GreeningYourConsumptionHabits:ASimpleGuide

　　Weareallgoingtocontinuetobuystuff.Iamnotoneofthoseenvironmentaliststhatthinkeveryoneshouldsitathomeandjustreadausedbookandwatchthepaintslowlyyellow;it’sjustnotinmynaturetobelikethat.Regardlessofwhathappensaroundus,westillneedtolive–westillwanttolistentonewmusic,readanewbook,getsomenewclothes.Westillwanttoturnonalightbulbatnightortakeahotshower…andIdon’tbegrudgeanyonefordoingso.DoyouthinkIwanttoliveinahovelwhilecontemplatingwheremynextmealiscomingfrom?Noway!Butthereareverysimplethingswecando,andwhileIhavetalkedaboutgeneralstepsonecantaketobemoregreen,whathappenswhenitistimetogoshopping?Howcanyoureconcileyourdesireforconsumingwithyourdesiretobegreen?Hopefullyafewofthesewillhelpyoubalancethatequation.

　　Whenbuyingmusic,downloadsarebest.Thereisnoplasticshrink-wrap,noplasticCDcase,nopaperinserts,andnoshippingcosts.IknowsomepeopleliketolistentoCD’sinthecar,butifyouhaveaportablemusicplayer(likeaniPod),youcanusuallygetaplugtoadaptyourcarstereosoyoucanlistentoallyourmusic.

　　Buyinbulk.Iamnottalkingaboutbuyingthingsinbulkjustforthesakeofbuyinginbulk;noteveryoneneedstoshopatCostcofortheirfamily.Butbuyingthingslikecereal,granola,cookies,andcandiesinbulkfromthestoresavesalotofpackaging.Thinkofthelasttimeyouopenedaboxofcereal–thatpaperandplasticboxishalfemptybythetimeyougetit.Youcanevenbringyourowncontainerstosomestores,justhavetheclerkweighitfirsttodeterminethetare.

　　Buildingon“buyinbulk”,bringyourowncontainer.Whilethispertainstoyourshoppingbagsaswell,Iammentioningthisspecificallyforbuyingfoodfromahotorcoldbarinastore.Forexample,WholeFoodshasawonderfulhotbar–buthasplasticandpapercontainerstobringthefoodhomein.Mywifeaskedifshecouldre-usetheplasticcontainers,andtheysaidyes.Sojustbesuretowashitoutandbringitbacknexttime!

　　Buyitusedand/ortradeforit.Thiscanpertaintoclothes,gardentools,snowblowers,babysupplies,etc.WhenIwasgrowingup,afewofmyneighborssharedasnowblower.Theyallwentinontheprice,andtheonepersonwiththemostspacetostoreitgottouseitfirst.Butassoonastheyweredone,itwentfromhousetohouse.Notonlydiditsaveeachfamilymoney,butitmeantthat2or3moresnowblowersdidnotmaketheirwayintosomeone’sgarage.

　　Whenyoucan,buyless.Thatisthesinglemostimportantaspectoftryingtogreenyourconsumptionhabits,becauseifyouarenotbuyinganything,youarenothavinganimpactonanything.TheaverageAmericanfamilynowhasa3,000squarefoothouse.Dotheyneedit?Probablynot.Buyingforthesakeofbuyingnotonlydoesn’tmakefinancialsense;itdoesn’tmakegreensense