Rethinking Consumer Buying

It is an interesting time to be a consumer in the United States right now. On the one hand, consumers are dealing with lay offs and uncertain financial stability around the world, causing consumers to decrease their spending habits drastically, and on the other hand, the public is being told by public officials and many mediums that they need to spend more in order for the economy to pick up. It is all so confusing, but right now is the perfect time for us all to make a major life change that is environmentally and economically smart.

I completely agree that halting spending entirely is going to do nothing to stimulate our teetering economy and boost consumer confidence, but we must also be smart about our purchases and live an environmentally conscious life every day. It has been stated that 50% of greenhouse gas emissions are directly linked to the production and consumption of consumer goods. This means that every purchase you make, whether it is clothing or electronics, is contributing to the downfall of this planet. Does that mean we all need to abandon our homes, live in a shack in the woods and grow all of our own food? Well that would be ideal, but not very realistic at this time. The key is to think local, recycled and second hand. Here are my tips to begin a new life as a more responsible consumer:

1.) Buy Small & Local: When I say buy local, I don't mean shop at your local Wal Mart. What I mean is purchase from small local businesses. Every Saturday in my home town my community has a Saturday Market. The event has booths from about 50 local artisans, cooks, and craftmen. It is a perfect time to pick up a hand made candle, jewelry, or a piece of art. Many of the vendors are just as concerned with being environmentally conscious as I am, and so they try and only use organic material grown here in Oregon. I normally shy away from buying any new products, but when I buy from a fellow local business, I feel a sense of pride and a connection with my community. I love knowing that I am making a choice to not contribute to the corporate, materialistic world our forefathers have designed for us.
2.) Always try and get it used: When it comes to things like electronics and home decor, do your pocketbook and the environment a favor by buying used. You'd be surprised the great finds you can get in secondhand shops and how easy and fun it is to spruce up an old item and make it unique and new. We have a great electronics place in Eugene called BRING that fixes old computers and cameras and resells them at a great price. It is the perfect place to get computer hardware, and a great place to recycle electronics you are no longer using.
3.) Differentiate between a want and a need: Teenagers in particular seem to not understand this concept, but is it really their fault? We live in a world that bombards us with advertisements and entertainment figures, which are both stuffing products down our throats 24/7. There isn't a day that goes by that I am not reminded of the capitalist society I live in. But just because that is the way it has been doesn't mean that is the way it needs to stay. As consumers we have all the power, and we can use our power by not buying excessively and not contributing to big business conglomerates. Do you really need to upgrade to a new phone or ipod every single year? No! Do you really need to buy $200 shoes made in a sweatshop just because they are brand name? Hell no! The moment Americans realize how much power they really have over this economy is the moment real change can happen.

Earth Day Every Day!

Earth Day is looming, and like every year I am scrambling around trying to decide on the perfect gift for our Mother Earth. I have grand dreams of volunteering at Mt. Pisgah, or helping weed a local community garden, and though my intentions are good, I will instead get off work at 5 p.m. drive home in my car (yes, my car not a bike or bus) and read online about all of the great things people have done all day while I was at work. Then the next day everyone I know is going to ask me what I did to make a difference, and the truth will be that I did not do squat to lessen my carbon imprint, but I will lie and say I saved a slug from being hit by a car or I used my pogo stick to get to work.

Earth Day is similar to Valentines Day as far as the guilt factor goes. I feel pressured to show my appreciation in some elaborate way even though I do little things every day to show that I care. Why do humans enjoy designating a single day to prove our love, to make a difference, to celebrate life, to act like kids? Shouldn't we be encouraging people to do these things every day instead of one day a year? That is why I choose to not celebrate Valentines Day, and why I had Halloween for Christmas. Yes, I realize this all might sound cynical considering nothing bad can come from people doing good deeds for the planet, but I really believe that every day is Earth Day and we should all make life changes that go along with that.

Here are five tips for making every day Earth Day:

1.) Eat Responsibly: This means being aware of every food purchase. You should be trying to buy local as much as possible to lessen the carbon impact and to hopefully support smaller businesses and your local economy. If you can't buy local, you should at least try to buy from a company that is in your time zone. You should also try and buy organically when possible and from smaller companies. You can't go wrong if you buy your food from a farmer's market.
2.) Cut Out the Fat: Meat is yummy and sometimes the animal in me just wants to nibble on a medium rare steak, but the truth is eating and raising livestock on a large scale is causing more damage to the environment than our gas gussling vehicles. This is going to require a big life change, but believe me you will survive and you are doing humanity and the environment a big favor. (Check out my last blog to find out more reasons to cut out meat!)
3.) The Yellow Rule: It might sound old fashioned, but the yellow mellow rule totally makes sense and will save you money and gallons of water usage.
4.) Keep it Cool: My house is always set at around 63 degrees. This makes for a cold winter, but it cuts down on my electricity consumption and eventually you get use to wearing a hat and scarf in the house.
5.) Compost it: Composting is one of the most wonderful things you can do for yourself and the planet. I love knowing that I have little to no food waste, and with composting and recycling I can go a few weeks before I fill an entire trash bin. I am so into composting that I have a small worm compost that sits on my deck and a large compost bin in my front yard. Once you begin composting it becomes a healthy addiction.