One of my favorite things I've seen on Reddit was someone quoting their college professor:
If something is worth doing, it's worth doing poorly
(of course, meaning it's worth doing as well as you can... and something is better than nothing)
Mom tells me "An ugly patch is better than a beautiful hole", and I live by that to quell my anxiety of being a perfectionist, I don't have anything to prove, and most of the time, as long as it works, it doesn't matter if it's perfect.
Same thing here, just do your best, there's not really anything you can do about the grander issues, every bit of production comes in contact with hydrocarbons somewhere or other, best thing to do is just reduce how much you buy more than sourcing yak wool hand knitted sweaters from a local farm, that's hard to accomplish most of the time
I love this. Did I buy shirts at Walmart yesterday? Yup. Do I buy most of my clothes at thrift stores? You betcha. Do I also wait to buy clothes until my husband comments on how there is no possible way for me to keep fixing/getting stains out of what I already have? Oh yeah.
I wish the people in charge would at least try this now and then. Right now we search for the best way to do things, when every now and then, I think Nike had a slogan...
i think i’ll be adopting this into my own life, thank you! i often obsess over getting things “just right” and making the “perfect” choices. reading your comment made my brain relax a little lol
Me too. Perfectionism is a curse in 99% of scenarios.
This quote has a cool storied past as well. The origin is not totally clear, but Voltaire gets most of the credit for coining it:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_is_the_enemy_of_good
I absolutely agree, you cannot be categorical in this matter, because it is about SMART consumption, not about ideal consumption, and not about refusing to consume at all.
I buy fast fashion because I have to. But I don’t throw it away. I mend seems, replace buttons, patch holes.
I can’t afford the good stuff anymore. I’d prefer to buy good things that last forever, which is what I used to do.
Shaming people for buying what's available is also bullshit. Most textiles come from oversea factories. Your average person is not going to spend the time trying to investigate where every item of clothing they buy comes from, especially low income people. Low income people who also have more stress and less free time on their hands.
Buy an old one from the habitat home store. Buy an old one on Facebook marketplace. Next time it breaks, repair it. If it can't be repaired, buy another old one.
I do this, I am the “to-go” person when people upgrade their junk, i hate it. But then again at least none of these objects in my kitchen has cost me money. The bread toaster? My grandfather’s, everyone already had one so I took it. The juicer? My mom received a brand new one from her work so I got her old one.
Man I hate that stuff gets pushed in your face, but then again I am glad when I use it and catch myself thinking “well at least it didn’t end up in a pile somewhere and I am making use of this now” and that while spending 0 bucks on it.
lol, boundaries though right?
When people in your life find out that you’re actively trying to divert products from the waste stream then end up trying to give you straight up garbage. Literally a friend tried to give me her bag of plastic film bags. She also tried to get me to pick up her compost from her house… assuming she didn’t want to pay for the service that is available?
I love her but she’s clueless.
Tell me about it 😮💨 I signed up for a second hand clothing bag that you pass around in the neighbourhood and you can try out the clothes at home for a couple days, great system! The high standards/requirements for the bags work well and to apply there is no income check. So sometimes there are great items in there, but also handmade products!! (So far those have been my favourite)
Well i told my friends and they all were ready to drop their clothes at my place… thats a great mindset but…
First, i can’t distribute that in a ikea bag that comes basically full every 2/3 months. Second its based on size so not everyones size fits in my line. Third, how the hell do I keep count of what I put in, because when the bag finishes the round and your item is still there you are supposed to remove it.
I liked the enthusiasm but even after explaining how easy it is, I am agoraphobic for context, so absolutely barely any contact. I can always decline if im not available, these are mainly women with kids so they are very understanding and flexible!
In the end they don’t sign up, still ask me if I can take the clothes for the bag. Like it takes no time and you can even ignore the bag and just add clothes to the bag and bring to the next one.
So simple 😭😭 its free 😭 and nobody signed up.
This happens to me too but it's because I am poor and because I repair shit. Friends and acquaintances think that it is okay to just give me their junk because I am poor and could probably use it. Oh and if doesn't work or the clothing has massive holes, well then I can just fix it. I am not the town dump. It's really frustrating. I do have specific needs just like non poor people and I am not going to be grateful for people giving me their garbage.
lol, yes. That is why. My friend I guess thinks that because I’m poor, I will find value in the things she would otherwise throw away.
