With the holidays comes the usual onslaught of ’shop till you drop’ pressure from retailers, shopping centers and the media at large. With this much pressure to just buy, buy, buy!, how can a girl stay green?
The question begs that we first delve a little deeper into the history and psyche of the American shopper…
The notion of retail therapy originated in an article written by the Chicago Tribune in 1986 in which the writer wrote: “We’ve become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psychic ills through retail therapy.” (Wikipedia) Retail therapy is a phrase Americans throw about casually (often even comically) in conversations, without really thinking about the meaning behind the phrase. How many times have you said you needed to go shopping after a long day or a particularly bad workweek? (Be honest with yourself here!) If you have said it or acted on it, you’re guilty of retail therapy.
The thought of having to buy ’stuff’ to feel better is really just crazy if you think about it. Add to that feeling the intense pressure to buy, buy, buy! for the holidays…and no wonder people are ramming each other with shopping carts at the local Target and sheriffs are called to Best Buys across the nation for crowd control on ‘Black Friday’.
As a staffer here at We Can Live Green, I need to first say that I am not promoting consumerism (See Stop Keeping Up With the Joneses‘! ). But to be fair, I realize that we no longer live in a world where we can walk to the local artisan for a loaf of bread, or barter a bar of soap for a gallon of milk. We live in a world in which we must purchase products from stores, whether in our city or town or online. I also realize trying to convince little Tommy that Santa isn’t coming this year because we live in a consumer-driven society where the dollar is king probably isn’t realistic either. I accept these facts and call on consumers to use their consumer voice for change.
But how do you use your consumer voice for change? Here are a few quick ideas to think about this holiday season.
1. What about giving the gift of time to someone you love? Time together, time apart, time to work on a project together or just to sit and visit with one another. Time is perhaps the most cherished gift of all…and it doesn’t cost you a thing.
2. What about making gifts for the holidays? A few years ago, our family tried out a new holiday rule - No store-bought gifts. The new rule brought with it some of the most memorable gifts of our lives, as well as some of our most touching moments and the best laughs during gift-giving time.
If you are purchasing gifts this season, keep in mind that you cast your consumer vote every time you spend a dollar. When you cast your consumer vote and exchange your hard-earned dollar for a product, you are in essence stating, “I approve of this product. I believe in what it stands for.”
Here’s the deal. You can use your consumer voice for change this holiday season. You can be green this holiday season. You can. And the great thing is, there are varying degrees on just how green you want to be. If you purchase products this holiday season, please take a look at this green directory.
I personally challenge you to be sure that the products you purchase stand for what you personally believe in…Who knows, we might just start a whole new kind of retail therapy. Happy Holidays!
Penelope - the Newbie and Staffer at We Can Live Green
