| It is not always easy living green, we are so | | | | - Buy a little less than what you think you need and |
| conditioned to be consumers that we have to take | | | | stretch it. |
| some serious steps to be green without the | | | | - Only allow yourself one small treat a week. |
| consumerism. I know that it is all well and good to | | | | - Learn to mend clothes and alter them, it is a lot more |
| recycle and buy green products, but do we really | | | | economical and less wasteful than always buying new. |
| NEED all the stuff that we seem to accumulate on a | | | | Become familiar with Ebay and snag yourself some |
| nearly daily basis? | | | | amazing bargains. |
| The mountains of trash we throw out every year are | | | | - Check out garage sales or thrift shops, often you |
| choking our waterways and landfills; and what about | | | | can find new or nearly new at a fraction of the price. |
| the floating trash islands in the ocean, we are not doing | | | | - Don't buy new books, borrow from your local library |
| the Earth or ourselves a service by being careless | | | | or join a book exchange in your area. You could save |
| consumers. We do not need to purchase new clothes | | | | a few trees this way as well as supporting great |
| to stay in fashion just as soon as a new trend | | | | institutions like the local library. |
| emerges. We do not need to update our car on a | | | | - This goes to for the newspapers, read them online or |
| yearly basis or keep up with the latest gadget. There | | | | at the library. |
| is no need to wear sacks or be a Luddite about it, we | | | | - Forget the car, ride on buses or get a bicycle, it is |
| just need to be smarter than the latest advertising | | | | better for your health and fitness. Driving a car in the |
| campaign that tells us that we cannot live without such | | | | city is a major stress factor, by taking buses you get |
| or such. | | | | to know the city and you can relax. |
| Let's live being fashion by being just plain stylish, classic | | | | - Buy your music online, this way you bypass the |
| clothes with classic cuts always do the job and we will | | | | whole CD production, printing of labels and shipping. |
| not have to be fashion victims. | | | | You will save a lot of resources. |
| Things we can do to avoid consumerism: | | | | - The same goes for movies, they are easy enough |
| - Turn off TV, record your favourite programs and | | | | to purchase online. |
| replay them without the ads, this way you may only | | | | Learn to see how you can buy less, when you see |
| watch what you want without the brain washing of | | | | this really amazing bargain for yet another pair of |
| commercial TV | | | | boots you should get because they are 50% off |
| - Have a budget and stick to it. | | | | Always ask yourself: "Do I absolutely need this item?", |
| - Make a list of food you need and plan your weekly | | | | you will find that most of the time you can easily do |
| menus in advance. You will spend less this way and | | | | without.. |
| you will not let food go off. | | | | |