Enviroblog: Want to shop green? Buy less.

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« EnviroLinks: Lassie's got nothin' on this girl | Main | The future of green gadgetry »

Want to shop green? Buy less.

By Jovana Ruzicic

March 6, 2008

We are all used to coming up with solutions to problems. And new business opportunities are so often the solution for crisis situations here in America. But, buying green is not always the solution for the environmental crisis this planet is facing. Buying less is.

I get it. I’m a girl, you know. While I am not a shopaholic by any means, there are certain things I cannot live without. But then, there are many I can even though it looks like I cannot.

According to Sierra Club:

"The average American buys 53 times as many products as someone in China and one American's consumption of resources is equal valent to that of 35 Indians. Over a lifetime, the typical American will create 13 times as much environmental damage as the average Brazilian."

So, the solution is buying less, not just buying green even though it’s a new fashion. Switching brands and paying more will not resolve the climate catastrophe we are facing.

A great Washington Post article states that:

“The culture of obsolescence has become so deeply ingrained that it's practically reflexive. Holey sweaters get pitched, not mended. Laptops and cell phones get slimmer and shinier and smaller. We trade up every six months, and to make up for that, we buy and buy and hope we're buying the right other things, though sometimes we're not sure: When the Hartman Group, a market research firm, asked a group of devout green consumers what the USDA "organic" seal meant when placed on a product, 43 percent did not know. (The seal means that the product is at least 95 percent organic -- no pesticides, no synthetic hormones, no sewage sludge, no irradiation, no cloning.)
Which is why, when wannabe environmentalists try to change purchasing habits without also altering their consumer mind-set, something gets lost in translation.”

Buying green is a novel idea. In many cases it’s a better alternative because you are exposing yourself and your family to fewer toxic chemicals. Organic food is definitely a good choice and EWG has been a strong advocate of it. However, the best way to help the planet is to buy less and to reuse more. So, when you go out shopping this spring, check out those consignment stores in your neighborhood, you might be able to find pretty cool clothes there too. And if you feel that you still have the money left in your “green” budget, think of donating to research and advocacy environmental organizations that are advocating for change of environmental laws on state and national level.

Photo by nadi0

Posted at 8:00 AM

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Filed under consumption, cosmetics, green shopping

Comments

Great article. Too many people think buying green in and of itself somehow helps the planet. The truth is, it is merely less damaging than buying conventional products. It is still harmful.

Posted by: Greg | March 6, 2008 4:11 PM

This entry sums it up well. The whole "Reduce, Reuse, recycle" chasing arrows symbols is summed up in the consumer's mind by recycling their end-products. They forget the first two - reducing purchases and reusing what they have - are the more significant steps.

I am in the recycling field, and I can't tell you how much excitement is generated by the new "compostable" ware generated by Dow Chemical. People are sending me "green tips" that suggest buying compostable dishware. I respond "Why buy something that is disposable in any fashion? Why not simply use durable dishes and wash them? " But planned obsolescence is so ingrained in us.

See "the Story of Stuff" if you haven't already.

Posted by: Anastasia | March 7, 2008 12:08 AM

For clothes, we only shop at consignment/thrift shops. For food, I go to the local produce markets and buy produce without packaging - as well as farmer's markets the other 3/4 of year. We re-use paper shopping bags and avoid buying plastic or poorly-made anything. We buy bulk foods at the local co-op, and furniture etc from garage sales - again, pieces that have lasted made from solid wood. I appreciate the quality and the prices by living this way. We live in Portland OR, so living this way is easy - and it's a main reason we chose this city. Our house had "new" walmart-type items in the bathroom that need to be replaced after 6 months - it stuns me that anyone in this town would shop at walmart, target etc - and it's infuriating that these stores continue to have poor-quality items on their shelves. There's a "Rebuilding Center" here that is huge, and it's like a thrift Home Depot - all used building materials that last - these should be mandatory in every city, and there should be laws or fines to prevent the massive amounts of other household waste.
It's true that while being green is trendy, there will simply be a switch of products bought - it might take a deep recession to switch the mindset (though thrifting among 20-somethings is trendy). Or another decade to witness the 100-year old houses outlasting the 20-year old houses.

Posted by: L | March 10, 2008 1:28 AM

Everything that is saved by green technology will be immediately consumed. For example, people who use hybrid cars will buy more of the other stuff using money saved on gas. Green is not an answer. Only if we change mentality and stop buying things, we can slow done our run to a catastrophe.

Posted by: MB | March 23, 2008 8:18 PM

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