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I've seen a lot of people talking about how they support the environment by recycling, or by buying used clothes, or taking three-minute showers, or however they do it.
I think there's usually a better choice. For example:
Bad: Buying lots of plastic bottles of water and throwing them away.
Good: Buying lots of plastic bottles of water and recycling them.
Better: Drinking tap water from a reusable glass, or straight from the tap.
Bad: Buying new clothes manufactured far away in sweatshops.
Good: Buying used clothes at a thrift store.
Better: Repairing or tailoring your clothes, replacing items too worn to repair, and buying more clothes only when you have to.
Bad: Taking a long shower or a hot bath in a full tub.
Good: Taking a three-minute shower and slapping on more deodorant.
Better: Reducing water flow while it's not needed, but showering for as long as it takes to apply plain cleaning products and scrub yourself clean.
So what's the answer? Is it to change your daily activities to be "more" conscious of energy and material use? To try to minimize your footprint on the world, but not at the expense of actually giving anything up, just slightly changing what you do?
Or to consider-- do you really need to drink designer water? Do you really need Top Name Hair Spritz? Do you really need that last pair of jeans? It's not just thrifty of resources, and energy, and your money-- it's good for YOU to think about what you truly need and truly want.
Not that I'm perfect here myself, of course.
I think there's usually a better choice. For example:
Bad: Buying lots of plastic bottles of water and throwing them away.
Good: Buying lots of plastic bottles of water and recycling them.
Better: Drinking tap water from a reusable glass, or straight from the tap.
Bad: Buying new clothes manufactured far away in sweatshops.
Good: Buying used clothes at a thrift store.
Better: Repairing or tailoring your clothes, replacing items too worn to repair, and buying more clothes only when you have to.
Bad: Taking a long shower or a hot bath in a full tub.
Good: Taking a three-minute shower and slapping on more deodorant.
Better: Reducing water flow while it's not needed, but showering for as long as it takes to apply plain cleaning products and scrub yourself clean.
So what's the answer? Is it to change your daily activities to be "more" conscious of energy and material use? To try to minimize your footprint on the world, but not at the expense of actually giving anything up, just slightly changing what you do?
Or to consider-- do you really need to drink designer water? Do you really need Top Name Hair Spritz? Do you really need that last pair of jeans? It's not just thrifty of resources, and energy, and your money-- it's good for YOU to think about what you truly need and truly want.
Not that I'm perfect here myself, of course.
