo worried about that. i can't blame them. Read everything that i wrote about Tilburg and add 'not' in every sentence.(it may be gramatically wrong but you got the point:P) Besides, you can not be sure about safety of your bike!
i havenot decided yet but sometimes, although you want to be more environment-friendly, 'things' don't let you!(but i still have some plans about this!wait for it!!)
Hope to come up with new solution..
Cheers!!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER, 8th(Joy&100 things website)
i ,at the end, found web page of 100 things challenge!! here it is :
http://www.guynameddave.com/100-thing-challenge.html
You'd better to visit the web site to see what the rules are, to make a comment or to show your friends! Accept it people: it would be fun!!
After checking web site, i had answers for some of my questions about kitchen tools, some items which should count in groups, bed, books, gifts etc. It doesnot seem impossible to me. He already did and i am sure there are some people who have already been living in that way. So,it seems like it will definitely be one of my challanges!!
and i already found a partner other than R: JOY! Joy has already joined Shopping-free September and ,as she wrote in her blog she is doing more: she is going to wear something which was used before! Time to dig our mum's wardrobe!!(i found a lot from mine:)
About today: We were in Grand Bazar with J and.. i only helped her to choose some souvenirs for her family and friends. You know what that means, i did it!! Btw, i may not be writing for the next 2 days since i ll not be at home, but when i ll be back, i ll inform you about what i didnot buy:)) and since we started to talk about mums, i ll tell you my sustainable mum:))
Cheers!!(i am still soo happy)
http://www.guynameddave.com/100-thing-challenge.html
You'd better to visit the web site to see what the rules are, to make a comment or to show your friends! Accept it people: it would be fun!!
After checking web site, i had answers for some of my questions about kitchen tools, some items which should count in groups, bed, books, gifts etc. It doesnot seem impossible to me. He already did and i am sure there are some people who have already been living in that way. So,it seems like it will definitely be one of my challanges!!
and i already found a partner other than R: JOY! Joy has already joined Shopping-free September and ,as she wrote in her blog she is doing more: she is going to wear something which was used before! Time to dig our mum's wardrobe!!(i found a lot from mine:)
About today: We were in Grand Bazar with J and.. i only helped her to choose some souvenirs for her family and friends. You know what that means, i did it!! Btw, i may not be writing for the next 2 days since i ll not be at home, but when i ll be back, i ll inform you about what i didnot buy:)) and since we started to talk about mums, i ll tell you my sustainable mum:))
Cheers!!(i am still soo happy)
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER,7th-8th(freecycle)
Hellöööö!!
i am happy! Ok, it is not surprising:) But, today i am happy and i have just joined freecycling group in istanbul! and have already posted a message that i need a bike.
It was something of which i wanted to be part for looong time. i didnot register myself before but ,believe it or not, i am not a good internet user. i had hardly checked my mails regularly up until 3 years ago and do not ask when i had an e-mail adress:)) hope i could explain who started to write blogpage, joined a freecycling group, searched for environmental solutions on the internet..
Btw, i have just ckecked my mail and i realized that first message i send should be 'i am giving.' type of message. One more thing to learn! But, actually am not worried about giving part 'cos as i wrote already, i am planning to perform that '100 things'! it seems like there will be many things that i am going to give away. For now, i am just waiting and trying to list the things that i am currently using.(i didnot check their web site yet. Even not search for that web site:S i ll inform you asap)i am waiting for R and we can start together. Let's see!!
More about freecycling! Their website is http://freecycle.org and the first thing you need to do is choosing an area which is closest to you. This means a lot to me. Because in this way, you decrease carbon emission caused by transportation, carrying stuff from far far away to your adress. Of course this does not mean that you ll find everything in your neighbourhood but at least.. Whatever, i am in istanbul group!