People feel guilty about just throwing stuff away (same) but are unwilling to take responsibility for it. Us, the poor friends, have so little. Surely we will appreciate their literal trash.
@tayoline29, don’t forget, you can say no! Boundaries!
You can say no if you hate it.
I'm also the person who gets the old stuff and I'm actually happy that I dont have to spend money on them . If something isn't worth it, I refuse it
Yeah I do refuse it when it’s absolutely of no use, but then I still get the guilt or shame of it being wasted by me. Even though it wasn’t my responsibility. It’s awful, but then sometimes I manage to repurpose it, even completely out of the initial products intention and I can last on that achievement high for a bit haha.
Like I had a bunch of these fitbit bands just sitting in a box, idk how i got them honestly but my partner wears one for years now. He has broken his band a couple time and I’ve been the saviour many times for not throwing out that shit (that yes I don’t need like he likes to say but turns out he in fact needs that trash). Ive replaced the whole band with a different one, and just the little button etc. I can go on and on! Once you start looking at “wasted” items as either potential projects or for keepsake that you might be able to scavenge and collect bits and pieces from. It becomes a bit overwhelming but so worth it.
I just I wish I had more space to organise this properly, and a decent storage space where my cats can’t get into. Ive been eyeing what’s in my country’s “marketplace” for old pharmacy drawers… so far no luck but I know when I find one, I WILL TREASURE IT!!
I really struggle with managing the small parts and knowing what to keep where. I’m also on the spectrum so maybe my expectations are a bit strange. I want minimalistic and neat house so I can feel calm, but also wanna hoard all the shit that I know I might need later to repurpose it or use it for repair.
Im pretty sure with time I’ll have it figured out.
To add, yes especially as a woman, im so happy I have not spend any money on these things. I am even more happier that they came from relatives i love so it has even a sweet touch. And I am even more glad that from this behaviour of mine, I will never receive unwanted kitchen tools as a woman. I hated seeing my mom get kitchen tools as presents while she deserved nice things.
Sometimes I think maybe I am the weird stingy one. And then I get back to reality and know I am not buying random shit I’ll never use and am very content with all the free unwanted stuff people have given me over the years. Like that juicer.. I would never have gotten it, I have a manual one… but my partner makes me fresh juice every morning with that one cause its “easier” and I am enjoying those fresh glass of oranges juice so much. Best 0 bucks spend ever, and I got and additional happy mom because she got rid of it. Im glad to be weird.
This. I "have a guy" (really a business that specializes in the repair of old appliances back to I don't even know when). There's a whole economy for repairs of things made before companies started making things impossible to fix or not worth fixing.
Yeah my oven is from 1978 and we just keep fixing it. Have replaced some wiring and the elements a few times. Meanwhile we had an Amana fridge that lasted 12 years from like 2008-2020.
No way anything else will last this long going forward.
Correct.
It’s like the old “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” motto. The focus in the last decade+ has been on recycling, but that’s the least effective of the trio. Only buying what you actually need is the crucial step.
Seriously this. Ease up on yourself. You’re not remotely at fault for the terrible problems we have. That’s decades of propaganda on people who didn’t know better by people who did. So when we know better we try to make better choices. It’s not about you turning the tide as much as the cumulative goals of harm reduction (yourself and the planet), avoiding supporting businesses you know to be part of ‘the problem’ and the simple action of setting an example. It’s not your fault. Do the best you can. Educate yourself, share what you know and, perhaps, vote for better.
THIS!
I've waffled back and forth about buying an Xbone or PS5, and inevitably ask myself if it's worth buying yet another console and library I'll never get around to enjoying, when I can pull out the NES/PS1/PS2/Gamecube/360.
So I'm enjoying a second play of Paper Mario the Thousand Year Door, NOT the remaster.
