For the most part, shopping, or consuming of any item is bad for the planet. However there are some products, or some ways of shopping, that are either less harmful, or perhaps actually improve things either socially or environmentally.
- Ebooks are an very environmentally friendly purchase, you can carry around your whole library in your pocket without having to have killed a single tree.
- Buying song down loads is very environmentally friendly, the electricity to run the computer is really the only environmental consequence.
- A really great thing a shopper can do is shop at second hand stores, many of these send a portion of their profits to charity, and because the things are not always new, you are not contributing to the destruction of the planet. I have found new things there too!
- Shopping at farmers markets helps keep your money in your local economy and reduces shipping of goods from places farther away.
- Supporting local artists and artisans, again keeps the money in your local economy.
- Selecting items that were manufactured in your area, or at least your country. This supports jobs in your country, and keeps the profit within your country. It is sometimes difficult because although the end product may be manufactured in your country, you may not know where its' parts came from.
- Buying things from natural or renewable resources, even wood and leather. Animal lovers might be horrified to see me encourage buying leather made products, but in the long run the cattle are slaughter for food, not their hide, and using this is better than throwing it away. Additionally when you use leather it is an alternative for something else. Most other products are not environmentally friendly as they involve manufacturing and this creates pollution. I do not advocate buying fur products where the fur comes from animals raised solely for that purpose.
- When buying foreign products, select those that are considered "Fair Trade" products, products not made in sweatshops where the factory owners make the big money.
- Again with foreign goods, look for things that reward people for preserving a natural area as opposed to clear cutting forests, such items are rain forest nuts or shade grown coffee beans.
- Buying things from garage sales is an excellent way for you to get good bargains and keep things out of the landfill.
- When shopping for meat, it might surprise you to know that meat from the grocery store is vastly less environmentally friendly than hunted game. Additionally a wild animal lived a much happier life. Therefore if given the option between factory farm raised meat, and meat from a hunted animal, always pick the hunted animal.
- Of course you can always buy environmentally friendly products, including reusable shopping bags!
- Alternate, natural fiber items. Look around for clothing made out of things like bamboo, hemp, and even wool. Most people are not aware, but wool has become so devalued in todays society, than many farmers do not even shear their sheep, thus causing them to suffer in hot weather.
- Antiques are wonderful stories of the past. When you buy antiques you buy a product that was made years ago. You not only keep part of history intact, but are helping the planet, by not buying a new item which required production.
- Buying plants for your home or garden is extremely good for the environment. Use natural fertilizers, or none at all. Plants you can eat, or those which produce food are the best.
Well there you have fifteen good ideas to keep a shopaholic happy amid global warming cries to reduce our consumption level. Feel free to post your ideas in the comments area.