Addition to that, this group gives you the chance to find what is already produced. In the mail they sent me, there are rules about what you can't post to take or give away. But more important and cuter and also a bit weird than rules, they kindly ask you to be polite in every phase of cycling. Be polite about your messages, your replies, your attitude when you meet the person.. Cute part is they care about being POLITE, weird part is they want you to be POLITE!! i mean, isn't it the way that people should/ would be??? (roomy, don't look at me like that! i know i am polyanna..in modern times:)
About my report! i didnot buy anything yesterday. i feel like it lost its mystery! you know that i ll succeed it for sure.. or do you??
Lastly, tomorrow is our 'sweetest fest'!! enjoy everyone!
cheers
i am happy! Ok, it is not surprising:) But, today i am happy and i have just joined freecycling group in istanbul! and have already posted a message that i need a bike.
It was something of which i wanted to be part for looong time. i didnot register myself before but ,believe it or not, i am not a good internet user. i had hardly checked my mails regularly up until 3 years ago and do not ask when i had an e-mail adress:)) hope i could explain who started to write blogpage, joined a freecycling group, searched for environmental solutions on the internet..
Btw, i have just ckecked my mail and i realized that first message i send should be 'i am giving.' type of message. One more thing to learn! But, actually am not worried about giving part 'cos as i wrote already, i am planning to perform that '100 things'! it seems like there will be many things that i am going to give away. For now, i am just waiting and trying to list the things that i am currently using.(i didnot check their web site yet. Even not search for that web site:S i ll inform you asap)i am waiting for R and we can start together. Let's see!!
More about freecycling! Their website is http://freecycle.org and the first thing you need to do is choosing an area which is closest to you. This means a lot to me. Because in this way, you decrease carbon emission caused by transportation, carrying stuff from far far away to your adress. Of course this does not mean that you ll find everything in your neighbourhood but at least.. Whatever, i am in istanbul group!
Addition to that, this group gives you the chance to find what is already produced. In the mail they sent me, there are rules about what you can't post to take or give away. But more important and cuter and also a bit weird than rules, they kindly ask you to be polite in every phase of cycling. Be polite about your messages, your replies, your attitude when you meet the person.. Cute part is they care about being POLITE, weird part is they want you to be POLITE!! i mean, isn't it the way that people should/ would be??? (roomy, don't look at me like that! i know i am polyanna..in modern times:)
About my report! i didnot buy anything yesterday. i feel like it lost its mystery! you know that i ll succeed it for sure.. or do you??
Lastly, tomorrow is our 'sweetest fest'!! enjoy everyone!
cheers
Monday, September 6, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER,6th(later..)
Today i can say it directly: i didnot buy anything! i mean any clothes. However, i m eating a lot.. i have some plans about that,but still need to wait for couple weeks!
Other than that, as i told you people can live with only 100 things. and there is an explanation about that which i said i ll tell later. Later comes! The reason behind that is our adaptation capability. When we decide or have to take something off from our lives, it becomes normal about that. reverse is possible too. when we buy something new, it loses its speciality and become normal.
There is a problem for an era of ours: we are told that the more we buy the happier we are. According to article(of which i ll give the link), it depends on what you buy! if you buy 'stuff', it doesnot make you happier. however, if you buy 'experience', it is different. Because in the 2nd one, you know that it is not imitable, and you don t compare it to others and there is no 'old version of experience'!
So, if you are dedicated to spend you money, go to theatre/museum(roomy!don t cry!!), do extreme sports(just sports is acceptible:), spend time with friends. or combine them!!
and have fun!!
Other than that, as i told you people can live with only 100 things. and there is an explanation about that which i said i ll tell later. Later comes! The reason behind that is our adaptation capability. When we decide or have to take something off from our lives, it becomes normal about that. reverse is possible too. when we buy something new, it loses its speciality and become normal.
There is a problem for an era of ours: we are told that the more we buy the happier we are. According to article(of which i ll give the link), it depends on what you buy! if you buy 'stuff', it doesnot make you happier. however, if you buy 'experience', it is different. Because in the 2nd one, you know that it is not imitable, and you don t compare it to others and there is no 'old version of experience'!
