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Bible Quote
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
Make Smarter Shopping Choices
How aware are you about the choices you make? As some of you know from my post on acne, I became very aware of how a simple choice can really improve the quality of my life. When I was younger I didn't realize that dietary choices could possibly cause acne. My doctors always told me that acne was not caused by food or that the connection was dubious at best. Thankfully, the internet information revolution allowed me to benefit from other people’s advice on how to conquer the problem. Now, I am thankfully acne free and telling as many people as I can how to do it too.
Better dietary choices improved the quality of my life and led me
to become more sensitive to other choices I was making. I realized that the consequences of my
everyday decisions not only affected my life, but also the lives of others and
the environment. I started to become
more aware of how I was spending my income; therefore, I began to evaluate all
of my shopping choices.
Spending money on organic food is a vote for a healthier body, a vote for a cleaner environment, a vote for the local farmer and, in general, a vote for the ethical treatment of animals. Yes, organic food costs more than its conventional counterpart, but it’s a better choice for the entire supply chain. If you become wary about the higher prices of organic food, look for other areas in your budget to save. Dining out, for example, is an easy expense to cut back.
In addition to organic food purchases, other expenditures
are also important to you and the environment.
For example, look at the car you drive. Is it
the most fuel efficient automobile you can get away with? Can you trade it in for a more fuel efficient
choice? Think about it – gas is currently
about $3.00/gallon, which is near a
historical high in the
As I noted in my post on gasoline conservation, a safe care is more important than a fuel efficient car. But, after the safety concern is met, look for the most fuel efficient model you can get. I think a very practical step in this area is
to have a fuel efficiency goal on your next automobile purchase. For
example, when you are looking to replace
your vehicle, try to buy a car that is 25% more fuel efficient than the
one you're replacing. This will save you money and also help
protect the
environment.
How about other shopping choices? I tend to look at everything I buy now as an
investment or vote for something I believe in.
I recently found some really neat organic tee shirts from American
Apparel. The neat thing about these
shirts is that they come from a vertically integrated manufacturing plant in
As I continued to evaluate all of my shopping choices, I started to scrutinize the merchants I did business with. For example, I stopped shopping at Wal*Mart
several years ago. One day I was reading
the list of Forbes richest people and noted that the Walton children were all in
the top 10. Yes,
Wal*Mart is so big that Sam Walton’s children are billionaires. Right then I realized that Wal*Mart didn’t
need my business. As I learned more, I became
aware of Wal*Mart’s questionable business practices. No, they are not an evil empire, but they
have become too big and powerful for my taste.
Incidentally, if you want to read a really interesting piece on this
topic, check out this Fast Company article.
The world of sports was not immune to this evaluation. I love sports, especially the NFL. Unfortunately, I have started to feel a
little guilty when I watch it. The game has
become so commercial, and player’s salaries
are completely out of control. These
salaries are supported by both fan and tax payer. Considering the average fan’s income,
compared to say Peyton Manning’s, I really struggle with the whole equation. I still watch the NFL, but my interest pales
to what it once was.
Do you watch American Idol (AI)?
This past season AI did a fundraiser called Idol Gives Back. It raised just over $70 million for some very
worthwhile charities. The charity appeal was
funded by both major corporations and thousands of everyday Americans. $70 million will undoubtedly help
truly desperate and needy people live a better life. That fact alone is worth applauding. $70 million is also the same amount of money earned by
the three highest paid players on the New York Yankees. Yes, Alex
Rodriguez, Jason Giambi and Derek Jeter will make over $70 million
in 2007. The point is pretty simple; we
can help thousands of people with the same amount of money that we pay three
extraordinary athletes. Again, I struggle with the equation.
Other Shopping Choices
Here are some very practical and simple choices you can
make today that will help you, help others and help the environment.
- Buy natural and organic food.
- Support your local farmer.
- Replace your household light bulbs with compact fluorescents.
- Reuse grocery bags or buy a cotton/canvas bag (hint – keep it in the car).
- Support independent films and local artists.
- Turn off all electricity you don’t need turned on – unplug the cell phone charger.
- Stop drinking bottled water – the heath benefits are questionable and the bottles create waste. Filter your own water at home instead.
- Stop drinking soda – it’s not good for you and the cans create a lot of waste.
- Car pool whenever possible and practical.
- Stop smoking – this is so obvious (please get some help if you are addicted).
Hopefully this post has stirred you to take a look at the
purchases you make. As you become more
sensitive to how and where you spend money, you will start to feel more
powerful. You
will realize that your
vote counts. You will realize that using your free will for
positive purposes is what all good Christians are called to do.