An Awakening

Some friends of ours sent us this brilliant little book full of depressing facts about how our dollars are spent.
Over the last four or five years, my husband and I have been on a journey of enlightenment with our consumer power.
It started with the breakfast sandwiches at McDonald's which manifested into McDonald's on a whole which manifested into WalMart...and on and on we went, down the rabbit hole of consumer responsibility. The more we learned about corporations the less freedom we had with what we bought. It was really frustrating and saddening to know that virtually everything we were buying was either supporting companies that practiced unethical things (like child labor, child slavery, inhumane working conditions, or unlivable wages) or contributing toward the deconstruction of virtually all our natural resources.
We've made significant changes in our lives to try to make an impact.
We went down to one vehicle.
We began recycling & composting.
We have chickens.
We continue to boycott Walmart and McD's.
We only buy fair trade coffee or drink at shops that offer it.
We try to support as much local business as is possible for us right now.
and clothing, we pretty much only buy second hand or fair-made products...
Over the last year, however, I am deeply remorseful that I have become rather lax in this area. Not really paying attention to what I'm buying, except for the biggies. Still no Mc D's, Walmart, or buying coffee that isn't fair trade. But we've filled our consumer tummies with new clothing from Old Navy, gas tanks at Shell, etc.
But besides that...
pretty sobering now that I'm looking through this book that our friends sent us. I had no idea it mattered what brand of cheese I bought. Or Chocolate? Come on! So even when I thought we were doing pretty darn good, we weren't. We were still getting a failing grade even with all the changes we made.
Most people don't get us. That's cool. It's still important. It's still about social justice. Especially here in America. There's an old proverb that goes like this: With much power comes much responsibility. It seems to me, our consumer power, is one of the most powerful powers to have. And so goes with it some of the most responsibility for how we spend it.
Little things, baby steps, one chocolate bar at a time. I believe 2009 can be a year of real change. Not just in political power but in consumer power.
I'm awake!
I'm paying attention!
It's a new year and I'm convinced my dollars can make a difference this year. So can yours.
Peace & Subversion!
P.S.
If you have even had an inkling of enlightenment about consumer spending you have got to pick up this book and stick it in your purse, bag, planner, what ever you bring when you spend money. Or go to this website for more information The Better World Shopping Guide.