One of the first things to happen when you start storing trash in your basement is that you think a lot about “stuff”. The stuff we buy, the stuff that stuff all comes packaged in, the stuff we throw away.  Stuff, Stuff,Stuff.  It’s everywhere, and in many ways, it has become endemic to who we are. We are defined by our stuff.  We drive it, listen to it,wear it, want it, think we need most of it, and if you are like most Americans,eventually figure out how to get it, with very little thought going in to what went into making it, where it will go when it is broken, or how long it will last before we “need” to replace it.

Most of this stuff – like that $2000 tv with the one year warranty you just bought - will sadly end up in a landfill.  And as if that’s not bad enough, the stuff we buy comes with even more stuff we don’t want.  Bags, boxes, packing materials, and most annoyingly, those clear plastic hermetically sealed “clam shells” that electronic devices come in (ever try getting one of these open quickly without losing a digit?).

So I’m suggesting we all stop.

Stop buying, stop consuming, stop spending and stop wasting.  Now I know that’s not really going to happen, after all, there are a lot of things that we truly do need.  Food comes to mind, as well as toiletries and of course, Wii game consoles (I just threw that in to see who was still reading).  I’d be naïve not to acknowledge that renouncing our consumerist ways would hurt peoples livelihoods, but you don’t try to get people to keep smoking to save jobs in the tobacco industry do you? That said, I do think we can all start consuming a lot less and conserving a bit more, we just need to start thinking about our stuff a little differently.

For starters, when you decide to buy something first ask yourself  -“Is this something that I want or something that I need?”  Most of the time you’ll find it’s really something you want, but I’ll let you struggle with that choice on your own. Now if it’s something you need, and you’re being honest about it, then by all means go ahead and get it, but first, consider a few alternatives to buying it new.

Before you run out to the store, try borrowing from a neighbor or getting it used.  Craigslist and Freecycle are two excellent sources and I pretty much look there first before I buy anything.  You’ll save on money,packaging, and you are removing yourself from the whole production process. Plus you can actually meet some cool people in your community along the way.

Now if you can’t find it used, or it’s something that can only be bought new at least try to cut down on packaging by buying in bulk. Food and other necessities can be bulk purchased from many stores - just remember to bring your own bag/box so you can re-use them again and again.  My wife and I buy most of our staple grains this way and it’s generally cheaper and fresher. 

Another way to buy in bulk involves purchasing large quantities at a wholesale chain. This is not always a sure thing because you really need to investigate whether these bulk buys use more packaging or not.  Use your noodle and do some easy math to see how much of the product is in each case/box. Bottom line, if you can get more with less packaging, go for it.

But let’s say that you’ve realized you can’t buy it used or don’t need it in bulk.  Well,there’s still one more set of choices to make.  Head to the store (preferably on foot or bike if you can)and take a look at what they offer. Assuming that you have more than one choice, consider the packaging and decide which uses less and/or is more recyclable. Also, consider where the product was made and how far it had to travel to get to the store, because all of these things make a difference.

So you’ve made your choices, checked your options, and you’re ready to head home with your purchase, right?  Not quite. There’s one more thing to consider and it may in fact have a greater impact than anything else you’ve done. You see, by not buying the other products that were offered, you’ve used your purchasing power to make your voice heard, but if you want to really affect change, use your actual voice in conjunction with your wallet. 

Jot down the names of the items you didn’t buy and send a quick email to each of those companies stating, in clear and polite language, that you truly want to buy their products, but due to their packaging choices, you decided to buy another one instead (and let them know what that was).  Explain that should they decide to package their products responsibly in sustainable packaging, you’ll gladly reconsider. Ya see if sales decline, they’ll wonder why, but if sales slump off and they receive 10,000 emails about their packaging, well, things are gonna change.

I know all this may seem like a lot of work, but take it from someone who’s been there, it’s really not, and it’ll end up saving you some greenbacks in the long run. You’ll also find that most things that you need you’ll buy over and over, so once you’ve made your choice, you’re set for future purchases. 

For more inspiration, check out the CompactGroup who have taken a pledge to buy nothing new for a full year.   And as always, if anyone has any other suggestions,let us know.

Consume Less, Conserve More!!!

Dave

Dave Chameides is an environmentaleducator and freelance filmmaker. He writes alternative fuel articles for Edmunds.com and maintains the blogs 365 Days of Trash and AchievingSustainability. While he is presently saving all of his trash for a year to better understand his environmental impact, his main focus is sustainability through education and he believes that with knowledge all things are possible.

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