Step 8 - Repurpose, Reuse & Recycle

We live in a culture of waste where goods are thrown away whenever they break, or no longer suit our needs. When this trash goes to this infamous "away," we tend to put it out of our heads, it is no longer our problem. But our planet is a closed system - meaning that everything that is created here stays here - so when it goes to "away" it is merely going to a landfill that will slowly poison the planet with its decay. This type of waste is completely antithetical to the natural process of life where there is no waste. Sadly, humans have altered that part of nature, and we are increasing our amount of waste on a daily basis. Americans make about 4 pounds of trash each on a daily basis - or almost 200 million tons of trash a year. These mounds of garbage take up massive amounts of space, release toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil, and

Before you toss something out, see if you can use it for something else or give it to someone. Old stained and ripped clothing can be made into rags. Glass jars that food comes in can be cleaned and used for storing food, or as drinking glasses for something fun and unique. Beat up old furniture can be refinished to something shiny and new. If you can't repurpose or reuse the old item, recycle it to someone else that can. Joining websites like freecycle.org helps pass along household items that we no longer need to someone else that does. If you don't want to fix your broken bureau, someone on Freecycle probably does. If you have no need for that old cell phone, someone out there does. 

Planned and Perceived Obsolescence keep us buying goods because they are either planned to break or we begin to feel that we need to update them because their are better options available. These are both marketing tools designed to keep us consuming goods to either keep up with Jones' or to ensure that we are an active member of our economic system. Neither of these are the result of constant purchasing and consuming of goods. All that really happens is we are left with empty pockets, houses full of junk, and landfills mounding up all over the planet. 

Landfills produce methane gas, which can be captured and turned into energy, but the process is expensive and communities are rarely willing or able to do it. Below is a map of Maine landfills that are active and inactive. Remember, though, that inactive or closed landfills are still landfills just sitting there with mounds of untended garbage. 

Even though some items that you dispose of in a landfill are considered biodegradable, they cannot biodegrade in a landfill because of the massiveness of them. In order for something to return back to the Earth it needs to be able to touch it - landfills are large mounds of garbage where 99% of the items within it never touch the soil. Before you toss your next pasta sauce jar or bag of torn clothing, think about how it can be reused either by your or by someone else. And for inspiration, visit the following website:

http://www.makingfriends.com/recycle.htm
http://greenupgrader.com/

Step 7 - Find a Local Farmer's Market

Keeping a healthy food system alive is the most important thing we can do for our civilization. Without food we cannot survive. But not just any food because we are only as good as the quality of our nutrition. When our vegetables and fruit are shipped from the far reaches of the planet, they arrive on our plates lacking most of the nutrients and vitamins that make them worth consuming. Then there is the health of our food system. When we consume foods from other countries (and even other regions within the United States), we are supporting a food system that is vulnerable, leaving too much room for failure. A severe case of blight can suddenly leave us without foods we depend on. And think how easily it would be to taint our mass produced foods - just a small vile of deadly bacteria poured into one of the large milk vats could reach, sicken (or even kill) millions of people. Our food system is weak.

Then there is also the support of local farmers in order to benefit the community, land and economy. By buying some of your food from them will benefit both the farmer and consumer. First of all, supporting farmers that work the land in a sustainable way means that the land you live on and near will be healthy, not desecrated by pesticides and herbicides. This is an important piece to remember - just because a farm is local does not always make it better. Know your farmer and ask questions about their farming practices. Choose to eat foods that both benefit you and the planet.

