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by Barbara Allen
According to the New American Dream website at
www.newdream.org: “In 1998, over 1.4 million families declared
personal bankruptcy, credit card debt reached new heights, and the
personal savings rate fell to the lowest level since the Great
Depression. The average employed American now works more than 47
hours a week in the struggle to keep up with mounting bills, causing
tremendous stress. Millions of Americans report feeling exhausted,
pressured, and hungry for more balanced lives. We seek greater
purpose and more free time to spend with family and friends.”
One of the causes of this growing problem is the
consumer behavior encouraged by TV ads and the incredible amount of
junk mail advertising we receive daily. We are taught as small
children sitting in front of the TV to buy, buy, buy – that “things”
equal happiness.
Did you know…
· Americans consume 40% of the world's gasoline
and more paper, steel, aluminum, energy, water, and meat per capita
than any other society on the planet.
· The average American consumes as much energy as
three Japanese.
· The average American produces twice as much
garbage as the average European.
· Recent scientific estimates indicate that at
least four additional planets would be needed if each of the
planet's 6 billion inhabitants consumed at the level of the average
American.
The cost of this amazing level of consuming is
high. NAD goes on to say :
“We suffer the impact of consumer behavior in many
ways, from the dramatic loss of forests for paper and packaging to
the conversion of farmlands and wetlands to large suburban
developments. We have generated huge quantities of atmospheric and
solid waste while degrading the water, soil and air necessary for
healthy living. Untold plant and animal species have become extinct
in the process. If we wish to reverse this trend and preserve
necessary resources for our children and future generations, we must
shift and reduce our consumption of resources.”
The good news is – we can change this.
Americans have proven over and over that we are capable of coming
together and working for the common good. I believe that once we
understand a problem and can clearly recognize a need we are strong
and generous and caring. The changes we need to make in our
lifestyles may on the one hand take business away from businesses
that are not sustainable and just in their dealings with their
workers or the planets resources. But it will then put the business
into the hands of those who are working to do business in a way that
supports life on our planet and creates a better life for their
employees.
We would like to suggest that together we make a
New Year’s Resolution for 2002 to be kind to ourselves and our
planet by consuming more wisely and consciously. Let’s vow to reduce
our debt, increase our savings, and make some change in our
lifestyle every month that will benefit us, our children and the
planet. Each week we will try to bring you ideas for changes we can
make - simple ones that over time can make a real difference. If all
of us take steps to reduce our waste, reuse those things that are
reusable and recycle all we can, we really can change the world! It
takes one person at a time, one step at a time, to get there. Don’t
ever think that because you are one person or one family that what
you do doesn’t matter. The movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a great
example of the effect each of us has. If you make a change and talk
about it to your family and friends, perhaps they will be encouraged
to also make changes, and then on it spreads.
One of the first things to do is to educate
yourself. There is a great deal of information on the internet to
help you and books in the library and of course, we hope to be doing
just that with this column each week. So tune in here when you see
our column and find some new change you might make in your life to
make it “greener”. In future issues we will be giving ideas for
“Greening” your home, office and garden, your investments and your
spending.
Changing the way we spend our money is one of the
most important steps we can take to become a “greener” citizen. Here
are a few ideas:
Vote With Your Dollars
Learn more about the companies you support when
you buy their products. Are they environmentally friendly, do they
treat their workers well, do they produce sustainable products and
give back to the communities in which they do business? You can find
an online guide to sustainable products and companies at
www.greenmarketplace.com
Companies like Aveda Corp., Ben & Jerry’s, and
Hewlett Packard are a few of the “good guys” you will find listed.
You can find more at www.greenmoney.com. They say in the Green Money
Journal “The grocery store is a strategic place for you to cast your
better world ballot because you'll find there everything from large
food companies (e.g., Kraft and Nabisco) owned by tobacco companies
to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the food supply. Be safe
and be smart…You'll find lists of products to avoid on our web site
– www.greenmoney.com. Consider buying organic food and products…
Yes, at times organic foods and products do cost a bit more, but
better food safety and health for you and your family as well as the
many environmental benefits make buying them well worth it…”
Tip – Change to one new organic product
each month. For instance, buy only organic carrots from now on. Then
next month add organic lettuce. (These are both available in
DeFuniak Springs at Winn-Dixie and Publix Market and For the Health
Of It at the beach). Ask your local store manager to carry more
organic products.
Here are a few earth-friendly shopping tips
from Wild Oats (A large natural food chain):
· Clean greenly with earth-friendly cleaners;
· Buy, wear and tell your friends about certified
organic cotton t-shirts and products;
· Save dolphins: buy only net-free tuna;
· Use ecological gardening products;
· Support humane ranchers by buying free-range,
chemical-free meats and eggs;
· Choose cruelty-free body care products;
· Save the small dairy farmer: buy organic milk,
yogurt, and cheese;
Nike has begun to use organic cotton in their Nike
Apparel. They are now the largest purchaser of U.S. grown organic
cotton, purchasing nearly one million pounds of organically grown
cotton in 2000. They plan to gradually increase their use over the
next few years. Next fall they plan to bring out a line of 100%
organic cotton products for their Women’s line.
Using organic cotton clothing is not only kind to
your body, but supports the growing number of organic cotton
farmers. It encourages those farmers who aren’t organic to begin
making the switch. Cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed crops
in our country. More organic cotton farms means less damage to our
environment – not less cotton farms. Many farmers are seeing the
writing on the wall and are beginning to grow organic produce of all
kinds.
Sixty-six percent of shoppers surveyed by the Food
Marketing Institute, Washington, DC, say they buy organically grown
foods at the supermarket. For shoppers who look for organic
alternatives, Dole Company is now offering certified organic bananas
and several lettuce mixes.
In fact Dole is supporting a large number of
organic farmers as it builds the rapidly expanding organic arm of
its business. As organics become more in demand the price will come
down. But for now when you pay more for something organic, think of
the little extra as a donation to your health and to the
environment. Well spent money, don’t you think?
Here are a few online resources to get you
started:
www.newdream.org/
www.abundantearth.com
www.greenmarketplace.com
www.realgoods.com
www.gaiam.com
www.theEarthShop.com
www.ShopForChange.com
www.RedJellyfish.com
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/vitalbodies/
http://www.organicclothes.com/
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This column comes to you
courtesy of the Environmental Concerns Group of the DeFuniak Springs
Garden Club.
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