So, if you are dedicated to spend you money, go to theatre/museum(roomy!don t cry!!), do extreme sports(just sports is acceptible:), spend time with friends. or combine them!!
and have fun!!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER,5th(100 things)
Before writing about my experiment, i want to say one thing: i always feel happy and lucky about people who are around me. and now, i even feel happier and luckier!
Today, when i come home from visiting historical places with J and a new friend i have just met today, i saw a mail in my inbox from Ra. it was a mail about web site which had mounted campaign to make people question their life styles. How? By suggesting them to choose 100 'things' to lead their lives. Things have wide range from pencil to cosmetic products. Can a person do that? May or may not be.. Number of products is not important, but knowing or at least thinking about how much we have is. (i ll write more about that later,how people get used to live with just 100 things?)
Then, another mail from my roomy. She sent me my essay about my dream job in corrected form.(she may need to work on my blog posts also:) Moreover than that, she has encouraged me to write more about my environment 'obsession',eventhough she knows that she will need to deal with more obsessive form of me!!
And guess what! My dear friend F sent me a link on msn about an environment company's recruitment process. Can't say that he loves environment more than everything, but he knows what being a friend means:)
Today, i did not buy anything but received many thing from my friends!!Thanks a looott!!
Today, when i come home from visiting historical places with J and a new friend i have just met today, i saw a mail in my inbox from Ra. it was a mail about web site which had mounted campaign to make people question their life styles. How? By suggesting them to choose 100 'things' to lead their lives. Things have wide range from pencil to cosmetic products. Can a person do that? May or may not be.. Number of products is not important, but knowing or at least thinking about how much we have is. (i ll write more about that later,how people get used to live with just 100 things?)
Then, another mail from my roomy. She sent me my essay about my dream job in corrected form.(she may need to work on my blog posts also:) Moreover than that, she has encouraged me to write more about my environment 'obsession',eventhough she knows that she will need to deal with more obsessive form of me!!
And guess what! My dear friend F sent me a link on msn about an environment company's recruitment process. Can't say that he loves environment more than everything, but he knows what being a friend means:)
Today, i did not buy anything but received many thing from my friends!!Thanks a looott!!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER,4th(i learned that..)
You can be proud of me! We went to open market in Beşiktaş and then Ortaköy..and i didnot buy anything. Btw, i had one thing as a gift from Jasmin and i did not hesitate to use it: bag for grosery! then i don t need to take plastic bag at all.
I am not going to write a lot today, i realized that it may take time to read my other posts 'cos they are a bit long,just a bit:)
There were 2 things that ,i can say, affect my way of thinking about environment: First, as Joy said to me, if there is steam coming from water, it means water is still hot, you do not need to make it extremely hot by boiling. Other one is that: Living in a big house is already wasting. You may be surprised by the simplicity of reasons. Well, i was surprised.
i learned that, things you do without thinking, just because you get used to do them, can change with a word of a friend. Decide how hot you want your water to be.
i learned that, protecting environment is not only about renewable enery. By changing the way you live, you can make more than you think.
i hope i keep learning!
I am not going to write a lot today, i realized that it may take time to read my other posts 'cos they are a bit long,just a bit:)
There were 2 things that ,i can say, affect my way of thinking about environment: First, as Joy said to me, if there is steam coming from water, it means water is still hot, you do not need to make it extremely hot by boiling. Other one is that: Living in a big house is already wasting. You may be surprised by the simplicity of reasons. Well, i was surprised.
i learned that, things you do without thinking, just because you get used to do them, can change with a word of a friend. Decide how hot you want your water to be.
i learned that, protecting environment is not only about renewable enery. By changing the way you live, you can make more than you think.
i hope i keep learning!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER,3rd(old days)
Yes, Jasmin is here and we went to Taksim where you can find almost any type of clothes and shoes and accesorize..and i didnot buy anything.(but doesnot mean that we didnot spend money:dinner was delicious!)So, i m still on my work.
