“If I am a consumer first and last, all I can do to better the world is consume more responsibly—buy green, invest in socially responsible businesses and buy less.”  - Judith Levine

I very recently gave props to Brave, but I have one complaint. It really doesn’t have anything to do with the film, but my first instincts to buy Brave products. I’ve looked at dolls, costumes, cookies, anything with the redheaded heroine. I don’t purchase the items but it got me thinking about consumerist lifestyle and how it seems to be so ingrained, even in someone who has grown up wearing and using second hand and homemade products.

I’m a big supporter of buying second hand. It lets items be used to their fullest instead of being thrown in the trash, especially kids stuff. You can find brand new, tags still attached, children’s clothing in thrift stores because our little ones grow up so fast they don’t have a chance to wear every outfit. I’ve heard some people think of it as gross which to me translates their snobbery.

My first published opinion piece was in the school paper during my first year of my journalism course and called Conserve more, consume less.

I also made a Christmas themed video on the same topic in my second year if you want more of my brilliant insight, or if you don’t feel like reading.

I highly recommend checking out Freecycle.org which I’ve also written about for The Chronicle.

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