Comments on: To Consume, or Not to Consume? http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/ Green & Sustainable Business Ventures: For Entrepreneurs & Investors Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:59:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Justin http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/comment-page-1/#comment-913 Justin Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:41:22 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/#comment-913 Great post, I most certainly think we are moving in the right direction when the consumer at large is starting to take a closer look when placing their product or service vote. I don't think you can buy your way to a cleaner future but it will "get the ball rolling" This is one huge ball so to get it rolling is half the battle Great post, I most certainly think we are moving in the right direction when the consumer at large is starting to take a closer look when placing their product or service vote.

I don’t think you can buy your way to a cleaner future but it will “get the ball rolling” This is one huge ball so to get it rolling is half the battle

]]> By: MC Milker http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/comment-page-1/#comment-651 MC Milker Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:38:35 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/#comment-651 Great post, Paul, It is easy to hooked into tossing everything you own and buying new "eco-friendly" choices...but, then that's not necessarily the most environmentally friendly thing to do. But, we are a nation of shoppers. We are encouraged to be shoppers by our culture and often by our government (remember post 9/11 Bush - "Buy, baby, buy") Turning that around isn't that easy.Consumer purchases drive so much of our economy...now...much more so than in the past and much more than in other countries...we need to re-think that model. Good thoughtful post. Great post, Paul,

It is easy to hooked into tossing everything you own and buying new “eco-friendly” choices…but, then that’s not necessarily the most environmentally friendly thing to do. But, we are a nation of shoppers.

We are encouraged to be shoppers by our culture and often by our government (remember post 9/11 Bush – “Buy, baby, buy”)

Turning that around isn’t that easy.Consumer purchases drive so much of our economy…now…much more so than in the past and much more than in other countries…we need to re-think that model.

Good thoughtful post.

]]> By: Paul Smith http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/comment-page-1/#comment-649 Paul Smith Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:54:13 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/#comment-649 Well put, Landis! BALLE, or the Business Alliance For Local Living Economies, is working towards just such a goal. Have a look at http://www.livingeconomies.org/ Well put, Landis! BALLE, or the Business Alliance For Local Living Economies, is working towards just such a goal. Have a look at http://www.livingeconomies.org/

]]> By: Landis http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/comment-page-1/#comment-642 Landis Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:48:33 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/#comment-642 K, I completely agree with you. We absolutely cannot shop our way to a greener future. However, I wouldn’t say the entire system needs retooling either. Perhaps that thought just seems too overwhelming. Because I live in NYC and I am constantly being surround by commercialism I spend a lot of time thinking about these issues. I do see a possible answer lying in local businesses and services – as owned by individuals within the local communities. I think shifting our focus to community development would give us the opportunity to teach responsibility, educate consumers, and just give people something to do and be proud of – proud of their communities not their stuff. K, I completely agree with you. We absolutely cannot shop our way to a greener future. However, I wouldn’t say the entire system needs retooling either. Perhaps that thought just seems too overwhelming. Because I live in NYC and I am constantly being surround by commercialism I spend a lot of time thinking about these issues.

I do see a possible answer lying in local businesses and services – as owned by individuals within the local communities. I think shifting our focus to community development would give us the opportunity to teach responsibility, educate consumers, and just give people something to do and be proud of – proud of their communities not their stuff.

]]> By: K http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/comment-page-1/#comment-616 K Fri, 22 Feb 2008 04:04:57 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/#comment-616 Simple answer to your question: No. There is no way to continue consumption, along with our global economic system, and promote environmental or social justice. They are incompatible. Period. Simple answer to your question: No.

There is no way to continue consumption, along with our global economic system, and promote environmental or social justice. They are incompatible. Period.

]]> By: Paul Smith http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/comment-page-1/#comment-605 Paul Smith Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:49:47 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/#comment-605 Yes, the path forward is not always a straight one, Leah. GGG, that video is f'n brilliant! Thanks for sharing. Yes, the path forward is not always a straight one, Leah.

GGG, that video is f’n brilliant! Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: GreenGreenGreen! http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/comment-page-1/#comment-603 GreenGreenGreen! Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:06:31 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/#comment-603 i really like that car companies are getting in on the action here and giving consumers options, considering the amount of damage done by them. They even compete with each other now! And produce commercials on green living!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bknyIKeGpHA i really like that car companies are getting in on the action here and giving consumers options, considering the amount of damage done by them. They even compete with each other now! And produce commercials on green living!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bknyIKeGpHA

]]> By: Leah http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/comment-page-1/#comment-593 Leah Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:29:30 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/20/to-consume-or-not-to-consume/#comment-593 You bring up a good question. I like to think I'm doing good by the planet by shopping locally for food, buying clothes made from bamboo or organic cotton, etc. However, my ability to make good decisions about what to buy is limited by the information I have about the products' supply chains, which probably isn't much! I was listening to New Yorker science writer Michael Spector being interviewed by Terry Gross tonight, and he talked about how complicated it is to calculate the amount of energy that goes into any product and gave examples of counter intuitive figures for the carbon counts of different products. You bring up a good question. I like to think I’m doing good by the planet by shopping locally for food, buying clothes made from bamboo or organic cotton, etc. However, my ability to make good decisions about what to buy is limited by the information I have about the products’ supply chains, which probably isn’t much! I was listening to New Yorker science writer Michael Spector being interviewed by Terry Gross tonight, and he talked about how complicated it is to calculate the amount of energy that goes into any product and gave examples of counter intuitive figures for the carbon counts of different products.

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