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Tahoe Family Guy: Healthy, not wealthy; hopefully wise |
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Written by Andrew Cristancho/Tahoe World - View Profile
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Tuesday, 02 October 2007 |
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“Uhh, a refill? That’ll be one dollar,” the coffee-cart lady said as I filled my cup on the way to work last week.
I thought to myself, “I’ll be back — that’s a good price for a hot cup of Organic Peruvian.”
So it goes for the family guy; bargain hunting while trying to help the planet. My wife and I don’t earn a lot, but we try to make the right decisions when it comes to consumerism. Compact florescent light bulbs, organic coffee and produce from local farmers.
It may be the right thing to do for the planet but it’s not cheap.
We always justify our spending habits while looking at each other over the dinner table, sipping an impossibly tasty organic beer, and saying ‘We gotta eat (and drink).’
This spending philosophy barely makes sense, considering our collective incomes, and when faced with the dilemma of buying something big, like say a dishwasher, the ideal is tested.
Durable goods
 In economics speak a durable good is something you buy that lasts over three years like cars, sporting goods and appliances. My wife and I moved into our West Shore home in 1998, a charming ranch-style home — is what the Realtors called it — a small rectangle is what it is.
Speaking of charming it came with matching mustard yellow appliances, circa 1970. The stove is the only piece that has not broken down, yet the refrigerator was the only replacement, until last week.
My wife did not complain about the ugly yellow square called a dishwasher that never really worked. Nine years turned her into a woman of action.
Welcome to 20th Century
Last week my wife bought our household a dishwasher — a brand-new stainless steel job — with the Energy Star rating. This rating, according to Energy Star.gov, is the result of a program between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy, “helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.”
Don’t let them fool you, the higher the rating the more expensive the product. I had no idea you could pay over $2,000 for a dishwasher but apparently eco-consciousness mixed with good looks comes at a premium. We bought a moderatly-priced machine with the rating and a stainless steel finish. I had some sticker shock initially, but quickly shrugged it off with the help of a cheery Energy Star sentiment I found online, “The results are already adding up; Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved enough energy in 2006 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars — all while saving $14 billion on their utility bills.”
How could we argue? — we couldn’t afford not to buy.
We were like a couple of kids when it came. We opened it and shut it — several times. Our four-year-old thought this was amusing and joined in the game. Even the dog came over for a sniff. The next morning at 4:30 a.m. — I couldn’t sleep (work dreams — journalism’s a scary place) — I was under the sink looking for leaks. After finding none I opened it again, and marvel among marvels — the dishes were clean — and dry.
That is when it occurred to me — this technology has been around for a long time.
157 years to be exact.
Apparently the first hand-cranked dishwasher was invented by Josephine Cochrane in 1850 to prevent her servants from chipping the China. It wasn’t until the 1970s though that the technology became commonplace in the American kitchen. It’s only taken the Cristanchos 37 years to catch up to last millennium.
Livin’ on Equity
They don’t pay journalists a lot — I’m not complaining — it’s just a well-known fact. In fact, in my last career as a restaurateur, a fellow server advised me, while I was back in school, to drop the journalism dream — “it’s not worth it,” he said.
So far it is worth it, even if my earnings don’t quite pay for my organic wishes and sustainability dreams. My wife works part time, in fact, she earns more than I do.
How does a couple afford an $800 Energy Star rated dishwasher and still have money left for organic apples? — the new American Dream — we’re livin’ on home equity baby!
Yes, we are the unwise couple you’ve heard about supplementing our low incomes with money borrowed from the value of our house to make ends meet. We are unwise with millions of other American brothers and sisters who are using this source of funding to finance spending.
According to columnist Liz Pulliam Weston mainstream home-equity lending soared 33% last year.
Although the dishwasher is a home improvement, there were many months this year and last that we used our equity to pay the bills. According to Weston, we are still not alone.
“Lenders believe a third or less of home-equity borrowing is used for anything that could be considered an investment, such as home improvements or education. The rest goes for debt consolidation, vacations or purchases of assets that quickly depreciate, such as cars,” wrote Weston in a recent column titled, “5 tips for wisely tapping your home equity.”
Waxing philosophic about health and wealth
Reckless economic philosophy: Use it or lose it. Pragmatic economic philosophy: We might lose it so don’t use it.
Our outlook: Life without the amenities is harder and bleaker.
“No, I can’t play with you — I’m washing the dishes,” I’ve been known to say to my daughter.
There are peer-reviewed studies, found on the Internet, that conclude parental involvement can foster mental health in children.
I’m sure there are other studies showing organic produce is better for developing bodies than stuff with pesticide residue.
For these reasons my spouse and I will continue to borrow and spend. Hopefully the equity holds.
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