Earth Week Field Guide: The Eco-Consumer
Posted by: Deborah Stein
Filed in:
news
2:30PM, Thursday April 23rd 2009
Yep, it’s still Earth Week, y’all. So far, we’ve discussed the Freegan, the Locavore, and the Righteous Recycler. Now, let’s turn our eyes towards Eco-Consumers, who aim to shop their way to a greener planet. You know, the ones who brush with organic toothpaste, wear clothes made from sustainable materials, and wipe with recycled TP.
Some fun facts about Eco-Consumers:
- Popular Consumption. More than 35 million Americans try to shop in an eco-friendly way. This includes everything from organic lipstick to hybrid cars. Even mega-chains like Home Depot have started highlighting earth-friendly products. [NY Times]
- Dressing The Part. A few years ago, earth-conscious fashionistas didn’t have many choices. These days, green fashion is flourishing with designers like Rogan and Leroy & Parry leading the way. Brands like Levi’s and Banana Republic have also gotten in on the action. Banana’s Heritage Collection is made from 90 percent sustainable materials. [LA Times]
- Get Out Of Jail Free Card. Even the most vigilant eco-consumer sometimes has to cause earth damage with a flight to Bermuda or a road trip to see the world’s largest frying pan. Eco-consumers turn to carbon credits in these cases. They purchase credits from sites like NativeEnergy.com and ClimateFriendly.com, and their money goes towards projects designed to reduce greenhouse gasses, thereby offseting the damage they’re doing. Ready to convert? There are some easy ways to eco-consume:
- Buy vintage. If a piece already exists, the earth isn’t being trashed making it.
- Check out Greencrawler.com to comparison shop eco-friendly products and see which natural deodorants and gardening tools are rated the highest.
- Buy recycled paper products and look for organic produce. With fruits and veggies, you have to look at how far your food traveled. If you’re in Denver and your organic purple potatoes are from Maine, the environmental costs of travel cancels out the benefits of going organic. [Organic Consumers]
- Calculate your carbon footprint at SafeClimate.com and buy carbon credits to offset it. Since fraud is rampant in this unregulated industry, make sure to research where to buy your credits. The sites listed here come highly recommended. [Time]
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Humble Bee
wrote on April 23 2009 @ 02:45 pm: [report]
I’m more of an Eco-saver. lol.
Sometimes things labeled “green” cost more than regular so I just trade clothes, get hand me downs from friends, make my clothes, and never buy things like shaving cream that come in that metal container, also hair spray, you can’t recycle containers like that. I grow some of my food, and am investing in a garden. Its so cheap!
I only use 2 paper towels at work, and count my tp squares. lol.
I used to sell fruit at school from some local farmer, I would make a killing selling apples for a dollar. The farmer couldnt believe it. How do you sell an apple for a dollar? Once I sold all the gummy bears and peanut butter crackers, I just sold fruit and the students loved it. I’m such and advocate for healthy eating, specially among kids. A healthy diet starts at a young age, if not, it really hard to pick up good eating habbits.
Lynn
wrote on April 23 2009 @ 04:03 pm: [report]
The biggest thing to remember is that the most eco-friendly thing of all is not to buy anything. Sure, jeans made of sustainable cotton are better for the earth than regular ones. But you know what’s even better than that? Not buying more jeans than you need.
I am NOT saying that I am good at this. I have more clothes in my closet than I need, and I give them away before their lives are through simply because I tire of them or because they look a little run down. But most of the time, they haven’t actually quit serving their main function - that is, covering up my nakedness. But I AM saying that I’m tired of people who think they are saving the earth because they go out and buy some sustainable crap that they didn’t even need in the first place.
Katrina
wrote on April 23 2009 @ 08:40 pm: [report]
I’m one of these - I have Tom’s toothpaste and mouthwash, Yes to Carrots body butter, and Nature’s Gate toner and lotion. I’ve found that there are usually somewhat eco-friendly things in the stores and definitely online (I got all that stuff from drugstore.com) and sometimes stuff like Nature’s Gate is actually cheaper than other, less eco-conscious brands.
@Lynn: I totally agree - I try to not buy duplicates of anything unless I need them (like jeans) and I donate my old clothes that are replaced. Plus, as a college student, I really can’t afford more than I need.