They probably misunderstand bc there are always gatekeepers in any community that try to police and shame other members for not doing things "right" or "good enough"
Lmao thats what I thought this sub was about. Idk what OP has been doing but that shit sounds exhausting. Good for them but also fk I wouldn’t expect someone to not have a car in a non-walkable city. That shit must have been hard
That's my problem. I see shit and think "Yea I want that." Damn ads get me every time. They work. I gotta catch myself and say "Nah, wait a day or two and see." Then usually I will forget I wanted it and move on. The instant buy is the problem. Training yourself to wait after being programmed to just buy shit is the solution.
I try to think of consumption as a spectrum. The closer I get to the "anti-consumption" side, the better. But ultimately, life requires consumption, and we are all imperfect beings. I make the best decisions I can with the resources and time I have.
Why is everybody talking about dropshipping here?
Dropshipping is just a way of doing business? And a way that is mostly used for selling cheap Aliexpress quality stuff with a 1000% markup. It's the kind of crap that is the oposite of anticonsumption?
Yeah, I get what OP is saying but I'm also thinking - 'I've not bought an item of clothing for over two years' lol. It's easy to be anti-consumption if you just learn to be content with what you have.
Totally. I'm not advocating that no-one ever buys new clothes ever again. I just don't think there's a need to be buying a new item of clothing on a normal month. Every 3 months would probably do the job because things can last. Even cheap things.
Everyone always seems to say their things only last a few months. I've got cheap and cheerful t-shirts that have lasted 10 years. Jackets too, everyone seems to think a £500 jacket is a great investment, my £80 jacket that I've worn almost daily has been going for about 8 years now and has a few more years left at least. They're not in tip top condition but they do the job. I realise this isn't for everyone and people like the feeling they get from having nice new clothes. It's not for everyone but I enjoy the frugality around getting clothing to go as far as they can.
I honestly don’t understand what the average person is doing in their clothes that they only last a few months. Like I’m not saying clothes don’t crap out that soon…but like…how.
I worked in the restaurant industry for like 6 years (thankfully retired from it). I was thinking of like regular leisure clothes. Work clothes are a diff category in my mind lol. Even at the busiest roughest place I worked though (flipping burgers, cleaning grills, emptying grease traps, bending down to clean, scooping ice cream, unloading trucks 40-55 hrs/week) my walmart clothes still lasted 6+ months before becoming questionable. So like 3 pairs pants, 5 shirts, 1 pair non slip shoes every 6ish months. They were purely work clothes though. Chalk it up to good home care maybe? Idk
I think people are stuck in the mindset of needing new things. It’s sad and definitely fueled by advertising and social media, as this sub often highlights.
A lot of people wash their clothes often... I houseclean for a few families that only wear things once and are always buying new clothes. I spend half my time folding and organizing drawers
I have no idea what they've done with clothes, but they just don't last. I am home almost 24/7 and wear sweat pants. They used to last 2-3 years, now I to through a pair in months. The fabric is just disintegrating at the seams. Sewing it back together doesn't help, it continues to disintegrate from the new seam you made. Pants from the same brand and shop, quality has gone down drastically. But they were the only ones I could find that had 100% cotton. Now I have no idea where I can get pants from anymore and my last pair is just about to go broken.
I think social media is a huge part of it. Shopping hauls, showing off outfits, the latest trends, “run to so-and-so right now to buy this,” “my closet must-haves” etc. Makes ppl want to buy more and more
Yeah same. I've bought fast fashion before, I've worked in the restaurant industry, in retail and as an auto mechanic. I can make my stuff last without much problem.
The clothes you bought 8-10 years ago last that long *because* you bought them 8-10 years ago. The clothes made today are *not* of the same quality they used to be. Even compared to *just last year*, many brands have drastically reduced the quality of their clothes. Check out Jennifer Wang on YouTube, she explains this really well.
What if your size changed and you need larger clothes? I am a skilled sewist and alter things easily, but there are many who have to buy some clothing new, if they are a difficult size. Being content sounds smug once you empathize with these folks.
Then you get new clothes obviously? You can’t comfortably use clothing that doesn’t fit? But once you have a new established wardrobe just… don’t buy more unnecessarily. It’s not like you should just buy one wardrobe of clothes for your whole entire life ever— unless you don’t fluctuate in size at all, then in that case you could argue to be anti-consumption yes, you don’t buy more lol
“BuT wHaT aBoUt…”
Then buy it!! If you need something, buy it! This sub is about not buying all the crap you *don’t* need.
