Purple-hair-lady forsakes her consuming monstorrr!

All Done!

All finished now… Very happy! Such a good thing to do. I saved so much money and not buying new things really didn’t change my life at all. Which, on reflection, reminds me how easy it is to justify buying things if you really want it, even just for no reason. 

And it’s such a good thing to do for other people and the environment. I feel as though I don’t need to ramble on again about why… 

Towards the end of the month I got quite lazy because i’ve had so so so much work at uni and not a lot to note except that not buying stuff is much easier than I thought… But now I have to resist the urge to buy cause I can.

Adios!

(Source: trulyquotes)

Day 20: By 2020, the European Union plans to cut energy use by 20%.

To me, 20% doesn’t sound like a lot, but if they can do it by 2020, hats off. Also, this policy is interesting because in my policy travels, it is rare to see an institution try to address consumer behaviour, as opposed to where the energy is coming from. I think a lot of the time, they have no idea how to change it so they put it in the to hard basket for later. 

Lately i’ve been feeling really good about not buying anything new. I’ve had to for other people because it is Random Acts Of Kindness week at college, but apart from that, saving so much money! I’m going op shopping with some friends today, i’m so excited!

unconsumption:

One of the most innovative products found on the Greenbuild Expo floor was the Reveeco EcoVéa recycling shower. This might be a hard sell for some but the concept is brilliant, allowing you to enjoy long showers without guilt. Possibly the world’s most intelligent shower, EcoVéa recycles water within your shower to push the limits of water conservation. For a ten minute shower, the EcoVéa can save up to 66% above your fixture efficiency savings.

EcoVéa consists of a 36″ x 36″ shower base which comes in a variety of finishes …. While showering, the EcoVéa cell analyzes whether water is dirty and should be discarded or water is clean and can be reused. If reused, it is treated through a filter and antibacterial treatment, mixed with a small quantity of new hot water to maintain a consistent temperature, and sent back to the shower head.

(via Smart EcoVéa Enables Guilt-Free Showers — Jetson Green)

hazmecafe:

A man takes a nap on sacks filled with onions at a wholesale vegetable market on the outskirts of Jammu September 14, 2011. Indian inflation climbed to its highest in more than a year as prices of food and manufactured goods surged, reinforcing the case for another rate hike on Friday despite weakening growth and a worsening global outlook. (Photo: REUTERS/Mukesh Gupta)

Day 14: Indian consumption will grow by 14% in 3 years.

I feel like Western countries, including Australia, have had their turn. Now that all these people are coming out of poverty, it seems really mean and hypocritical to turn around and say, “No, we have to think of the planet!” while we continue to consume way more than our fair share. I’m glad i’m not the foreign minister at the moment, it would be super sticky…..

I am saving so much money! And not even feeling depraved for the most part. I don’t feel like I am missing out on anything! 

But the other day I was thinking about one of my close friends who consumes and exuberant amount in terms of clothing, shoes and make up. And I thought, if I don’t consume as much as her, will she still rate me? Looks like buying stuff is a security net, a tool of belonging.
At the end of the day, there is no way she would reject me for not looking as good as her or spending less, but the thought was more powerful than the actual story. 

(Source: starbuckscoffeeisafake)

travelthisworld:

Brookfield Place, Toronto, Canada

Day 12: 12% of the world’s population lives in North America and Western Europe and accounts for 60 percent of private consumption spending.

I had to read it twice, cause that’s a lot of numbers :/ But the point is, a small part of the world’s huge population spends the most on themselves. I’m not going to go on an equity rant as I generally do. I’m just going to say that I often suffer what’s known as First World Guilt. I feel bad that I have so much for no contribution that I have made. But this is an unfair and irrational feeling! I do things everyday - I change my lifestyle - to be more conscious of other people and particularly my environment. In reality, people beat themselves up or resign themselves to doing nothing because they feel overwhelmed, resulting in guilt, or desperation, or just shutting off cause it’s so big.