Other than that,i wrote yesterday that there is a difference between the time when i was in my hometown and in my uni. Last three weeks can explain a lot. i have spent 21 days in my hometown. There was no internet at home. Therefore, i was not checking my mails 5 times a day, i was not doing anything related to internet,i was not searching for blogs, i was not chatting with my friends online(some of them was necessary so i had to go to cafe to connect to internet,but since it is not available all the, i spent much less than 'normal' times). instead,i read books(seems like i m a real nerd,i wish i would be:),went for walking for at least one hour, spent time in the sea for 3 hours,helping mum with housework(listening my russian lessons during that), talking to mum. There was no internet so i was aware that i can not check my mail all the time. There was no opportunity cost of swimming or reading book or talking to mum,because i couldnot use that time by searching on the internet. Mind was clear and never felt tired. Then i came back! i was so happy to have an internet connection at home. i started to spend hours and hours. i stopped walking, there was no possibility to swim any more. Mum was not next to my room so we lessened our talking time. Then i started to do almost nothing. However, i felt soo tired and even wasnot able to read a line from the book. i admit one more time that i should decrease hours that i spend online.
One more thing,i should say! Every meal that i had in my hometown was homemade,thanks to mum(i am not proud of saying that. Starting from next month,we are going to prepare our meal together with my roomy. she doesnot know it yet:). Every vegetable was from local market and i also didnot buy any packed snack. Normally, i like eating sweet,and it is still normal. but: i was eating more fruits when i was in my hometown. it was totaly a healthy life style..and also more sustainable.
i ll tell you what money meant to me when i was a kid next time..or later!
We are going to open market tomorrow with Jasmin! You would be worried if you knew what open market is in Istanbul.
until soon, cheer up everybody!!
Other than that,i wrote yesterday that there is a difference between the time when i was in my hometown and in my uni. Last three weeks can explain a lot. i have spent 21 days in my hometown. There was no internet at home. Therefore, i was not checking my mails 5 times a day, i was not doing anything related to internet,i was not searching for blogs, i was not chatting with my friends online(some of them was necessary so i had to go to cafe to connect to internet,but since it is not available all the, i spent much less than 'normal' times). instead,i read books(seems like i m a real nerd,i wish i would be:),went for walking for at least one hour, spent time in the sea for 3 hours,helping mum with housework(listening my russian lessons during that), talking to mum. There was no internet so i was aware that i can not check my mail all the time. There was no opportunity cost of swimming or reading book or talking to mum,because i couldnot use that time by searching on the internet. Mind was clear and never felt tired. Then i came back! i was so happy to have an internet connection at home. i started to spend hours and hours. i stopped walking, there was no possibility to swim any more. Mum was not next to my room so we lessened our talking time. Then i started to do almost nothing. However, i felt soo tired and even wasnot able to read a line from the book. i admit one more time that i should decrease hours that i spend online.
One more thing,i should say! Every meal that i had in my hometown was homemade,thanks to mum(i am not proud of saying that. Starting from next month,we are going to prepare our meal together with my roomy. she doesnot know it yet:). Every vegetable was from local market and i also didnot buy any packed snack. Normally, i like eating sweet,and it is still normal. but: i was eating more fruits when i was in my hometown. it was totaly a healthy life style..and also more sustainable.
i ll tell you what money meant to me when i was a kid next time..or later!
We are going to open market tomorrow with Jasmin! You would be worried if you knew what open market is in Istanbul.
until soon, cheer up everybody!!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER,2nd(opportunity cost)
One more day passed and i still didnot buy anything. i know it seems funny since it has been just 2 days that i started my experiment(btw,i don t like calling it as experiment,but i couldnot find better word to say!!roomyy,help!!). However, today was an important day in terms of my experiment, 'cos i went to shopping mall. Not because i like hard, but because my cousin G needed to go there and i wanted to walk. (yes,i didnot use any kind of fossil-based transportation,proud!) i just looked at them, they looked at me back..no, sorry, i m losing my track sometimes while wiriting!!
