How I Live More With Less
Adults and youth attending the bi-annual Mennonite Church USA convention in Pittsburgh, Pa. were asked: How do you live “more with less?” Below are their answers, grouped by categories.
What is your response to this question? We invite you to post them on the Living More with Less Facebook page.
Recycling
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I make birthday and get well cards from scraps of paper. – Maria
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I use recycled jeans, old shirts, etc. to sew my own bags and quilts. – Anna |
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We recycle milk cartons, cans, cardboard and paper. – Tara
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I have my third grade students recycle plastic and paper in our classroom. – LuAnne |
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I recycle in my classroom – Carissa
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I’ve used the same plastic silverware all week. – Joe
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I carry a drink cup or re-use disposables. – James |
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I am the compost/recycle queen! – Connie |
Recreation
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I have fun with what I have. – Rileigh |
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I live more with less by doing things that are free, [such as] go out in the woods and walk. – Ryan |
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For fun, our family takes walks through local parks. – Amy |
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I bike when I can and enjoy a lot of time outside. – Jonathan |
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I encourage others through sports and have fun. – Laura |
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I go hiking, dancing, skipping … whatever it is, it’s with friends. – Caleb |
Transportation
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My family has committed to having one car. – Jimm |
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I drive a small car when I really want to drive my truck – Grant |
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I ride my bicycle everywhere. – David |
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I live in the city where we are able to walk to work, restaurants, library, post office, etc. – Sue |
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I walk to church and instead of buying a second car when my spouse’s car died, we bought a motorcycle. – Sandy |
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I walk to work and bike to church. – Gordon
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I make sure I carpool or take public transportation whenever I can. – Adrienne |
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I moved near where I work so I only have a two-mile commute. – Craig |
Food
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We grow many of our own vegetables (without chemicals) and enjoy canning and freezing them. – Mary |
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I live more with less by using water collected in rain barrels to grow tomatoes, lettuce, flowers and tea. – Sam |
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We do supper club with our small group to share our vegetables from our gardens. – Singgih |
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I have a large garden of fruits and vegetables. – Jonah |
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I grow a garden. – Amanda |
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I plant a garden every year and cook most meals from scratch. – D.J. |
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Every summer we do canning and freezing. – Deborah |
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I compost and garden. – Sarah |
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I use many leftovers to make new creative meals. – Kaylene |
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I cook and eat low on the food chain (using Extending the Table, of course). – Brian |
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I milk my own goat. – Myron |
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I garden. – Jay |
Shopping
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I shop at thrift and consignment stores for my clothing. – Jacqueline |
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I live more with less by cutting down on the amount of packaging we consume by buying staples like oatmeal in 25 or 50 pound bags. – Denise |
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I live more with less by not using plastic bags when I go to stores and instead bring my own recycled bags. – Ashley |
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I garage sale for almost all of my children’s clothes. – Laura |
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I live more with less by not using plastic bags when shopping and taking re-usable bags everywhere I go. – Ramona |
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I use cloth diapers for my child to reduce waste in the landfill. – Paula |
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I live more with less with cloth diapers. – Holly |
Multiple ways
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Solar panels, bike to work when I can, CSA and landscape with a garden – Janet |
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I live more with less by trying to save electricity and trying to eat organic. – Reuben |
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I live more with less by growing my own vegetables and biking to work. – Elizabeth |
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I wear pants more than once before washing, and re-use materials including old clothes, plastic bags, and containers. – Jeni |
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I live more with less through gardening, woodstove heat and a fuel efficient car. – Barry |
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I converted my house to a “green” house and run/bike to destination. – Kolton |
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I live more with less by working together with others to plan a green urban co-housing condo as part of the revitalization of downtown Durham. – Esther |
Other
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I resist war taxes by living under the taxable level. – Carol |
| I look for ways to celebrate a more “socially just” Canada Day or July 4th celebration. Possibly have a major community picnic and encourage the local chapter of some group such as Amnesty International, and possibly encourage everyone to sign and send letters on behalf of “prisoners of belief and conviction” in various countries as a result of the picnic. –Valerie | |
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I live more with less day by day. – Ryan |
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I don’t shower every day unless necessary. Make my own entertainment by planning low to no cost activities. – Kathy |
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I try to be “green.” – Liz |
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I put my underwear in the freezer during summer instead of turning on the air conditioning. – Savannah |
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I try to always wear my jeans twice before washing them. – Mandi |
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I share my trailer when others need to have things hauled. – Jeff |
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I invest hugely with small provisions. – Jacob |
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I use hot water from my woodstove for showers daily, using a bucket. – Galen |
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We have all fluorescent light bulbs. – Lena |
