I really do just love the New York Times.

I also really love reading about frugality (crazier the better) and about people who are living less than conventional lifestyles.

Therefore I really loved this article about Bretwood Higman and Erin McKittrick and their life in a yurt in Alaska.

I could perfectly understand their choice of broadband over a flushable toilet – outhouse in the wilderness, peachy; internet – essential.

I had a little trouble understanding trekking into town for weekly showers, because I’m quite keen on bathing daily. But hey, if you can handle each other’s festiness, rock on …

What I had a lot of trouble understanding is what would possess someone to “enlist dogs — their family’s and those of the neighbors — to lick plates clean before scrubbing the dishes in hand-drawn well water, which they said saves energy.”.

Just? What?

Have they not thought that perhaps it might be similarly efficient and rather less UTTERLY REVOLTING to scape the food scraps into a bowl for the dogs if they wanted to feed them, which would also have the added bonus of clean plates?

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