MINDFUL CONSUMERISM
by Joelle Marier
4/22/2009
No matter how you look at it, to live is to consume. But these days it seems the human race has taken this dose of reality to an extreme. Many American roadsides are clogged by shopping centers and box stores filled to capacity with disposable, prepackaged, over packaged, low-low priced everything you could ever want, need, never even imagined, and much, much more!
So what? Buying stuff is fun, right? We need to spend money to support our economy these days. We need to buy groceries so we can eat. We need to buy clothing so we’re not, well…naked. So what’s the problem with being a consumer? Absolutely nothing, but why not be mindful about what you consume?
What Is A “Mindful Consumer”?
A mindful consumer is a person who considers the environmental and social impacts of the products they purchase and acts upon this knowledge by purchasing environmentally and socially friendly products as available. In other words, “think before you buy” but not just about the effect on your hard earned cash.
Why Should I Be A Mindful Consumer?
If you are a person who cares about your health, your planet and the beings you share it with, please read on because the purchases you make and who you make them from can have environmental and social impacts on a global scale.
A Quick Environmental Refresher
We’ve heard it all before; global warming, acid rain, toxic waste dumping, ozone depletion, extreme generation of waste, land degradation, pesticides and herbicides in our food and environment, hormones and antibiotics in the meat we eat, sweatshops producing our cheap products overseas, the list goes on and on. Yeah, it all sounds pretty bad, and sure we get tired of hearing about it. The rub is, we may not like or agree with many of these practices, but they are everywhere. They are aspects of many of the products we unsuspectingly purchase. Although we may be recycling, reusing, reducing and all of that jazz, there are important considerations about the power of our almighty dollar and in whose hands that power is being placed, that are being widely overlooked.
So what can you do about it? Remember the saying “put your money where your mouth is”? In an economy driven society a fair amount of your power is your money and how you choose to spend it. You have the power to send a strong message to the corporate world about the type of planet you want to live in by the way you spend and the products/services you support. It is simple supply and demand. When you purchase products from environmentally responsible companies, you provide them with capital, which in turn leads to growth and further production of the types of products you feel good about buying. This works the opposite way as well. By not purchasing products from companies with poor business practices, they have less capital which results in less capacity to continue with harmful practices. In essence they will be forced to sink or swim, do not change and go out of business, or shift to more sustainable practices and evolve with the new green economy. So, the question is…What kind of choices are you going to make and how are you going to make them?
DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A “GREEN” ALTERNATIVE FOR ALMOST EVERY PRODUCT YOU BUY?
It’s true. You just have to look and educate yourself, and it might be easier than you think. Try asking yourself a few questions about some of the products you currently buy and others you may be interested in buying. You might be surprised by some of the answers. Here is a list of questions to help you get started.
What Do You Know About The Product You Are Purchasing?
Do I really need this?
Is it built to last or is it disposable?
Is this something I could rent or lease rather than buy?
What materials were needed to produce this item? Are they biodegradable or recyclable?
Does it contain chemicals that could cause harm to me and/or the environment?
Can this be reused?
Could I buy this used?
Who manufactured it?
Do they pollute or are they attempting to reduce their carbon emissions?
Where was it manufactured?
What am I supporting/who am I supporting with my money when I purchase this product?
What are the business practices of the entity I am purchasing it from?
Do the companies who manufacture and sell this product participate in fair labor practices?
How far did it travel to get to me?
Am I doing the best I can with the resources I have right now?
Sure, at first this list of questions can seem a bit daunting and you’re probably thinking “Yeah, Right!”. But, these days, goods come from all over the globe, and not everyone cares about people or the planet like you do. A suggestion I have for undertaking this seemingly daunting task is to start small. Maybe choose one product per week that you research, getting as much info as you can about it’s environmental impacts. Some great places to start are websites that actually rate the environmental impacts of many products (see below under “WEBSITES”). If you do this diligently each week, by the end of the year, that’s 52 products that you are educated about! So bear with it, eventually you’ll discover many products that fit your criteria and will narrow down the places where you can buy them… it will become second nature!
Here are a few easy tips and ideas for greening up your purchases. My top 5 are:
- purchase QUALITY products that last
- REPAIR rather than repurchase
- RENT OR LEASE equipment when appropriate