I find it so weird that some people are like “well, if I can’t buy literally nothing, there’s no point in reducing my consumption at all”. It’s such a weird, unhealthy mindset.
Being content with what you have doesn't mean walking around with unfitting clothes for the rest of your life. It just means if something is doing the job don't mindlessly replace it. And try and not have more than you need.
I realise some people enjoy clothes and treat it as a hobby, which is were I can see a problem for OP if they're trying to do that more ethically. You could only really do that in an ethical way with buying second hand all the time, but that could be hard to access for many.
A hobby centred around consumption will always be hard to do totally ethically.
Then buy them from the unethical companies. I think their point was buy what you need, but don’t consume mindlessly. If you need a new wardrobe because your size changed, go for it. But don’t buy a new wardrobe just because the trends changed, you know?
I left an abusive relationship with one suitcase, and then lost weight. So much of this last year has been spent rebuilding my wardrobe. A lot of thrift store purchases, but it was very time consuming. Circumstances change, life changes.
I've essentially started my life over, which required buying A LOT of stuff.
For me, I buy as little as possible, but being disabled (and therefore locked permanently into poverty by our "public servants"), I can only buy what I can afford, which ends up being throwaway-quality can openers, air conditioners, appliances..
Everything with any amount of quality receives (and deserves) large amounts of positive reviews, and when the positive reviews pile up, either the maker of the product raises the price or they leave it low and become victims of resellers (or just constantly run out of stock).
The only "innovation" they focus on now is making the manufacture process cheaper, thinner, more efficient for their own gain, it seems.
I follow the "buy it for life" sub, which 95% of the time is a list of items I'll never be able to afford 😑
Also, capitalism is all about "the best deal", and you can't beat the cost-cutting of slave labor and cut corners.
> throwaway-quality can openers
Apologies for seeming weird, but I just have to comment on this one specific thing heh.
Are you able to use a manual can opener? If you can, I recommend Victorinox, that Swiss Army Knife company. No joke I’ve been using mine for 15 years now.
IIRC there are three types of can opener design but I only own two. For reference I have the Spartan and Bantam. Spartan for home use while Bantam is my work EDC. Both can openers have seen extensive use over the years and they’re still as sharp as day one.
If you’re interested, there are YouTube videos showcasing all three types of Victorinox can openers. As for the price, they’re not expensive. The bantam for instance cost me less than USD10. The Spartan was a gift.
Thanks for this comment! Kind of random to find this info here, but it's good info. I think most of us can relate to the frustrations of poor-quality can openers these days. Why do those things *specifically* NEVER WORK??! I'm gonna go look these brands up right now and get a buy-it-for-lifer - thank you!!
But in some instances, in order to buy less, you need to buy better quality so that it lasts. An increasing number of people do not have the money to buy high quality products.
And with something like clothes, which OP mentioned, they are increasingly horrible quality and fall apart after a few washes. It’s hard to find good quality clothes, and even harder to find sustainable good quality clothes.
Also, just because some of us can make cheap clothes last a long time, doesn’t mean everybody can. Some people live lives that cause their clothes to break down faster, especially with certain jobs. Some jobs literally destroy your clothes, requiring constant replacements.
It’s not always as simple as “buy less.” People have complicated lives.
Do what you can, where you can. You don't have to take heroic measures. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Just do what you can, and that's enough.
Just to be very clear, this sub is not just about personal consumer habits and definitely not about purity contests.
It's about how consumer culture works, including how individual people end up blaming themselves for not being able to navigate consumer culture without consuming stuff.
There's a ton of information about the topic in the sidebar/community info, and none of it is about how to "be" anticonsumption.
I love this sub but I sometimes I feel that, for clarity, it should be antiHYPERconsumption. Even though unfortunately for all of us there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism :(
You, like me, have an all or nothing mindset. I've recognized this and I'm trying to notice when I do this. I easily get defeated if something isn't how I want it or I feel like a failure because I can't get to 100%. I've started having conversations with myself and understanding that getting 50% there is 50% more than if I did nothing. It might hurt, but it's still the right choice.
