My Stuff and Other Sources of Consumption

Everyone should watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8

I try not to consume as much as I can. When I was younger I used to go shopping all the time. I had sooo many clothes and just things in general, and the majority of it I did not need. Being a student makes me consume a lot less because I am too poor to afford anything! It has really made me realize how many things I really don’t need. Living in Victoria has really made me aware of supporting local businesses as well. I really despise Walmart and avoid it as much as possible, but on a student’s budget it is sometimes necessary.

Once you are conscious of the real source of the things you buy it makes a huge difference. To know that the cheap, disposable products are taking such a huge toll on the earth provides me with so much reason to not purchase those products.  Food is the one thing that I probably spend too much money on. My boyfriend and I always ensure that our fridge and cupboards are full, but we would probably be better off without a quarter of the stuff we have. Food is one thing that MANY people spend too much money on. I have read many publications on the growing obesity problem and am perfectly aware of the correlation between consumption, culture and obesity.

My family is nothing like me in this sense of understanding consumption. My sister eats fast food pretty much daily, and yes she is that person sitting in the drive-thru for 10 minutes instead of just walking in for 3 minutes. Most of her money goes to expensive clothes she doesn’t need, more food, and a lot of disposable products. My parents are a bit better but they too are victims to society in that they feel they need new things all the time to be in style or to impress their friends. Hopefully I can influence them to make better choices. There are easy ways to make a difference. Easy steps I have already taken to reduce my consumption include:

·         Shopping at local grocery store, such as The Market on Yates

·         Not consuming fast food such as McDonalds, Dairy Queen, A&W, Burger King, etc. (I haven’t since I was15!)

·         Avoiding Walmart at all costs

·         Avoiding disposable items

·         I am ok with spending a bit more money on higher quality, locally made, longer lasting products

·         Educating myself on how to do more and educating others!

Some people don’t agree, I know I am making a difference, even if it’s just on small scale.