Comments on: Riot Update…Oink

By: rhonda jean

rhonda jean — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:30:11 +0000

I agree with you about the consumer goods. Buying the best quality you can afford, preferably local, is the best way to go. Buying cheap, which need to be replaced repeatedly, is a real waste.

Great work - keep it up.

By: organicneedle

organicneedle — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:13:11 +0000

Cheap..I don’t have anything against used. (I grew up in Salvation Armies.) My kids get tons of hand-me-downs from friends. So..they wear used clothes - I just don’t buy them. It is really a time issue. I always have my 2 & 4 year old with me and I don’t have a whole lotta time to be browsing. I usually look on-line first and then order or go knowing exactly what I am going to get. You just can’t do that with used. I know that is what makes it nice - the uniqueness of the items - but not sure how to work that in. Maybe when the wee ones are in school I will explore that a bit more.

By: Cheap Like Me

Cheap Like Me — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:29:07 +0000

Great post, and thanks for the link. I need to do this kind of a wrap-up too. Sometimes it is all just discouraging, but just careful thinking makes it worthwhile.

I highly encourage you to buy used. I feel that even if I buy a Gap shirt at Goodwill, at least no NEW bad labor is going into it (and some brands are much more durable than others, meaning they do last a long time). If you can find a used store in an “upscale” neighborhood (or consignment), sometimes you’ll even find fair trade/organic there. I recently came across a trove of American Apparel at Goodwill. And you’ll save tons of cash and footprint.

By: arduous

arduous — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:35:13 +0000

Beany I am totally with you on Monbiot. I feel like I should probably read his book before being dismissive of his “gloom and doominess” but blech.

By: eco 'burban mom

eco 'burban mom — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:34:37 +0000

Cutest. Pig. Ever. I know this is about the RIOT, but that picture is adorable!

By: Allie

Allie — Wed, 14 May 2008 01:23:20 +0000

You know, I feel like we spend more on less too. Especially when it comes to food, but on things in general. We don’t buy a lot and when we do, we research what we buy and work hard to make sure what we bring into our lives will actually fit our needs. It’s careful consumerism, and I don’t think that’s accounted for a lot.

By: Beany

Beany — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:22:13 +0000

I don’t like the way riot calculates the consumer goods either. I’m willing to pay more for good made in the U.S. under good conditions thus doing my itty bitty bit for the trade deficit…but that isn’t taken into consideration per the riot rules.

IIRC, the riot rules were based in part on Monbiot’s book (?). Personally, I find Monbiot to be a bit of a downer (gloom and doom, the sky is falling type) and I haven’t bothered to read his stuff. Maybe if someone else is brave enough to read his work, they could shed light on his original 95% recommendation.

By: organicneedle

organicneedle — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:55:56 +0000

Jen…thanks…let me take a look and see if they would fit.

Green Bean…don’t be jealous. Mine should be even lower considering where I live.

Arduous…I love your thinking about the wine. I do need to take a much closer look at where the money is going…just being a little lazy on this one. I am sure even when all is said and done I won’t be anywhere near respectable levels.

heather t…the tortilla bags make perfect zippies.

Heather…yes…I leave the cereal bags intact and use them for sandwiches too. It is great for pb&j because I find I can never get a second use out of a bag that has had pb in it. Better to use one headed for the bin already.

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:30:21 +0000

I also save those plastic bags on the inside of the cereal boxes. I just cut the top and bottom off then cut up the middle to make it like one big sheet of wax paper. They are great for separating slices of bread or cheese in the freezer, or to wrap a sandwich up at lunch.

By: heather t

heather t — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:31:24 +0000

“using tortilla bags for lunches verses taking a new zippy.”

**thunk** That’s my head hitting the desk. Why didn’t I think of this one?