The Mennonites are known for many things: quaint lifestyles, hearty cooking, and funny accents. However, did you know that Mennonites are also among the most environmentally-conscious people out there? Certainly far “greener” than most Englishers out there. When going “green,” perhaps you could consider a few tips from the Mennos. Let’s have a look:
- They use horse and buggy. More over Tesla. If you really want to be environmental, you’ve got to go back to the hose and buggy. I’d love to see Elon Musk try to beat Mr. Friesen for carbon footprint.
- They make their dresses made from curtains. None of this store-bought garbage made in sweatshop half way across the world. Any good Mennonite dress-maker will create a lovely dress out of used curtains from the 1970s. Talk about green!
- They have large families. One of the biggest strains on the environment are small families. Studies show that families of fifteen or sixteen who share bath water are the most economically and environmentally efficient.
- They own their own cows. The dairy industry is a real polluter. That’s why every Mennonite family has their own cow. Mine was Betsy.
- They’re really into reusable metal straws. Mennonites love to drive yerba tea with a gourd and metal straw known as a bombilla. We’ve been doing this reusable straw thing for decades!
- They conserve water during baptisms. Yes, there are some exceptions (I thinking of you, MBers!), but, for the most part, Mennonite churches use very little water during baptisms. Dunkers are very bad for the planet.
- They eat the whole animal. Ever had a chicken heart? Mennonites gobble down that stuff like it’s going out of style. Nothing is wasted.
- They grow their own “organic heirloom” veggies. Long before it was a trend with hipsters, Mennonites were “growing their own.”
- They use cloth diapers. Have you ever heard the statistic about how the average person’s disposable diapers could stretch to the moon and back? Well, the number of diapers a Mennonite family uses wouldn’t even stretch all the way to the Kroeker farm.
- They’re pacifists. Let’s face it, there’s nothing worse for Mother Earth than blowing it up. Mennonites, in general, are against that kind of behaviour.