Buy Nothing Day: An Eco-Stepper's Answer to Black Friday

Here it comes again... that day of post Thanksgiving, deal-getting, stuff-buying, early-bird-door-busting, trampling, gotta-have-it shopping.  For many of us in the United States, that day is known as Black Friday - the biggest and busiest shopping day of the year when many retailers give shoppers the "best deals" possible for the Christmas holiday season.  How can that be bad, right?  Well, our spending and consuming have reallly put us in a financial bad place.  The average American adult will rack up nearly $1000

 on his or her credit card during the Christmas shopping season.  For two adult households, that's $2000 in credit card debt.  To use Annie Leonard's terms, our Story of Stuff has now become our Story of Broke.   The good news is, each of us has control over how much we spend.  We can simply buy less.  Luckily there is an answer to Black Friday.  It's called  Buy Nothing Day. 

Voluntary Simplicity: Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich

 (Title Borrowed From:  Voluntary Simplicity: Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich) 

Mother Earth News

Lately, it seems that there are several recurring themes in the quest to live a fuller, more purpose-driven life AND be kind to Mother Earth at the same time by being less materialistic and less "stuff-focused."  One of these themes is Voluntary Simplicity.  It can be described many ways-- frugal, authentic, minimalist, and a whole host of other adjectives that fall under the umbrella of taking "eco-steps" to living better, being happier and helping the environment.  And while many may think that choosing to live a simpler, less complicated life means "giving up" or "going without," there is plenty of evidence out there to support the exact opposite.  

Wanna Have More? Use Less!

In the spirit of eco-steps-- taking small steps toward conservation, being healthier, saving money and all that, I've been on somewhat of a minimalist kick of late.   I've been contemplating the notion that by using less of everything, that we can actually have more!  And if we apply that principle to just about every aspect of our lives, there will be more of everything to go around.  Here's where I am coming from:

Stephen Colbert's Interview with Annie Leonard: The Story of Stuff

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Newspaper Deodorizers & Cereal Bag Placemats

What?  I'll admit up front that I did not come up with these ideas.  But, they are definitely good uses (and nearly free) for things you already have.

New Uses for Old Newspaper:  Did you know that newspaper can be used to neutralize odors in the refrigerator?  It can also be used as a shoe deodorizer!  Simply ball up two sheets of newspaper and insert one into each stinky shoe and overnight it will remove the odor!  It also works for drying out shoes.  When finished deodorizing, toss the paper in your recycle bin.

Reuse Your Cereal Liners:  Don't throw away the waxed liners inside the cereal box.  They are heavy duty and can be used for so many things. (Who'd a thunk it?)

• They make excellent freezer bags when you twist the top of the bag and secure with a twist tie (that you save from your bread bags, right??).
• Use in the microwave over a plate of food to keep it from spattering. 
• Open up the bag (they come apart pretty easily) and spread out to keep your workspace clean. Works really good for children's messes with play-dough or paints.

Why Eco-Steps Matter

It's no secret that the world population is increasing at alarming rates. As a human race, we consume resources to survive.  And, some of us consume more than others (far beyond what would be considered necessary for survival).

Just recently, I read an article addressing our consumption entitled, "What's Your Consumption Factor?" by Jared Diamond, author of "Collapse," and "Guns, Germs and Steel."  Some of the highlights of the article are that developed nations consume resources at a relative per capita consumption rate of 32 whereas the "rest" of the world consumes at a rate far lower than that-- somewhere around 1.  And, that the disparity in these resource consumption rates is at the root of many of the world's conflicts.  This article uses China as an example of where we are headed with our consumption.  In 2008, China's per capita consumption hovered somewhere around 11.  China has the world's fastest growing economy and four times the population of the United States.  If China's consumption rises to be on par with the US, oil consumption would increase by 106 percent, and world metal consumption would increase by 94 percent.  I don't mean to pick on China or single out any particular nation.  But, it is clear that we all need to start thinking a lot differently about how we consume. 

Looking Good on the Cheap

We all want to look good.  It's part of human nature.  I dare say that what we don't want is to spend a lot of money to look our best.  And the good news is, we don't have to!  With the economic downturn of the past year, second-hand stores, consignment shops, and stores like the Good Will and The Salvation Army have come back into popularity and for good reason.  You can really find some tremendous deals on stylish, gently used clothing while helping people, saving money and being kinder to the planet.  If you haven't already seen The Story of Stuff, check it out and you'll see why shopping just a little differently is much nicer to Mother Nature.  You can look good and feel good too!

Slow Your Roll

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?  I haven't.  Mentally, I am still on Halloween since I am enjoying a piece or two (or three, let's be honest here) of my kids' trick-or-treating candy haul.  And really, it's not even Thanksgiving.  Shouldn't the question be, "How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year?"