Your First and Best Green Investment: Stop Buying Stuff!

If you want to save the Earth, you can do a great deal in your own life. The first priority is to stop buying crap you don’t need. Seriously, just stop. Even if the stuff is organic, fair trade, recyclable, or whatever other eco-friendly badge it may wear, the simple truth is that there is no such thing as zero-environmental-impact product, and there is no replacement for a reduction in consumption. And I’ll bet you that 99% of American families could get by just fine for years buying nothing new at all other than food. I doubt their quality of life would decline in the slightest. In fact, it would likely improve from a shifting of focus (not to mention money) to more important things.

The Three R’s of Green Living

Remember that the three magic R’s — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle — are listed in order of preference. “Reduce” comes first, and with good reason. We Americans never feel like we have enough. But if you have any concern at all for the environment and social justice, you should watch the Story of Stuff. It will greatly change your perspective about everything you buy, even “eco-friendly” stuff.

Learn to Love Vintage

Of course my personal favorite of the three magic R’s is Reuse. I’ve discovered a love of used things. I buy all my clothes and furniture at the Salvation Army and other thrift stores. I get building supplies at urban salvage yards. There’s a special joy that comes with buy a trashed old table and restoring it using natural oils and waxes, leaving yourself with a beautiful piece with character, all for much less than a crappy piece of particle-board junk from Ikea, doomed to end up in the landfill in 5 years.

Get Used

Try making this pledge to yourself: “If I can’t get it used, I can’t get it.” You might find your shopping trips start to resemble treasure hunts. It’s much more fun, and it will save you more money than you probably imagine.

Now take the savings, and invest them in green enterprise. If you can learn to get the same satisfaction from acquiring a share of a green shoe company that you get from buying a new pair of shoes, you will be well on your way to a healthier, wealthier, and greener life.