Reduce buying junk
Reduce your junk buying can save you money and the environment.
Colchester squirrel looking for lunch.
I was shopping for shorts at SportsDirect today, and had a reusable bag like the one in the image. At the counter I had an argument with the sales assistant, who did a hard sell to try to sell me one of their bags; it seems I was unable to get through to him that I only purchase what I need, and I already had a bag. I had no desire to purchase one of their overpriced, low quality bags, with the added bonus to them of advertising their brand on it.
My advice to reduce junk in your life:
1. purchase only what you need.
2. reuse.
3. buy things that last.
I encountered the ugly face of capitalism today at SportsDirect, the sort that does the following:
- causes waste.
- causes pollution.
- causes resource wars for finite resources.
As “consumers” we all have a part to play in changing our habits and how corporations treat the environment. The shop assistants may moan, like the SportsDirect assistant did today, but by buying only what you need you are richer and the environment benefits.
A very great thought! We often waste more than we consume!! Thank you for sharing!
-Naima.
I was in a supermarket today where they had a considerable amount of reduced-priced food about 15 minutes before closing; all which will be wasted as it will be thrown away as past the sell by date.
I know what you mean. I feel sad about this condition when I read about the poverty and famine in various other parts of the world!
-Naima.
I agree, more so now with an emerging global food crisis.
Exactly! This is very saddening!
I could not agree more! Peace, Jaz
Thanks Jaz.
[ Smiles ] Very practical!
I try to keep all my blog posts practical. Thanks for your comment Renard.
Great advice, there’s an awful lot of junk out there!
Junk is a plague of modern society.
I bought five large red bags for groceries. We bring them to the market with us and they have a rectangular bottom, which makes it easy for the checkers to fill. They were purchased for $2.00 each at the Post Office and say LOVE on them. (like the love stamp) I LOVE THEM! I feel good that I can use them over and over. And over.
One market here sells items at a huge discount that expires or is expired. It’s not okay with me, but I say nothing, because there are so many deeply poor here, and homeless, that these items are something that might fill them, for all the money they have.
I don’t think they want to throw things away.
I go to another market in Oregon, mostly for organic produce, and when I asked the produce manager what happens to the carrot greens or other greens, and that I’d like to have them for my rabbits, she replied that they can’t give or sell them to me, and they throw them away. What a sad state of affairs food is…
By the way, welcome back, Alex.
Thanks for your feedback Seapunk2. I think that the supermarkets could send their out of date food to charities to distribute to the poor. Thanks for the welcome back.
Anything to help our dying planet is good.
I agree
Good advice Alex. I am pleased to report that in Vancouver store workers are beginning to give quizzical looks customers who do not bring their own bags.
That is good to hear. In Britain I have started noticing that supermarkets “ask” if the customer wants a bag rather than just “gives” them one. The examples of SportsDirect are fortunately in the minority.
My wise old grandmother taught me to buy the best and then use it until it can be used no more. That’s what I have always done.
That was fine advice by your grandmother
Very much so agreed! And then you can spend money on more fulfilling things in life — like seeing a new place that you’ve never been to before.
Yes, it is surprising how much money people can save by this simple change in attitude.
We were recently making a pit-stop at a Tim Hortons. It was late at night and they were close to closing. The employees were dumping huge trays of muffins and donuts and other baked goods into garbage bags! I asked if there was some way to coordinate with a local homeless shelter (or something), but the teenaged employees just shrugged and said this is what they were instructed to do.
I was horrified by the waste. There were bagels and muffins that people would have loved to have had! I keep meaning to write to Timmy’s to ask about this policy. It just seems like it would take one extra step, and so many people could be fed! Breaks my heart.
Thanks for coming to my place today to ask my son a question. I’ll send you linky-love when he responds!
You raise an unfortunate issue that is going on throughout the West, the food waste in a time of a growing global food crisis is bad. It would be good if we all wrote to the CEO’s of corporations to suggest they give out of date food to charities to distribute to the poor. I look forward to hearing your son’s answer to my question.
You’ll likely be happily surprised.
I’m amazed that the clerk argued with you! When I worked in retail, we sometimes had to make offers known to customers, but if someone wasn’t interested we did not fuss. It’s just plain rude! I couldn’t agree with you more about reducing. I’m a much bigger fan of supporting artisans. I can make my own bags but, if I really felt I needed another and couldn’t, I would go to someone who could. It supports your local economy and is more local than getting a mass produced bag!
The shop assistants of SportsDirect are one of those retail outlets that are under pressure to do a hard sell to customers.
I like your attitude of supporting the local artisans. I do the same. Thanks for your feedback
Great! I love reading your posts because they are clear, concise, and share a valuable message. A little less junk from all of us would change the world completely. Have a great day!
The great thing is that reducing junk helps both us and the world.
My mom used to say, “Appetite comes with eating”, it seems that gluttony increases our hunger, discontent and lowers our overall wellbeing, ad to be without appetite is much the same? do you think there is virtue in this situation?
You make a sharp observation, I believe that there is truth to this. I shall think on this some more, and perhaps create a blog based upon it.
Agreed. I also work to buy products once, rather than more than once. Case in point: iron skillets will last you your whole life. So buy one set, donate the old ones to someone who needs them, and take care of them!
Great approach!
I live in a small country where printer ink is more expensive than buying a new printer with ink installed. So what is left for a small householder to do throw away the machine and buy a new one everything the ink runs out.
Sometimes producers encourage waste for their own benefit.
This is a bad waste of resources. Thanks for letting me know.