The easiest way to get to know your farmer and to try out different seasonal foods, is to go to your area farmer's market. There is the illusion that these markets are more expensive, that they are geared to a certain group of shopper's, and that the food is not as good quality as that bought at a grocery store. In most cases, none of these are true. Buying food directly from the farmer cuts out the middle man in pricing - which means that the prices are fair, and that 100% of the profit returns to the farmer, not a business. This allows them to plant the following year, feed their families, fix their farm machinery, and pay for their household. When the food is first funneled through a grocery store, the farmer gets much less back, forcing them to struggle. Why should we not support those that sustain us and instead put them at such financial risk that they may lose the farm? Also, the food bought at the market is of much better quality than that at the grocery store, but I know that sometimes it doesn't look as pretty. That's because grocery stores have visual requirements of their produce - anything that doesn't fit their size standard, or the blemish-free policy is thrown out. Not given back to the farmer. Not donated to a food pantry. But thrown out in the dumpster because it isn't as pretty or shiny as they would like it to be. Food grown naturally isn't always pretty or "perfect" though, it grows with hooks and dents, with jagged edges and with funky curves. There is beauty in imperfection.

With new money from the USDA being allocated for low-income food accessibility, farm fresh foods are easier to come by, no matter your income. Several farms now take food stamps, as do many farmer's markets. There is also the WIC program, that gives recipients a certain monthly allocation to buy foods at farmer's markets. The movement is slow going, but it is growing, and the more people that utilize these services, the faster it will grow.

Visiting a farmer's market can also be a destination for your family - there are usually musicians, arts & crafts and kid friendly activities. Find out when your next area market is, bring $20 and the family, and meet the farmers that grow your food and support your land. It could change your life.

Step 6 - Buy Less Stuff

Reducing our purchases is the key to consuming responsibly. In America, our consumption patterns define us as a person and member of society. If you aren't buying the new and latest goods and gadgets, then you are not doing your part for the economy, and you are often seen as out-of-touch with fads and trends, which has a whole slew of negative connotations. We have all heard the radio ads that make fun of a person for having an older cell phone model, a used car, or outdated clothes. These ads are selling Americans on the idea that if it isn't new, it isn't good enough and you will be ostracized and criticized.

This step is my favorite of all of them because I find it to be the easiest, once you overcome the stigma of not being "hip" enough. Really, buying new goods on a constant basis is simple brainwashing by the media - the advertising agents at companies create ad campaigns to sell their goods to the consumer. Not because they feel we really need the latest cell phones, but because they really need us to buy them in order to make more money. They do this by making us feel pathetic and uncool if we don't buy the latest goods. And let's face it, no one wants to feel that way. But we can change this attitude. First off, don't allow the advertising agents to tell us how to feel based on the goods we purchase. Just because my cell phone flips open does not mean I'm not as good or worthy as my best friend with a touch screen. The only one who TRULY believes that is the company trying to sell me the touch screen phone.

Buying less isn't just about keeping our old phones, clunky cars and outdated clothes. It's also about keeping perfectly usable goods out of landfills. When we buy new and updated items, many of us throw out the old, even if it's still functional, or requires a little tinkering. How many times have you discarded an item of clothing because of rip? Or got a new cell phone because you saw one that had a better color? This step is about learning to accept what we have, knowing that even if it's not perfect, it's still good enough. If you have to replace an item, or want something you don't have, visit a second hand store, ask a friend, go to a flea market, or join freecycle. Ignore the stigma of old = uncool. Do not let companies tell you what you need to buy. Learn to fix things that are broken.

Take 20 minutes and watch this video by Annie Leonard. It will change how you consume. http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-stuff/

Step 5 - Boycott Box Stores, Chain Retailers & Restaurants

Now that you learned how and why to shop locally, it's time to take it a step further by no longer shopping at chain retailers and box stores, and eating at chain restaurants. Boycotting them sends a message that consumers will not tolerate their poor business tactics and that we desire local, vibrant downtown districts filled with independent businesses. Every dollar spent at a Walmart, Circuit City or Applebee's is vote of confidence for that business. Buy spending your money there, you are giving those companies the message that you agree with the poor quality products, there unfair labor practices, and there disregard for local economies. Often, when I have discussed this step with people, I get the same response - "It's not my fault that Walmart does bad business." Everytime I have to remind the person that every dollar we spend is a vote. It would be like voting for the worst candidate on the ballot, then saying it's not your fault they got elected.

