moratorium on stuff...

I have been an avid consumer of stuff for the last couple of months. Something I've not been guilty of in many years. All of my furniture, except for a recently purchased bed frame, is something used. Stuff I picked up at garage sales or flea markets. Even my computer was a castoff from some office in California. I feel good about my lack of true consumerism. Even my clothes come from clearance or secondhand. I stopped using paper towels ten years ago and parked my car and started riding my bike or taking the bus two years ago.

Then, I got a windfall of cash. I went out and bought new stuff. A computer, a Tiffany silver necklace, an HD TV, three phones, two different ipods, two digital cameras, and a video camera (in my own defense, some of that stuff was presents for other people). Even though I could have purchased that stuff on Craigslist, or an outlet, I chose to do it in a way that's left me feeling a bit bad about buying in to the whole consumerist society again. I even bought three new t-shirts and some other little stuff while on vacation recently. I haven't been on a vacation for more than six years, so I guess I can give myself a pass on that stuff. I'm way behind the rest of society on that one.  

Today, while surfing the net, on my new MacBook, I came across this simple video about what an impact our consumerism is doing to our planet. You have to understand, I've been recycling like a madwoman, using biodegradable cleaning products, carrying my own shopping bags to the grocery store, and using compact fluorescent light bulbs since the 80s.. I buy organic vegetables, free range meats, and sustainable fishes. I try not to buy plastic bottles, or bottled water. I even grow some of my own food. I finally cancelled all my magazine subscriptions, don't buy newspapers, and buy used books whenever possible. But, I am guilty of being bad sometimes.

So, in order to pay my part of my karmic debt, I promise to stop buying anything other than things I need to survive. No more clothes, cds, dvds, jewelry, watches, or stuff like that there. Just things I need, like food, and natural medicines, and earth friendly cleaning products and toilet paper. 

I wonder how I will do, and if I will fall off the bandwagon. I have Netflicks for movies. I can read magazines on the web, papers too. So, I guess the computer was a good purchase. I can do lots with one thing. 

Read this: www.storyofstuff.com and maybe you will be changed by it and do what I am doing.... giving my consumerist self a rest and remembering why I started being Hippyish about things way back in the 80s. I lost myself for a couple of months, but that little online movie brought me back to the side of mother earth...... won't you join me?