Nothing happened as i already said at the beginning.
Today,i want to write about something that i have just watch. i highly recommend you to watch that video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM
Barry Schwartz: Paradox of choice
He tells about how we become that miserable because of the choices we make. He basicly says, 'Normally,the more option we have, the more freedom we get, the happier we are. But we are not in normal times any more:)' Since we have more option, we always think about the other option we didnot choose, which is called opportunity cost(opportunity cost is not the thinking part,it is other option part:) There is also, 'escalation of expectations' as he named it. We were satisfied with less when there were not that many option. And lastly, we blame ourselves not to find the best option. These make us unhappy.
and why is this related to me? options!! Yes, i like having options then i feel like 'yes, i did!' but i think sometimes i feel like 'Mum,can you make the decision for me?'. (I ll tell more about my 'sustainable' mum! yes i am older than the age which i said 'mum, do you think you know everything?!!')
When i was 7, it was already obvious which school i was going to attend,which classes i was going to take. and it was the same when i was 12..when i was 15..even when i was 17. The 'best' schools and 'best schools' were not secrets!You work for it, and you are there. obvious target!
Then i started uni and everything changed. thanks to our adaptation ability, i didnot have hard time to overcome that different situation where we had to make so many choices.(i can hear my roomy's voice from far far away. she is saying 'Maybe, you wouldnot think that there are so many options if you had chance to make your choices since you were 7!'. For now, it is out of topic:) i ll tell you what are the differences between the life that i had when i was in my hometown and the one that i have now. Moreover, i knew that it was just the beginning. Now, i am a graduate student and i observe also from many friends that we have choices even more than before.We are afraid of making wrong choices that can make us feel miserable.
It is the same about shopping. Let's turn to my shoes. Now, i am writing a scenerio not a real case. I went to buy a pair of shoes. i choose one and i saw another one seems better than the one i liked. One is better looking one is comfortable. Regardless of my choice, i would be unsatisfied, 'cos i already saw the other one! i can't behave like i didnot see it. (My solution to that problem is to ignore that 'evil' pair, means i can behave.)
I was shocked when one of my professors said that when she was at our age she had only 2 pairs of shoes. probably she was also not happier than we are. Then there should be a point in between.
Today's lesson to learn: Black and white seems cool,but gray is optimum :)
Nothing happened as i already said at the beginning.
Today,i want to write about something that i have just watch. i highly recommend you to watch that video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM
Barry Schwartz: Paradox of choice
He tells about how we become that miserable because of the choices we make. He basicly says, 'Normally,the more option we have, the more freedom we get, the happier we are. But we are not in normal times any more:)' Since we have more option, we always think about the other option we didnot choose, which is called opportunity cost(opportunity cost is not the thinking part,it is other option part:) There is also, 'escalation of expectations' as he named it. We were satisfied with less when there were not that many option. And lastly, we blame ourselves not to find the best option. These make us unhappy.
and why is this related to me? options!! Yes, i like having options then i feel like 'yes, i did!' but i think sometimes i feel like 'Mum,can you make the decision for me?'. (I ll tell more about my 'sustainable' mum! yes i am older than the age which i said 'mum, do you think you know everything?!!')
When i was 7, it was already obvious which school i was going to attend,which classes i was going to take. and it was the same when i was 12..when i was 15..even when i was 17. The 'best' schools and 'best schools' were not secrets!You work for it, and you are there. obvious target!
Then i started uni and everything changed. thanks to our adaptation ability, i didnot have hard time to overcome that different situation where we had to make so many choices.(i can hear my roomy's voice from far far away. she is saying 'Maybe, you wouldnot think that there are so many options if you had chance to make your choices since you were 7!'. For now, it is out of topic:) i ll tell you what are the differences between the life that i had when i was in my hometown and the one that i have now. Moreover, i knew that it was just the beginning. Now, i am a graduate student and i observe also from many friends that we have choices even more than before.We are afraid of making wrong choices that can make us feel miserable.