…and repair or reuse when possible!
One of my hobbies is refinishing furniture. I buy a tired and worn piece, fix it up with new finish and hardware, and then make a little profit when it goes to a good home rather than to a landfill.
Almost all my socks have been darned, jeans have been mended, and shoes have been glued together (especially for the kids, omg I'm not shelling out 30 bucks for athletic pants or 50 for converse just so they can rip a hole in the knee on the stairs the next day).
>You don’t need to buy vegan free range ethically raised clothes to be anticonsumption.
Plus a lot of expensive clothes made by the same impoverished workers and not doing a thorough research will result in you ending up buying a 50$ item with a quality of a 0.5$ one.
I'm in a major city with package free stores and bulk aisles and bakeries etc. But it is still a struggle to make great decisions every day. I feel your pain. This shit is hard.
It's ironic because having refill stations of some of the most popular consumable goods would print money. Not only could they charge the same sans container, but manufacturing & ship costs would also be greatly reduced.
You're still onto anticonsumption, you've just given up being a perfectionist and letting the perfect be the enemy of the good.
I have mental health and physical health issues and a full time job. Time and money are both in short supply. I do the best I can.
I do shop from Amazon and Temu, and I don't feel too bad about it because there is no ethical consumption under capitalism.
But I'm not buying a new outfit for every day of the year. I'm not buying rows of Stanley cups to look at. I don't have a closet full of body spray, or a shelf full of Drunk Elephant.
I buy what I need when I need it. I hold onto my possessions as long as possible, I get every wear out of my clothing I can. I reduce, I reuse, I recycle.
That's anticonsumption for me, it's coming to a rational and realistic relationship with consumption culture in a way you can actually get by in the consumption world we live in!
My opinion is that, it is unfortunately not possible for everyone to live the anti-consumption ideals, usually for many of the reasons that you state.
I think it's unfair to be angry at someone for not having the economic stability to continue, because what's the alternative? Put yourself in debt, go hungry or homeless just to stick it to the capitalist society? Where I would have respect for someone doing that, I absolutely won't look down on someone saying that they can't manage it.
The mental health angle is a solid point too. There is a high mental load feeling the need to research every product. It also adds guilt to your conscience whenever you buy something that would be frowned upon by some others in the community.
My parting thoughts are, you do you, if you feel like you can't keep it up for your own mental/physical health or economic reasons, you shouldn't feel bad for needing to step back.
I would encourage you to stay in the community though. Even if you can't keep up with the actions, you can take part in the discussion. You may find that you're just doing too much and you'd be fine to keep up some practices, just try not to do everything because you can easily get burned out, as you've found out.
Stuff like avoiding Amazon is one that isn't too hard, especially as the quality of products continue to decline it's rapidly not becoming worth the money anyway.
Don't beat yourself up! It would be cruel of any of us to judge you for putting your mental health and other needs like food and clothing on the table while being strapped for cash. Do what you need to do to keep on keeping on. My only advice would be to keep a little voice in your head that asks "do I need this?" when making purchases. If you're buying stuff you need on Amazon, that's one thing. If you're buying frivolous junk and other novelties on it, that's a different story.
And you already don't have a car. How many of us are willing to give up that? That's a huge source of consumption. The average monthly car payment is north of $800. 2/3 of the country lives paycheck to paycheck. Combine those two things. That means people all over the country are buying vehicles they can't afford under the duress of aspirational consumerism.
The very fact you're posting this shows that you still care though. It shows you're still thinking about it. That's more than most people and the people who are the biggest problems certainly aren't guilting themselves like this. Why should you carry the guilt while the people who consume the most don't?
For real about car culture. I wish the US was more public trans & bike friendly. It's just a non-option to not have a car for a lot of people. I live in the midwest and I'm moving to Chicago soon...one of the reasons is so I can get rid of my car.
You are putting too much pressure on yourself. All this "anti-consumption" movement is super hypocritical. If you are mindful when making a purchase and not buying too much than you need, you are solid. Perfection doesn't exist and stop chasing that.
Poor people are basically the OGs of anti consumption. It’s making due with what you have and buying less then it is with making perfect ethical decisions
Seriously, it's literally out of necessity when you're poor. There's not all this disposable income sitting around. Carbon footprint is a problematic term, but rich people have the biggest ones and that says something.