We can only be responsible for ourselves in these issues. To take on unrealistic responsibility for others is unfair on ourselves, and disempowering for the others. While we may feel insignificant on our own, like nothing we do will make a big difference, remember that if every person chose to act in spite of this, our environmental impacts would decrease so rapidly we wouldn’t know what happened! So don’t despair, do what you can and feel good about it.

worldtravels:

Waterfall in the Amazon

Day 10: Between 2000 and 2005 around 10 million acres of forests were lost per year in South America, which incorporates the might Amazon forest.

The land is cleared primarily for cattle ranches and soybean plantations.

I love meat more than anyone I know pretty much. If I could, I would eat a steak every lunch and dinner. I’ve been known to frequently eat lamb chops for breakfast. Lately (as in, in the past year), it has become increasingly evident to me that I don’t feel ok with my diet.

Diet is a super personal thing, and I am not trying to impose my views on anyone at any point, but this exercise makes you reflect a fair bit and so I am recounting my year :)

I come from a rural town in New South Wales, Australia. It’s a farming and industrial town, servicing about a 300km radius. I grew up eating meat every day. I love it. 

When I was about 16, I read an article in Yen Magazine about the various reasons why vegetarians don’t eat meat. Already having a deep care for the environment, when I read that one person not eating meat could reduce their carbon footprint by 1.5 tones blew my mind. From then on, I felt kinda guilty about eating so much meat. I tried to be vegetarian, but I wasn’t a huge fan of vegetables so I ended up just eating a whole lot of cereal. Needless to say, it didn’t last much longer than a week, cause I felt like crap, it was expensive and so on.

Now, i’m trying again, and doing much better. For one, now that I have moved to the city, there is much more diversity of culture so it is so much easier to be vegetarian when I have so many friends that are as well. They can help me with recipes, advice, support when I am frustrated. And it is frustrating, it is a big change! Additionally, because I am in college, I cook for myself. I would never expect that mum cook me a separate meal, so she would have to cook meat every night or dad and my brother would go bonkers. Being just me, I can eat what I want.

It’s not a drudgery! I am doing it gradually so I can be healthy as I learn different habits and so on. So far it’s working! I am not completely vegetarian and I don’t know if I ever will be, but now I eat vastly less meat and I’m going ok! I never thought i’d be able to because before I would certainly miss meat and feel disappointed in my meal. Not so much any more. It’s a mixture of developing tastes, creativity and practice.

So that’s my vego rant. I’m not going to go into the benefits of it right now because there are so many websites that already detail them much better than I can.

Feel free to send me an ask if you are going vego and want some help. It is the single most effective way for an individual to reduce their carbon footprint and the amount of environmental degradation they encourage.

No judgement! Like I said, it’s a very personal thing. 

citycritik:

Reusing VHS tapes is probably pretty mandatory.  Most of us have moved on and now they’re being sold dirt cheap.  Make them art or function? Your choice.

In addition to the example above, you can also use the tape film for tying bows on your christmachannakwanza gifts this year.

Day 9: 9 out of 10 Americans would recycle more if it were easier.

Things like this make me think about responsibility. I find that in Australia we place a lot of blame on the government for not acting enough on our behalf. Is this fair? Governmental measures are undoubtedly critical - if they don’t help us, how can we take the action we want to? But at the same time, we have much more power than we think in shaping both government policy and how companies act. With greener consumers comes things like recycled pizza boxes by Dominos, for example. It’s only a very small measure, but shows how our consumptive choices shapes how those around to support us adapt to us. Which makes me reflect on the ways my not buying anything new for a month speaks to those around me.

We have so much power when we choose to take charge of it. Please use it! 

ourladyvanity:

eat me…….

wear me………….

fit me…………………..

fuck me………………………

Day 8: The US spends $8 billion on cosmetics per year, when it would take $6 billion to achieve basic education for all.

More stats that continue to put my priorities in order. I know I feel much less confident if I’m not wearing make up, and I hate to think this kind of thinking keeps typifying why we spend on things we don’t need. If we cover ourselves in things, we don’t have to face up to our self-confidence issues, or things we should be addressing with ourselves. When I buy makeup, I feel like I need it. But then I look at basic education, and it far outweighs my so called ‘needs’. Not to say there is anything wrong with wanting to feel good about yourself, of course!

