BUYING THE FUTURE
This website/blog is a place to share about responsible consumerism.
I expect anyone that has found this page is familiar with the phrase, “Buy Local.” But how do you “Buy Local,” when almost everything you see on the shelves is made in China or someplace else with cheap labor and limited environmental regulations?
Another tough concept to bring to practice is “Support Sustainability.” But what is sustainability? Most want to do the “Green” thing, but with corporate advertising mushing up the definitions and seriously diminishing and marginalizing what Green means, how does the typical consumer know what to buy, and does it matter?
It is my intention to share with you, kind reader, some what I’ve learned about responsible consumption and what choices I make to help create a better future for our progeny. In future posts I will share with you strategies for limiting confusion from the choices.
The most influence each of us has on the society we live in, and the future for our children, is what we buy, or even more importantly, what we refuse to buy. I trust that others will share as well and cumulatively we can maximize our impact.
An important first step is recognizing how we are all being manipulated in a way that we feel always “in need.” I “need” a new pair of shoes , or whatever. We don’t need shoes, in reality. There are MILLIONS of human beings walking the earth now, barefooted. There are many that choose to be barefooted, even though they have shoes. This is done to us through the media and advertising to a point that we don’t see it, like the air we breathe.
A helpful first step to responsible consumerism is
differentiating between need and want.
It’s perfectly human and right for our social economy that you get those new shoes you want. Especially when you buy shoes (or whatever) made locally [as local as possible] and with sustainably sourced materials. That way you help create jobs for your neighbors and abundance and health for all. And that, dear friend, is the essence of being a Responsible Consumer.
We have little choice over our need for water, food and shelter, but when it comes to fulfilling desires, choosing to do so with local or Fair Trade products, made from sustainably produced materials feels good. I want to help people become more aware and empowered consumers because I know we can change the world.