It is the same about shopping. Let's turn to my shoes. Now, i am writing a scenerio not a real case. I went to buy a pair of shoes. i choose one and i saw another one seems better than the one i liked. One is better looking one is comfortable. Regardless of my choice, i would be unsatisfied, 'cos i already saw the other one! i can't behave like i didnot see it. (My solution to that problem is to ignore that 'evil' pair, means i can behave.)
I was shocked when one of my professors said that when she was at our age she had only 2 pairs of shoes. probably she was also not happier than we are. Then there should be a point in between.
Today's lesson to learn: Black and white seems cool,but gray is optimum :)
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Shopping-free SEPTEMBER,1st
Yes,i did it!I did not buy any single clothes today!!can u imagine,i did it!!
ok,of course i am kidding:)) It was an easy day for my experiment. It was easy because I had almost no time to look around! Probably,it will not be that easy when my friend Jasmin will come in 33 hours. I am saying this,because the more you are exposed to shopping places, the more you buy things!
Since Jasmin will be in Istanbul for the first time, we will walk a lot(which is the part i like most and the part my roomy wants to kill me:)and we will see great places. However,it will come with its consequences: we will see e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g!
There is no place that you can escape from seeing all these shops. To be honest, I am not shopping addicted(means this months challenge is not going to be the hardest). Although i say i am not addicted, i bought 3 pairs of shoes just before i had started my shopping-free september. i confess this to explain(actually to myself)what happened! I went to the shopping mall to meet my friend Ra. It was to see her in the beginning, but at the same time i was thinking to find a pair of shoes which i looked for soo long and Ra is one of the best to find whatever you need! i chose one pair and seller said there is a 50% discount if i want to buy second pair! These are the words that shouldnot be said! I found myself searching for another one!!! and it didnot take too long for me to find it..
I am not going to tell the 3rd pair's story and thanks in advance if you keep reading till here:)
i realized one more time that you cannot prevent people from buying things. Because, it is the system that pushes consumption and we have been exposed to that for looong time, but i also think we can see that another way is possible: we can buy LESS!at least less than 3 pairs..
Probably, i ll write more about that consumption issue and i ll buy NOTHING during this month,hopefully in next months as well:))
we will see..
ok,of course i am kidding:)) It was an easy day for my experiment. It was easy because I had almost no time to look around! Probably,it will not be that easy when my friend Jasmin will come in 33 hours. I am saying this,because the more you are exposed to shopping places, the more you buy things!
Since Jasmin will be in Istanbul for the first time, we will walk a lot(which is the part i like most and the part my roomy wants to kill me:)and we will see great places. However,it will come with its consequences: we will see e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g!
There is no place that you can escape from seeing all these shops. To be honest, I am not shopping addicted(means this months challenge is not going to be the hardest). Although i say i am not addicted, i bought 3 pairs of shoes just before i had started my shopping-free september. i confess this to explain(actually to myself)what happened! I went to the shopping mall to meet my friend Ra. It was to see her in the beginning, but at the same time i was thinking to find a pair of shoes which i looked for soo long and Ra is one of the best to find whatever you need! i chose one pair and seller said there is a 50% discount if i want to buy second pair! These are the words that shouldnot be said! I found myself searching for another one!!! and it didnot take too long for me to find it..
I am not going to tell the 3rd pair's story and thanks in advance if you keep reading till here:)
i realized one more time that you cannot prevent people from buying things. Because, it is the system that pushes consumption and we have been exposed to that for looong time, but i also think we can see that another way is possible: we can buy LESS!at least less than 3 pairs..
Probably, i ll write more about that consumption issue and i ll buy NOTHING during this month,hopefully in next months as well:))
we will see..
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