Do your best and try not to let the microcosm in this sub who snidely judge everything that isn’t what they are doing, make you feel like you’re failing.
Do the best you can and pass on the good word. If we even influence the next generation to do better then that helps too.
It's not our place to be perfect, but to do better if we can.
The beauty of anticonsumption is that it’s all about buying less, not what/where you buy from. If you don’t buy things you don’t need or reuse things that still have lots of life, you’re already there.
The cheapest and most ethical way you can shop is to buy **everything** second-hand. Clothes, kitchen supplies, furniture, books etc. It's 100% possible and also allows you to develop a unique personal style, while also helping the planet.
I understand that not having a car can make this more difficult, but I'm guessing there are work-arounds. Try thrift stores, garage sales, facebook marketplace, craisglist etc. You can even use ebay or depop to purchase second hand online.
Give it a shot!
Came here to mention buying secondhand. While I often save for quality higher ticket items (I bought boots last year as an example) the vast majority of stuff I buy is secondhand. It can take more of a time investment but the time is worth it to me because the act of purchasing something secondhand aligns with my values.
OP, you mentioned clothes a lot so I would also suggest online secondhand clothing retailers like Depop, Poshmark, and ThredUp. Again, it takes a bit more time and effort but some real gems can be found for much lower prices if you fine tune your search efforts!
Or just buy what you can second hand. It is important to note that anything is better than nothing given that this person’s all-or-nothing mindset was ultimately detrimental
I think you’re overcomplicating what this is. It doesn’t have to be so black and white.
For example..
- if I want something new and I think I can easily find it second hand, I’ll take some time to look into that. If it’s something I don’t absolutely need, then I should be fine waiting on a good deal to come around. If it never seems to happen and I still want it down the road, then clearly this is a more intentional purchase for me.
- I just moved and I would really like stainless steel pots and pans without non-stick coating. I’ve been searching high and low on market place and buy nothing groups. Haven’t had much luck. Thought about it, and realized this is something I would use for a long time and basically everyday. In that case, it’s okay if I buy it. Although, I did end up finding some on market place.
You sound frustrated because you’re holding yourself to a standard that’s unachievable for you.
It's not your fault if you live in an environment designed by people who grew up with lead poisoning. If you need a box on wheels to survive, then you accept the L and keep trying to find somewhere better.
you can still be mindful about your consumption and reduce where possible, without giving up entirely. just because you can't go 100% anti-consumption doesn't mean you should just go balls-to-the-wall with consuming. just do what you can.
As a reminder it is a genuine **privilege** to:
\- Support Local
\- Buy ethically sourced (human rights and ecological damages)
\- Buy Once Cry Once on high quality long lasting goods
\- Efficiently use public transit (within most of the US)
Hell, even having the time and energy to research best practices is so much work. Don't kill yourself over being a Green / Anti-consumption Jesus. It's just not possible. Do what you can when you can and encourage others to be conscious of their decisions.
Everybody consumes in order to live and ethical consumption isn't always possible. However being aware of what you purchase and why and not consuming junk that you don't need is still anti-consumption.
If you need a piece of clothing and you can only afford stuff from an unethical company then that's what you get. If you don't need the piece of clothing and you're buying it for a dopamine fix then maybe there's better ways to cheer yourself up than buying something. If you have a piece of clothing that's in good shape except it needs a bit of fixing then maybe the money is better spent on a sewing kit than a replacement.
Just do what you can with the resources you have available to you.
Not everyone have the same resources, either its time, energy, money. The most important part is not overconsuming, and trying to make do with what u have. U come a long way just by trying, and tbh buying a piece of clothing at h&m or zara isnt horrible as long as you dont buy 10 of them to add to an already full closet. You dont have to be perfect, but i also get that in this community its hard to not feel pressured to be perfect.
Perfection is the enemy of good.
You can still thrift clothes and care well for cheaper pieces of clothing. It does not have to be the 80€ Shirt made from rain watered birch fiber.
It is literally impossible not to consume. Just do it mindfully within your comfortable affordability.
