Businesses that are completely conscious of the earth, creator, and consumer are not as hard to find as many think. A host of Web sites and boutiques offer vegan, organic, and fair-trade products. Where you spend your money can speak about what you support. (Photo courtesy of 31 Bits.com)
[nggallery id=61 template=carousel images=4]
[imagebrowser id=61]
Blog post by Erika F. Washington
November 24, 2011
Admittedly it can seem difficult to stay in an eco-friendly state of mind during the holiday season with the rush of sales and Black Friday approaching at high speed. Today, more than ever, however, we need to celebrate what we have and protect it by being conscious of what our actions can do to the earth.
Before you grab “the greatest deal,” think about whether the true costs are accounted for in the sticker price—for example, the environmental costs of producing and transporting the product, your costs to drive from shop to shop in traffic. Many consumers out there are supporting the OCCUPYXMAS or Buy Nothing Day. And it is true that if stores did not open at midnight Friday morning or stay open late to satisfy the rush of hungry consumers, we undoubtedly would save energy and natural resources, but this to me doesn’t seem like a successful protest. Black Friday has been around much too long, and the powers behind it spend a lot of money pushing for this to be the American way.
Instead of protesting against the idea of shopping at un-godly hours, let’s focus on shopping smarter and not lose sight of the ultimate goal. Businesses that are completely conscious of the earth, creator, and consumer are not as hard to casino online find as many think. A host of Web sites and boutiques offer vegan, organic, and fair-trade products.
Here are a few to start your shopping season off:
31 Bit Designs is a socially minded business designed to give internally displaced women in Northern Uganda an opportunity to counter poverty. Beautiful beaded jewelry pieces are all hand strung with love and care. The program equips women by providing literacy education, financial and vocational training, holistic care, and strong support systems, empowering individuals to further their careers and attain social equity.
How we define “style” is shifting with the growing awareness of pollution, deforestation, global warming, and resource depletion. Cri de Coeur, a completely animal-free shoe company, seeks to educate people about a vegan lifestyle. Its philosophical mission states that the company believes that “taking personal responsibility for not only what goes inside our bodies but for what we put on the outside of our bodies is crucial to our survival.”
Coyuchi sells not only sheets, towels, baby bedding, pajamas, and robes but a whole host of home textiles rooted in nature. The signature bedding is made from 100-percent certified organic cotton. All of its cotton products are certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and produced using fair–labor practices.
Rosie Hippo sells handcrafted wooden toys and toys made from organic fabrics. Its toys come from individuals, companies, villages, and cooperatives around the world. All of the toys are produced under conditions that are fair to workers and kind to the environment.
While shopping for the ones we love, we must keep in mind that we all occupytheearth so don’t just be “eco-friendly.” Love it—by respecting it.
© 2011 SCGH, LLC.
]]>
