Eliminate, Reuse & Recycle

We on SV Froo Gal come from the north of England. We are the children of wartime children. Our parents lived with rationing during or shortly after the war (WWII) and grew up with a "make do and mend" mentality. They always expected their children to eat what was put on the table for them. They were not wasteful or profligate. For a short generation things changed in the West.

There a many reasons to do better than generation waste. But let's avoid spelling out the politics -- it seems unnecessary within a month of the the UN saying that the threats associated with climate change are becoming a critical issue for the Earth -- and observe that the frugal sailor want to save money. This might not be a selfless altruistic motive, but it chimes with those that are.

Elimination of necessary purchases, reuse of valuable products and materials and recycle of those beyond reuse makes sense to the frugal sailor.

Image courtesy of khunaspix,at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is this just empty rhetoric for the crew of Froo Gal?  No. The frugal sailors have managed to make some good savings during their short tenure as owners and crew. We spotted a Dynema (or is it Spectra?) halyard dumped in a bin in the marina. "Oh, that will make a good painter for the kayak," said one crew member. We fished it out, put it through the washing machine, and now we are replacing the traveller sheet with it.  That saved us several tens of pounds (and it looks good). We had fun replacing it, but the Locktite on the fancy fasteners caused us to shear the bolt head. It is work in progress. Heat or nail polish remover may be part of the solution. The 18V drill that was at home at the time, might be able to do the job that the smaller unit (12V) could not do.

One of our crew members thinks I have taken recycling to an extreme. When walking in the countryside collecting blackberries at the end of this exceptionally long summer and growing season I found a Dynema (or is it Spectra?) dog lead hanging on a five bar fence. It was beyond its original purpose, but a launder in the washing machine and some whipping later it now makes a handy... sail tie, rope belt or lanyard. It saved a few pounds (GBP), but more importantly it makes me feel good. It would be too easy (and necessary) to throw it away. The waste would necessarily hurt the Earth and hurt us all -- rugal sailing is responsible sailing.

Food Waste waste is one of the biggest wastes that can be address in the world of Western excess. How can the average family cut down on food waste?

1. Shop close to home.  Prices might seems a little higher, but shopping for what you need when you need it will cut down on waste (and save money) more than any other tactic.

2. Buy long-life and freezable goods in bulk and at a discount. (We prefer Costco).

3. Observe and consider your food before throwing it away. Don't simply throw something away simply because it has reached its sell by date. Its used by date is likely to be very conservative. You know the history of the food after it has been bought. Has it been frozen? If so, the dates printed on the packaging mean something different. If it has been properly refrigerated, use your nose and your nous to work out whether you could sensibly eat it. How are you preparing it? Cooking vs. raw has a bearing on this. Mould -- it has not killed me yet (I scrape it off).

4. Store and use leftovers. We habitually cook meals that would feed four adults and plate up two to eat later in the week. Many things can be safely reheated once after cooking -- do you homework! Appropriate containers and a refrigerator (in a house or a boat) are essential.

5. Avoid the BOGOF (buy one and get one free) or use it well. Getting additional food for free (or half price) might seems like a good idea, but stores don't do something for nothing. Look at the prices of their competitors. Even if it is a good deal, it could be a wasteful option. What do you actually do with that extra. Does it lurk in the back of the fridge? Well, if it does it is costing you money and, when it all adds up it is a terrible waste that the World could usefully do without.

6. Buy things that keep. Dried, tinned and frozen food have their place. We all know that fresh food it better for us, but the next time that you get home when the fridge is a little bare of fresh food, would it not be cheaper, heather and more satisfying to whip up a meal from your own kitchen than to eat out or order from a takeaway?

7. Cut down on meat. We all know know the relative impact of meat eating --- environmental, cost and health -- but yet it is a hard habit to drop, especially when the cost appears to be bearable. But to get ready to be a frugal sailor prepared for long-term sailing, you could usefully get into good habits, like cutting down on (red) meat consumption.

So next time you you shop for food, please think about it!