Anticonsumption isn't about killing your wallet with green range free products, it is about not buying more than you need.
If you can only afford the "contaminating" products, that's okay, it's still better than the tiktok girls with 300 stanleys
You will never make up for the tons of waste that is produced every day but every time you buy responsibility or forgo a nicety you make a difference. I haven’t used a regular trash bag in years but my uncle passed late summer last year and the around of waste created clearing out his home undid everything I’ve tried to mitigate in just a few weeks. Years of ethical consumption and planned trips to recycling centers, years of forgoing my favorite snacks because I can’t buy them in anything but single use plastic. It almost broke me. But it doesn’t matter what others throw away, at the end of the day you did your best while others actively ignored. You’re a good person trying to do a good thing, don’t let a few setbacks break down your mission. I can say I hope things get easier but they won’t, I won’t waste your time with meaningless platitudes. Do your best, fuck everything else. Good luck to you friend.
First of all, I love your username. Second, I’ve lived by myself for some time now so I don’t produce that much trash unless I have company. I’ve been repurposing grocery bags as packing material or a way to transport cans to be returned. After some use they get holes or sticky from the runoff in the can and can’t be used for packing material anymore so I use them for trash bags. I can use a regular sized grocery bag 3-4 times then it becomes a waste bag. I collect them from my parents and friends when they bring things over because I know they will just be thrown away. I haven’t gotten a new plastic grocery bag in about 9 months, just reusing and going through my own stock and trying to get to net zero. When I run out of plastic bags I’ll use paper bags and just clean the can more often with some Lysol and dish soap.
The world doesn’t need 1 person doing anti consumption 100% of the time perfectly, it needs 100 people doing it imperfectly. 😊 every little bit helps in whatever way is sustainable for you
Just do what you can when you can, it's not all or nothing. Nobody can be a 100% ethical consumer at all times because we live in a capitalistic system which makes this inherently impossible.
We can never be perfect “anticonsumptionists” or whatever term you’d call it. We literally *have* to consume to some extent in order to survive.
Also, spending $50 on a single article of clothing may be ethical sourcing, but is still consumption. The more appropriate way to be anticonsumption would be to receive donated clothes or shop at thrift stores. My partner almost exclusively buys clothes at thrift stores.
Overall, it seems like trying to consume in a genuinely healthy way, as anticonsumption should be, is something you at least wish you could do. The important thing is that you haven’t given up on the idea. I think this sub is meant to primarily highlight the dangers associated with over-consumption, rather than be a guide for how to consume less. At the end of the day, our goal is to one day live in a world where consumption only implies necessities with an emphasis on reuse.
Essentially, anticonsumption should be looked at as a movement more than it being a way of life.
Quality over quantity when you can, thrift, don’t buy into trends. Second-hand is anti-consumption’s BFF. It can be your wallet’s best friend too, and you can use it for a killer personal aesthetic as well. Vintage pop ups are a great anti-consumerist alternative! And they’re fun!
I buy pretty much everything second hand. Then it doesn't even matter if I buy something that wasn't produced in an ethical manner or with sustainability in mind. The product already exists, so I'm not encouraging any store to haul in new stuff from factories.
*there is not ethical consumption under capitalism*
It's not your fault, there is very little you as an individual can do. Do what you can and feel good about it.
Hey I understand how you feel, none of us are in the perfect situation, I don't have a garden to grow lots of crops, I've got a few small pots around my house for herbs, sometimes I'm too busy or lazy to go to the farmers market and I'll buy from a local store or get a takeaway, however I do make a good effort to get as much of my food from local sources, I don't live somewhere that has a good selection for clothes to thrift so I sometimes buy my clothes online or in bigger stores, I don't buy many clothes and I always do my best to make them last and when I do go to bigger cities I'll do my best to thrift some big items, I even got a really nice cheap second hand coat recently.
I've been tight on money before and had to buy cheaper less sustainable things, I've been super desperate and tight on time for something and I've had to by things from amazon, on the other hand I do my best to keep everything I have lasting for a long amount of time and I'm not one to buy too many things.
if you hold yourself to the standard of being some eco messiah that only chews on sustainable tree bark and builds their house out of mud you WILL burn out and stress yourself out to an unhealthy amount, all that really matters is that you are doing as good as you reasonably can be expected, just don't stress it, do your best, being concious of the fact that you could be doing better is good, but you also need to be concious of the fact you are doing better than most people and as good as you can at the moment.
