3 for the price of one!
The other day Jason over at SCREAM to be GREEN posted about the SnagFilms.com website in which there are 250 full length documentaries available for FREE. The only snag is that the movie is interrupted at different points to play commercials like the Oreo 100 calorie snak pak, (just like NBC does when you watch their shows online) which in itself is kind of ironic…And we had to restart the movie a few times because it got stuck, and we had to plug in our laptop to the cable modem because it didn't like the wireless router, but I digress... I saw a free documentary movie that I've wanted to see for a while.
My sights were immediately set on watching What Would Jesus Buy? The story of Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, 2 chartered buses, a full choir and 7 piece band, and a cross country tour in the weeks before Christmas to get people to buy less stuff. I don’t want to say much here because I would give the movie away, but it’s worth an hour of your time to watch it. For us, it was like preaching to the choir.
On March 20 of this year, I declared that I would not set foot in a big box store again, and I have upheld my word. No Target, no Home Depot, no Lowe’s. [I’ve never spent a penny at Walmart, and for that I am immensely proud and feel as though I have the right to stand on a pedestal and scream to the rafters to all who will listen.]
Here’s my secret to giving up big box stores: IT’S EASY - JUST DO IT. Really!
And here is how our consumption breaks down:
FOOD
We visit our local BelAir grocery store chain, family-owned since 1935. They have a fairly decent organic/natural section, and it’s easy to find produce within a 100 mile radius. The even have bulk bins of organic flour from Giusto’s, a San Francisco-based flour company. That’s within 100 miles! We buy Strauss dairy products (you return the glass bottle for a deposit).
Weekly we visit our farmer’s market to purchase items from the local organic growers. There is also a stand that sells raw cheeses! ....Local olive oil, mushrooms, fruit, you name it.
Tea/coffee: Chris drinks chai tea, I drink black tea and coffee every so often. While we understand these items aren’t local, we’ve found a great tea company (Rishi Tea) that offers fair trade, organic teas. Yes, they are expensive, but we feel as though we’re actually paying the fair price for them. Once the coffee stores I have are gone, we plan on purchasing fair trade shade grown coffee from our local company Java City. When we eat out we tend to go to Chipotle, which is a fairly sustainable eatery, and all of their chicken, beef, and pork products are sustainably-raised.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
For those of you not lucky enough to live in California (snicker!), we have this great little hardware store chain called OSH – Orchard Supply Hardware. I just found out last week it is a California company with 85 stores. They carry everything we’ve ever needed (except that one bolt Chris needed for his car, and we went to ACE Hardware over the river). The people who work there are friendly, and very helpful. I can walk through the store and have 3 people ask me if I need help finding something. And one of the guys that works there knows that store inside and out. I love it when he asks if I need help. And I love my local OSH.
ENTERTAINMENT
Library, used book stores, batting cages, local zoo, local state park, biking, collecting plums, camping… We tend to stay locally for our fun!
NOT PERFECT
Before I go on and on about this and how well we’ve done, there are some things I would like to do better on, such as:
Taiko Sushi is our favorite restaurant, but it isn’t sustainable (even if it is local). Limit visits to the restaurant.
There is no locally-owned camera store in my area, so we ended up going to Ritz Camera (national chain) to look at some new lenses, only to find them a couple HUNDRED dollars cheaper through Amazon. So we went with Amazon. We used to buy an incredible amount of stuff through Amazon, but not as much anymore. We look for locally-available options first.
I haven’t been to Goodwill for a few months. I need to go back. Need a random kitchen appliance? Goodwill probably has that quesadilla maker you’ve been looking for. Chris and I are shedding our plastic cups and would like to replace them with glass ones. I think Goodwill is a good place to do this. We’ll keep you posted.
What about you? Have you looked into shopping more locally or for used items? How does your local area fare?
Wow, lots of link love in this post!
Jul 24, 2008
A shout out, movie review, and life update
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12 comments:
Utensils, plates, clothes, toys and books... those are some of the things we've had great luck with at thrift shops.
i try to buy as many fair traded things as possible. have you read the book---garden vegetable, miracle? (i think that's the name)
Will have to watch that one with my wife. We are already planning on how to prevent the grandparent gift onslaught that will happen when we have children. The thought of all that plastic crap just makes my skin crawl; so legos, building blocks, and tons of dominoes will be there standard toys, and any other open ended play toy that doesn't make sound or pollute. Odd that we should have to plan for this, and a bit scary.
I wish San Antonio TX was as far ahead of the game as Cali when it comes to local and small commerce. No more small hardware stores around, unless you drive a long ways making Lowes a necessity. We avoid Wal-Mart like the plague, Targhetto as well. Our local produce is very seasonal and just a bit restrictive for making it a diet.
