November 26, 1999  A 'Buy Nothing Day' Almanac

Does anyone remember that circulating email from four years ago? It
proclaimed the Friday after thanksgiving as international buy nothing day.
It surely was sponsored by some environmental or consumer group, and the
message spawned some discussion on the Unirondack List serve.

To me the idea seemed quite natural. I wasn't so aware of the importance
of my purchases back then but I sure didn't want to deal with the mall on
those days.

Now I have been trying to vote for a better world with every purchase I
make. I wouldn't say that I learned so much in Guatemala. But being there
renewed my commitment to doing what I can. I have been buying all organic
food from a small store that treats it's employees well. And as much as
possible have been buying anything else I need from small retailers, like
the corner hardware store rather than the huge home improvement place.
Not that I have needed much. I even avoided a K-mart when buying a snow
brush for my car by praying on the misfortunes of other broken down cars.
We can never forget that Reduce, and Reuse, come before recycle.

So here is today's story in the continuing battle. I have to admit I
bought a J Crew Dress jacket at one of their warehouse sales for $11.99.
I even thought about where it was made and whether they had fair labor,
or environmental standards, or if the shepherds were paid well for the
wool, or if the land was overgrazed. I thought of all this but bought the
jacket anyway. I felt a little guilty. I rationalized it thinking, "well j
crew is at least not exploiting all these people too much, because
they're not getting the big $'s out of it either." I couldn't have paid
$90 for the jacket (the original price).

And one thing leads to another. The jacket, I must say is an unusual
color. I tried on a few shirts and pairs of pants with it, that i own
already and noting works, so I have to build an outfit. I was thinking
this when I saw an add for 50% off dress shirts at Sears for 4 hours
only. Now Sears is only a mile from work and I had already committed to
driving so I could leave early and got to camp, and I would have time
before work, because I'm used to getting up early enough to work. So I
was tempted. I was tempted on BUY NOTHING Day. You can always use more
dress shirts, especially when you are a home owner. I almost went to the
mall.

And then I remembered. I don't like Cotton. It is evil. It takes up 3% of
the worlds arable land and 40% of the worlds pesticides and chemical
fertilizers. If there is one thing that you should buy organic, it is
Cotton. I don't own any organic cotton clothes yet. And I was tempted. On
buy NOTHING day.

But I still would like some dress shirts, and I remembered the solution is
at hand. The National Green Pages. Here are some phone numbers if you are
interested. I will be ordering soon.
 

Clothing catalogues or producers:
Fisher Henney Natural
1-800-3henney
www.fhnaturals.com/fhnaturals

Comfortable Clothing
1-888-235-3304

Under the Canopy
1-888-226-6799
www.underthecanopy.com

Kasper organics
1-888-875-2233 pin#0266

tomorrows world
1-800-229-7571
www.tomorrowsworld.com

I have seen the tomorrow's world catalogue. It is nice but mostly casual
stuff. Under the canopy has a separate ad that makes it look like J-Crew
for the eco-conscious, and advertises that it has dress clothes for
people who need to meet professional standards. I'm calling them for my
shirts. The others I know nothing about.

And in Closing just one word about organic bananas....
 

YUM!!!!!!

Mikey