Saturday, December 4

New Year's Resolution

Well this last semester I've been studying the environment and learning a lot about social justice. I want to put what I've been learning into practice and make a change for the better in this world. So I've spent a lot of time thinking about how to do this and I've come up with a plan. This year I'm going to do a consume less year. Similar in idea to a buy nothing day but given the reality of food, toiletries and school supplies I will need to make some purchases. So I've sort of planned this out. I'm posting this early to give people time to comment and help me refine my plan.
1. I will only purchase whole food and try to purchase as much of that in an organic, local grown, fair trade form. I've already signed up for a CSA starting next spring.
2. I will not purchase fast food including frozen meals, pop, chips, chocolate bars. The one exception would be if I'm hosting a party I'm allowed to purchase pop.
3. I will not purchase at convenience stores
4. No more coffee shops except if going as a social outing but I will try to encourage people to come to my place for tea instead.
5. I will limit my toiletry purchases to the essentials, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, tooth paste and face wash. When possible I will look up alternative greener products using deep clean to guide my purchasing.
5. I will try to make most of my presents for the coming year but if appropriate I won't punish people by not purchasing a real gift for them
6. I know I will be taking a vacation at some point with my family I suspect that week may be a hiatus from these rules.
7. I will be allowed to purchase any school supplies but I will try to purchase used where possible or electronically.
8. Utilities will be maintained; but as I go along I may make decisions to cut back my tv package
9. The hardest will be ebooks and itunes for me...I'm still torn but I'm going to try go without purchasing from them
10. Clothes, Shoes, craft supplies, books, dvds, knicknacks, are all forbidden
11. I will continue to use the bus and my bike for commuting to school and limit my driving, if I'm going to drive I'll try to combine errands into one trip.
12. To use my blog as a place to share how I'm doing and resources I've found to help me.

Why do this? To try to free myself from the chains of consumerism and in some ways try to drop out of the cycle of buying and throwing out. This is going to be hard and I know it. To quote Ghandi I want "to be the change I want to see in the world"

1 comment:

Crankygirl said...

There's a book... I think a blog too, called "not buying it"... you should check it out.