As consumers it is time we take ownership over where we spend our money and how our money is used by these businesses. As discussed in the previous steps, money spent at local businesses stays within our communities because they use local banks, local print shops, local newspapers, and typically live locally. When we shop at big box stores, that money is funneled directly out of the community and back to headquarters. Boycotting those businesses sends a signal that we cannot and will not support them draining our communities, living off of them like a parasite.

If you're used to shopping at a box store and getting your goods and food cheap, this next step may be the hardest for you. That's why I'm going to give you this tip - 20% change is better than no percent. Every little bit helps. If you usually buy your shower curtains at Walmart, reconsider and buy them at a local store. If you usually eat at Applebee's for your date night - look around your community and see what restaurants are available right there. You don't have to commit 100%, just enough to make a difference, and before you know it, you won't even remember how to find the Walmart on the edge of town because your vision will be blocked by all those booming local businesses right in your community.

Step 4 - Familiarize Yourself With Local Businesses

STEP 4

Open up a phone book, or take a walk downtown and get to know your local businesses. For those of us who live in towns, cities and communities that have a "Main Street" or a downtown area, we are blessed to have all those wonderful shops within walking distance of each other. But sadly, not many of us utilize this convenience and downtowns all over the country are full of empty store fronts and run-down buildings. The consequences of this are tremendous. Local businesses are owned by members within your community, they hire your neighbors, they use other local services (banks, print shops, newspapers), and because of all that, the money you spend at these local businesses stays within your community. 

The opposite is true of big box stores and chain retailers. Although they hire local people to work their stores, they pay them less and offer less benefits (many Walmart employees are on state supplied health insurance and food assistance programs), they bank at their headquarters in Arkansas, and they do all their printing there as well. Supporting these types of national stores detracts money from your community, it closes down locally owned businesses, and it does detrimental environmental damage.

So back to locally owned businesses we must go. The benefits of shopping locally far outweigh the few cents or dollars you save by shopping at a chain retailer. The American Independent Business Alliance states on their website for creating local economies through Buy Local campaigns:


Think of your favorite shop, restaurant, farm or service provider. We'll bet it's a homegrown business. Independent locally-owned businesses are essential to a vital local economy and community character. They're where the locals go. They're owned by our friends and neighbors, or maybe even by you. Community-serving businesses are the backbone of local economies, civic life, local charities, and wealth creation for millions of citizens, as well as a training ground for future generations of entrepreneurs.

The next time you need to go shopping, head downtown first. Familiarize yourself with the businesses within your community. Look at their inventory, meet the employees and owner, and find out their histories – are they from your town? Why did they open the store? How long have they been open? Every dollar you spend at a local business stays within your community, and the more money that stays in our communities, the stronger they will be.


I will give you a brief personal anecdote about the relationship I have with my local businesses in Bath. There is a toy store downtown, Papa Ghepetto's, and I have four children. My parents went into that store to buy Christmas presents the week after they opened and bought these amazing Melissa & Doug puppets. They told me about the store and I went to check it out with my children. In the years since, we have bought 85% of all our kids toys there because the benefit of doing so has been immeasurable. The owners know us, they love our children, and there have been several times they have gone out of their way to make us happy. They gave one child a fairy princess for free because a butterfly had broken off (this child did not care if the butterfly was there or not). Another time they gave us a box of Melissa & Doug castle building blocks for free because they had used them as a display. The owner called and talked to the Melissa & Doug customer service for me when I bought some wooden cupcakes that were not up to par - the result was a 2nd box of cupcakes for free! They even sold us their train table for ridiculously cheap. I wouldn't get that type of service at Toys 'R Us, Walmart or Target.


This is only one story among many I have of how shopping locally at the businesses owned by my neighbors and friends has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Please take a moment and share in the comments any anecdotes you have about your experiences supporting local businesses.