Natalie - Our Goodwill trip on Sunday (if it's open) will include glasses/cups and clothes. I need some t-shirts.
Miriam - I had my library reserve the book for me, but I totally forgot to pick it up. I think that needs to be one of my next reads....
Eric - Even though we told our families "Small XMAS year" last year and made it very clear to them, we still ended up with a ton of stuff, and we don't even have kids. It was really frustrating.
I make no bones that I am very lucky to live where I do, and I have the choice to shop where I want, that certainly makes it easier. I've never hard Target referred to as Targhetto, but so true.
was I the only one who had tears welling up during the ending montage of christmas dinners.
Amazing movie, and while I haven't been as vigilant about big box stores at least when we need something, we try second hand first.
eric, I know exactly what you mean, last year was our first christmas and lets put it this way, unless you say explicitly...they will get bombed.
To Eric, Katie and Spelled with a K,
As a grandparent aged person, but not officially a grandparent yet, could I give some unsolicited advice?
Graciously accept any and all gifts that are bestowed to you and your children. If the gift does not fit your lifestyle, which it very well could, then simply give it to a charitable organization and received a tax benefit. The environmental damage of the plastic toy is already done, there is nothing you can do post production to change that. However, you do not have to accept it into your home.
After a while, gifter's might notice that some of their gifts are missing! Oh my! Use that opportunity to education (don't lecture!) on issues important to your family. State your position, and stick to it. If more conflicting gifts arrive, be gracious and thank them, but again, out the back door to a charity they go. Over time, the lesson will be learned in one of two ways. The gifter's will change their habits and respect your lifestyle decisions, or they will simply quit gifting. Either way, you have kept your principles, and your family healthy as you see it.
Good luck!
Katie-
On an unrelated topic- I came to your web site from http://tinyfarmblog.com/ who has your weblog listed as a tiny farm. When I saw the link I thought it was your site, I mean really, how many garden punks can there be? ;-)
I just never thought of you and your husband's yard as a tiny farm!
We saw that movie earlier this week!
We've been boycotting WalMart for about 3 years now I guess. Unfortunately, the big box stores have killed many of the small businesses, so it can be hard to find some items. I recently bought my camera at a local shop though. They've been there for years, and they just keep going. Helpful, knowledgeable staff, one on one service! Can't beat a small business!
Much of our food (here in northern NV) comes from California, so it is tougher to get food from local/small shops. Small weekly farmers markets are starting to grow in popularity though!
Good work, Katie. WWJB is on my list to watch. It's a Morgan Spurlock production - and if you've ever seen 30 Days - Morgan does a spoof of his own show over on FunnyOrDie.com where he does 30 days as a vampire. It's pretty funny.
I am very impressed with your big box boycott. That would be difficult for us - they've closed the local grocery store we used to go to (and occasionally freegan at). I do look up everything I want to buy on eBay first.
Be well -
Jason
http://www.screamtobegreen.com
I didn't shop at Wal-Mart for 6 years, but now I buy bird food and garden soil there. I wouldn't, but the local Ace Hardware is just so expensive on the soil, and there isn't a good place to buy bird seed for my cockatiels closer than 10 miles away.
I actually shop very seldom anyway, so it's only necessities I buy anywhere.
On the cameras--there is a place on El Camino! We were there around Christmas. Pardee's I think? They're much much more knowledgeable than Ritz and the equipment is leaps and bounds better! I think they were the place that got so annoyed that people were coming in for advice and then buying at Best Buy. We loved the store and can't wait to go back.
spelled with a k - In some places, it is easier to avoid big boxes than others...
rabone - thank you for the advice about gifts. it is important to remember that most people give because they want to see the receiver happy, and don't really think about the gift itself. Let's change paradigms one family at a time! And a tiny farm? If Mike over at TFB says so, then it must be true!! :0)
Jeff - If you get most of your food from NorCal, that means that most of it still come from within 250 miles or so...
Jason - WWJB was preaching to the choir for us, but good none the less. I didn't much care for The Corporation...too unfocused and all over the place.
frugal wench - Income definitely makes a difference on where people can and do shop. I am certainly not begrudging people who shop at Walmart or the like because of their income; sometimes there really is no choice.
sans - Yes, it's Pardees. I will go there for anything else camera related, we remembered about it too late this time around. In a related note, Pardee's started charging for advice because so many people would come into the store, ask a bunch of questions, and leave to go buy camera equipment at "Walmart, Best Buy, and online" that it was cutting into their business. I totally agree with their position on the charging too!
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