Sustainable Pin: Why You Need a Pocket Knife

Today's short post resurrects a column I've neglected for a while:  Sustainable Pin.  Here, I try to highlight pins that I've found on Pinterest that will help you live a more sustainable life.

Today's pin comes from Survival at Home; it links to an article titled "Why You Need a Pocket Knife."  Go ahead and take a look and then head back.

I was struck by this pin today because I realized that I am the only Generation Xer I know who regularly carries a pocket knife (in my purse).  Mostly, I see folks of older generations carrying knives, but the younger generations not so much.  I wonder at that, because it used to be a time-honored badge of maturity to be given a pocket knife with instructions and training on how to handle it safely.  I remember learning a little bit of whittling when I got my first pocket knife.  I've never forgotten those lessons on how to safely handle a tool with a sharp blade.

Of course, today's society has some constraints on carrying potentially dangerous objects.  I don't carry a pocket knife in the airport, of course.  But I like to have one with me when I drive or ride my bike, because, as the original article points out, it can be used in a number of situations in which you need to quickly cut something open, repair something, or even repurpose it into another tool (like using it as a screwdriver). Having a pocket knife around can keep you safer by allowing you to handle minor inconveniences and emergencies.  As a gardener, I like to keep a pocket knife in my garden basket to handle vines that my bypass trimmers can't.

I also think it presents the opportunity to learn skills that are important to everyday life.  Using a knife safely isn't just restricted to the kitchen; being able to cut rope, garden weeds, box tape, and the like is something we all encounter, and doing so with a well-maintained knife is safer than grabbing a blunt pair of scissors or some make-do.

It's an easy prep.  Carrying a pocket knife makes you that much more independent, which is a step toward sustainability.  What do you think?  Answer in the comments below.