Step 3 - Define Your Region

STEP 3

Once you become aware of where your consumer goods and food are coming from, it is important to set your boundaries. This definition is entirely up to you. Some people do it by miles, some by hours it would take to drive, and some by their region of the country. For example, I live in Maine, so I define my region as New England – anything within this handful of states is local. Of course, it’s not always as cut and dry as that, and it’s not always possible to buy 100% local, but defining a region at least gives you a starting point, and an identity. Our global marketplace has created a global identity – no longer are we culturally bound to where we live when we can buy clothes from Bangladesh, read newspapers from Japan, and eat mangoes from Brazil. I am definitely not saying to forgo these entirely – that is a whole other discussion – but to understand that when the world is at our fingertips, we have more difficulty appreciating the people, goods and food that is right around us.

This step can be difficult, I won’t argue against that. With the modern marketplace, getting goods from places like China, India and Japan is cheaper for retailers, then getting American made goods. Wal-Mart, and other large box stores, sways the market by demanding lower and lower prices from the manufacturer, forcing them to take their business overseas to factories can offer the cheapest goods. Getting goods made in America is more costly because we have a minimum wage to be paid to workers, and because we have stricter environmental standards. However, retailers are less concerned with the quality of product, and more concerned with the top dollar and satisfying their shareholders. This said, it can be extremely difficult at times to buy goods manufactured within your region. But when you can, it is worth it.

I have spent many a shopping trip flipping over products and weighing my options about which is closer to home – if it’s not available from my established region, I find the closest one. This isn’t just about supporting local business, though, but also about limiting our oil dependency. When items are shipped from overseas, or even the other side of the country, the amount of oil used is astounding. The closer to home the product came from, the less oil – and with our rapid depletion of fossil fuels, less oil consumption is always better, not to mention the effect burning that oil has on the environment and our quality of air, water and soil.

Defining your region for food is perhaps easier. There are several resources online to find local food suppliers, to locate a Community Supported Agriculture share at a nearby farm, or to at least shop at a locally owned grocery store. Supporting your local farmer and food system is one of the most important things we can do as a consumer. Knowing where your food comes from can give you peace of mind in this day in age. Trusting our nourishment to billion dollar corporations that runs beef, pig, poultry or agricultural farms is like taking a giant gamble where the odds of winning are a thousand to one. Food is the breath of life, it keeps us going, provides us with the nutrients and minerals we need, and it keeps our civilization going. Why risk buying beef from a feedlot where cattle are exposed to numerous diseases because of excessive contact with fecal matter and fed high fat diets (including the bones and blood of the cattle slaughtered before them)? Or why eat vegetables grown with heavy doses of herbicides (which have been directly linked to diseases such as Parkinson’s and respiratory cancer), then shipped thousands of miles to storage facilities where they are ripened with ethanol gas?

Knowing where and how your food is grown can literally be a lifesaver. Every day in the United States over 200,000 people suffer a food borne illness, with over 900 being hospitalized, and about 15 who will die (Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation, p. 195). Those most at risk are the elderly and children, whose immune systems cannot fight off the poisoning of such bacteria as Salmonella and E. coli. In 1996 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the findings of a survey that tested samples of meat from a handful of meat processing plants and found that 7.5% of the ground beef was contaminated with Salmonella, 11.7% with Listeria monocytogenes, 30% with Staphylococcus aureus, and 53.3% were contaminated with Clostridium perfringens. The testing was done in 1993 and 1994, but the results were delayed two years, so any information they found, although still appalling and interesting to the general public, did not help stop any food borne illnesses that would have (and most certainly did) occur from consuming this tainted meat.

Before you go to the store to buy something the next time, think first about where your region is, what you define as local. Then do your best. If you can’t find something within your region, find the closest possible. Remember that every little bit counts and that doing something is always better than doing nothing.

Walmart's Pork Supplier Exposed