Well Brian has decided it's time to be up and playing so I have a few minutes before the day really starts...
As I mentioned to Erica the other day, when I first decided to be more conscious about my shopping I pretty much froze up when it came to shopping for about a week. I really wanted to make the "right" decision but I didn't have much to go off of. I would think and rethink purchases until I talked myself out of buying anything at all! While this did show me that there is a lot that I really can do without, it also showed me that if I was going to commit to being a green consumer, I needed some new resources.
I found that the internet can be a great way to get green goods and that shopping on the net from providers who are as close to me as possible is better than getting in my car to go shopping. I'm learning that internet shopping is fun! Also the coopamerica website is great for looking up information on certain companies, and their green business guide which I picked up at Real Goods in Hopland (thanks Mary for the tip!) is a wealth of information.
So now I have some resources but I still feel like such a Green Greenie! Like yesterday, I went to pick out some more natural shampoo at Whole Foods and I noticed that they sell it in bulk. You can bring in your own container or get one there for around 65 cents. Then you just bring it in and fill it up when you're out. I thought this seemed like a great idea, but it took me like 15 minutes looking through all the gallon bottles to figure out which ones (inc. conditioner and shower soap) I wanted to try and figuring out the whole system. While I was there a lady came with her bottle from home, when straight to the one she wanted, made a label, and continued with her shopping. I'm sure I'll be like that next time too, but I just really noticed that doing something, even small for the first time can be a big deal. And in the beginning there will be a lot of these small things. I'm just going to take it one at a time.
2 comments:
Oh man, can I relate. I have been in a shopping freeze since Saturday! While socially conscience shopping is something I hope to aspire to, I have to admit I may be even "greener" than you. I have rarely, if ever, even bought organic *blush*.
I am starting from the absolute beginning with this new project. Everything I read is "news" to me about the subject of being Green. I suppose thats why it is so interesting. I understand that there is only so much I can do as far as my finances go... No big, new purchases for our household. But there are a million little things that we can do, will do or have done.
Nate and I have agreed to buy Organic groceries whenever we can, and can afford it. We are using reusable bags everywhere now, and if we forget them we have carried some purchases :)We are recycling EVERYTHING, not just the obvious things. Cold water cycle only from here on out with the laundry. NO MORE disposable anything. OK thats a lie, but ziplocs, napkins, paper towels, cleaning wipes (like pledge, windex, sanitizing wipes,I am the Queen of those things). Of course this is all after we run out of what we already have purchased. We aren't going to throw away what we already have. But as we run out we either won't purchase them again or buy better eco-friendly versions (like of the cleaning stuff). Unfortunately we are stockpilers (good for packaging right?), but after our big ole' pile o' huggies has disappeared we are moving on to the chlorine bleach-free ones, either seventh generation or whatever is on sale :)
Wow, this was way too long. I am sure there are other things we will be doing as well, this is our start though :)
Thanks for having this blog to chat on!
Okay, where is the Sarah Heinrich I know? Totally kidding! I am pretty much on the same page with the changes we made, although Matt isn't quite so into this as I am. He doesn't like the idea of spending more money, and a lot of this requires that (although a lot of things are cheaper too). I am such a bad person to explain things too, so it's hard to get him on board. Not to mention, he always has his "critical thinking" cap on, so any study I tell him about or website I show him, he can find a flaw in thinking or something. I guess that's good, so I don't swallow everything I read. He balances me out well. Example, Matt wanted the hybrid for gas mileage and the environment part is a bonus for him... He's gonna be hard to break :)
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