I love this picture. So good!

(Source: celestial-legacies)

Day 7: The 7th Millennium Development Goal is to Ensure Environmental Sustainability.

A big part of caring for the environment is not using too much of our fair share of limited stuff the planet can give us. A big part of helping our brothers and sisters having a hard time in developing countries is by not using resources that they have more right to use. Looks like conscious consuming makes you a fair person in more ways than one! And definitely more ways than 2!

I thought this picture was appropriate for how I see development. It’s a thorny, hard, at times heart breaking issue but the beauty of success is always present somewhere, breaking through, pushing us forward to keep trying.

(via victoriaintheforest-deactivated)

Day 6: By the age of 6 months, the average Canadian has consumed the same amount of resources as someone in the developing world does in their entire lives.

Wow. Kinda puts it in perspective.

I feel like by doing this I have learnt so much more, just personally, about others. It puts into perspective how lucky I am to be cared for. So here’s something to say about luck: 

1. I will never say I am unlucky again.

2. I will try not to complain without reflecting on what others have to go through.

I’m finding it so interesting trying to live life without spending. I have a college ball next weekend and I need shoes for my dress, but obviously I can’t buy new ones. One of my beloved customers at work is a shoe fiend, so I asked her whether I can borrow some, and of course she said yes! Now, I have not spent a penny, I am wearing kick-ass heels I will not get sick of (cause it’s only once) and I hope I look good. :P I can’t believe how much money I’m saving, it’s kind of ridiculous. Usually, I tell myself I need to save, and then find an obscure way to justify spending. Not being able to shows me how much I don’t need the things I say I do.

(Source: exposing-dreams)

Day 5: World energy consumption rose by 5% in 2010.

Despite having more and more people talking about climate change and turning off the lights when you aren’t using them, the numbers are rising. Policy has been made this year - the notorious carbon tax - to help the renewables industry get off the ground. But that, to me, seems like a small measure. It is one combatant of an issue made of so many parts. But in our economy; what the consumer wants, the consumer gets. We can make a huge difference by demanding different products - one example is renewable power, but think broader. A huge amount of energy goes into clothes and food production, meat in particular. Our food system floats on oil. 

If you want to be part of the reversal of these statistics, think local! Support your local businesses that aren’t shipping food from half a world away. Or start your own veggie garden! Ride to work, or school. Taking an extra 20 minutes out will do the environment and your health a world of good. Of course, remember to use things in the home only when you need them. One of my friends would often walk in on the drier spinning around and around with nothing in it (thank roomies). Really?

(Source: tobekaitlyne)

unconsumption:

Rainy day wear:  

Broken umbrellas upcycled into skirts.

(Skirt by Cecilia Felli. Spotted by Marilyn Maciel, @MarilynM, on Crooked Brains. Thanks, Marilyn!)

Day 4: …I was having trouble finding a fact to do with ‘4’.

So I reblogged this cause it’s awesome. While I wouldn’t probably wear an umbrella skirt (though it looks legit awesome), I think it illustrates something really important about needing to reuse things. Also, it can be a great source of creativity!

I was looking through my closet today and lamenting that I had nothing to wear. “Time to go shopping!”… and then I stopped, obviously. But it stroke me as sad that I felt inadequate or unconfident because I didn’t have something that I felt like wearing. Which raises interesting questions about consumerism… Do we need just stuff to make us feel valid? It is covering issues or are we aware of them when we buy? I think I was already aware of it, but I don’t think many people are. Looks like the key matters of environmental degradation are, unsurprisingly, psychological. I wonder how much good would be done if we stopped spending on useless things not just for the environment, but to address issues of self-esteem and worth. 

squallluis:

Baconstrips&BaconStrips&BaconStrips

Day 3: 1/3 of all food is wasted.

That could feed 3 billion people. I’m definitely thinking twice when I throw something out. Especially if I’m doing it because I don’t like the taste. Suck it up princess, you’ve got food!

I don’t feel particularly anxsty yet. I mean, not being able to buy will be a bit of a nuisance when I want to re dye my hair, (:D) but apart from that, it’s ok.
DISCLAIMER: it’s only been three days.