It is the middle of August and I'm only just getting to this post. Not because I haven't had time, but because our challenge this month just doesn't feel all that challenging. I've just worked out why though, so I want to share that with you today.
This month's challenge was inspired by this post over at Crunchy Betty. Have you been to her blog? Go check it out if you haven't, it makes for great fun reading, with lots of ideas. Anyway, if you scroll through the comments on that post, you'll find mine stating that we're going to challenge ourselves to buying nothing new this month.
Buying nothing new doesn't mean not acquiring things, it just means that we stop taking the easy way out each time we need/want something. So often, we see a need for something in our homes and head off to the shops and buy it. Often, the item we buy is from a large department type of shop, it is relatively cheap and easy to buy. But these cheap, easy to buy items are usually made overseas, often in factories with poor conditions for the workers, and they are made from poor quality materials that are frequently un-environmentally friendly in their production and they are not made to last. I make no claims to being an expert on this topic, but I do know from our experience that we have bought so many supposed bargains (clothing, household items, electrical etc) that, after only a short time, become useless rubbish that finishes up in landfill.
So this month's challenge asks us to stop and think before we buy. Can we make an alternative to a new item? Can we source what we need second hand? Can we do without? We have a list that we can add to, and at the end of the month, if anything on that list has not yet got an alternative, we'll buy the most ecologically sensible option for that item.
Half way through the month, our list has three things on it. This is not to say that we've only wanted or needed three things, but we've been coming up with make-do solutions before even writing things on the list. And we've done this naturally and easily because the challenges of the past 7 months have altered our way of thinking.
We've also extended to things people have offered to buy for us (afterall, this isn't about saving money, its about saving things). Stu was offered (for a birthday gift) a gadget so we could watch programs that are on our computer on our TV. He was tempted, but I gently reminded him that we have more than enough gadgets and electrical items. So we got creative again and set up our deck chairs in our office so we could watch these things on the PC monitor instead (which is a TV anyway isn't it?).
The items left on our list, will probably be bought in a few weeks, but by delaying, we take the time to think about what option is going to last the longest, be the best value and be the most ecologically sustainable. In the interim, we continue to use up what we have properly or simply do without.
We live in a society where it is common to just buy anything we need or want immediately. It is so much less common these days to do without an item, to wait until a birthday or Christmas to get something you want. To borrow, share or make something we need. We're all about instant gratification, and low cost (poor quality) items in our shops make this possible even on a modest income. But giving in to this means that more resources are being used to create the things that we are buying, and ultimately throwing away to fill our world with non-biodegradable (sometimes toxic) rubbish.
If we stretch our minds a little, join together as a creative family or community, and buy less for wants, and more for genuine need, we'll be better off in the long run. I'm certainly not perfect, nor is my family, we still buy and own more than we need, and have been tempted into buying items I know will only last a short time way more often than I care to admit. But by doing as we're doing this month, we are slowing that down, just a little, and making a difference. And hopefully, but thinking about these things enough now, we will continue to change our ways into the future.
This month's challenge was inspired by this post over at Crunchy Betty. Have you been to her blog? Go check it out if you haven't, it makes for great fun reading, with lots of ideas. Anyway, if you scroll through the comments on that post, you'll find mine stating that we're going to challenge ourselves to buying nothing new this month.
Buying nothing new doesn't mean not acquiring things, it just means that we stop taking the easy way out each time we need/want something. So often, we see a need for something in our homes and head off to the shops and buy it. Often, the item we buy is from a large department type of shop, it is relatively cheap and easy to buy. But these cheap, easy to buy items are usually made overseas, often in factories with poor conditions for the workers, and they are made from poor quality materials that are frequently un-environmentally friendly in their production and they are not made to last. I make no claims to being an expert on this topic, but I do know from our experience that we have bought so many supposed bargains (clothing, household items, electrical etc) that, after only a short time, become useless rubbish that finishes up in landfill.
So this month's challenge asks us to stop and think before we buy. Can we make an alternative to a new item? Can we source what we need second hand? Can we do without? We have a list that we can add to, and at the end of the month, if anything on that list has not yet got an alternative, we'll buy the most ecologically sensible option for that item.
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| Our list is up on the wall, ready to be added to anytime. "Buy nothing new (except food) this month, but write anything we think we need to buy here. If it isn't crossed off because we found it second hand/made it/learnt to do without, we can buy it next month" |
Half way through the month, our list has three things on it. This is not to say that we've only wanted or needed three things, but we've been coming up with make-do solutions before even writing things on the list. And we've done this naturally and easily because the challenges of the past 7 months have altered our way of thinking.
These are a few examples of things we could have written on the list, but found a way around buying new:
- A warmer pad or belt for the home brew was unnecessary because we used hot water bottles and a blanket that we had.
- I wanted to buy a new pair of pants, but dug into the back if my drawer and pulled out a pair I just haven't worn for ages - a change is as good as new.
- We were going to buy new materials to build a workspace at the end of our verandah, but a walk around the yard and some creative planning had the job done with items we already had.
- I wanted new materials for making gifts, but a rummage in my craft cupboard and at the Opshop found plenty of fabric and yarn for a few projects.
We've also extended to things people have offered to buy for us (afterall, this isn't about saving money, its about saving things). Stu was offered (for a birthday gift) a gadget so we could watch programs that are on our computer on our TV. He was tempted, but I gently reminded him that we have more than enough gadgets and electrical items. So we got creative again and set up our deck chairs in our office so we could watch these things on the PC monitor instead (which is a TV anyway isn't it?).
The items left on our list, will probably be bought in a few weeks, but by delaying, we take the time to think about what option is going to last the longest, be the best value and be the most ecologically sustainable. In the interim, we continue to use up what we have properly or simply do without.
We live in a society where it is common to just buy anything we need or want immediately. It is so much less common these days to do without an item, to wait until a birthday or Christmas to get something you want. To borrow, share or make something we need. We're all about instant gratification, and low cost (poor quality) items in our shops make this possible even on a modest income. But giving in to this means that more resources are being used to create the things that we are buying, and ultimately throwing away to fill our world with non-biodegradable (sometimes toxic) rubbish.
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| Our big shops sell temptingly cheap items. It is so easy to buy cheap, poor quality items that will need replacing down the track. We're guilty...... |
If we stretch our minds a little, join together as a creative family or community, and buy less for wants, and more for genuine need, we'll be better off in the long run. I'm certainly not perfect, nor is my family, we still buy and own more than we need, and have been tempted into buying items I know will only last a short time way more often than I care to admit. But by doing as we're doing this month, we are slowing that down, just a little, and making a difference. And hopefully, but thinking about these things enough now, we will continue to change our ways into the future.
Have you read the book 'Living the Good Life' by Linda Cockburn? Definitely go check out her blog if you haven't already...she is woman after our own hearts :)
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