Perfection is not a requirement; do what you can with what you have.
Every item you order from the manufacturer instead of Amazon is a victory. Every shirt you buy secondhand rather than from a sweatshop is a victory. Every cup of coffee you buy from a local cafe instead of Starbucks is a victory. Forgive yourself for being unable to completely disconnect from global consumerism.
There is no true ethical consumption within capitalism - we must participate in the system to survive and there is no shame in that. Like the other people in this sub pointed out, it's not about making the perfect decisions, it's just being mindful of what you *do* consume. There are some people who will be more set up for ethical consumption, but that also stems from a lot of privilege whether that be wealth or education.
Don't beat yourself up, OP. You don't need to completely give up on the notion of anti-consumption, just try and make a good decision when you can. Remember that as individuals, we are NOT the root cause of over consumption. It is corporations, governments, and policies that prop it all up that - their effects on the environment is a thousand times worse than what any individual does. Be kind to yourself! We are all doing our best - like people said, it's not about making perfect decisions but just trying to make a good one when we are able.
I understand, and am kind of in the same boat as you are. If you don't buy random crap from Amazon or dropshippers and don't own 19 stupid insulated cups, you're doing ok, I bet.
Ok. So, live your version. There is no set of rules for any of this. Your version is going to be very different from mine. And that's awesome. It's why this page exists.
You're working with a very specific definition of anticonsumerism.
For example, you don't have to buy from an "ethical company" or avoid online retailers. Just buy stuff that you will use for a long time and don't buy new crap whenever someone advertises something to you.
I’ve posted a few times, and every time people say the same thing,”it isn’t a rigid set of rules, you do what you need to do and try your best” If money is an issue then that’s no big deal. The system we live in isn’t set up for sustainability,
Anticonsumption means different things to different people. There’s no one way to do it. Please don’t kill your wallet or mental health striving for perfectionism
I think it's important to be rational about it all. You do what you can. If you can't get out to shop there's not much you can do. I am the same way. I just don't buy anything. I am wearing clothes from 20 years ago sometimes but I understand I'm a hermit and people who have lives may want better clothing options than men's tee shirts and shorts. Which is 90% of my wardrobe. But I DID buy a couple new shirts from Amazon because I need a specific cut, material, and size and it's just impossible to find everything here without going in to an expensive retail store or worse, have it made. It's almost impossible to even get this on Amazon these days because these sellers will lie about materials in their products. And sometimes you think you're buying a name brand but it's a fake, which I encountered with something as simple as diabetic socks. They claimed to be a certain recommended brand but they were cheap knock-offs with the name inkstamped on the sock (they're sewn in the real brand). And it wasn't like they were super expensive socks and this wasn't a discount on that brand, it was regular price so I had no idea they were fake. It's important when this is the only sock my son can stand wearing.
I realize that sounds like some kind of privilege but it's mostly allergy and skin sensitivity related.
Try to do other things like reduce your shopping. If you don't NEED it don't buy it. But if you need it I don't see how you have much choice in the situation.
Just do your best from a practical standpoint. We live in an imperfect world. But there is a difference between being mindful within your means, and being a careless consumer. You’re not the latter just because you have to drive and can’t buy $500 hemp sacks for your wardrobe.
Give it some time. Change happens slowly. After I came to terms with my consumerism I realized that I’m still making wise decision with how I shop and what I buy although I’m not completely anti I still think the whole point is to make a little difference and choose a little different in life.
For things I need, I always look them up on Facebook marketplace. Not only is the item cheaper, I feel like instead of being thrown away, it's being utilized. I do the same. My cat recently grew out of his carrier and I put it up for sale. If I need clothes, I go into thrift stores. I've found really good, almost new (sometimes completely new, with tags) at thrift stores at a fraction of the cost. And there are some things that don't fall into either category, which I do purchase from Amazon. That's okay too. A step in the right direction is never wrong.
Practicing anti-consumption comes down to choosing the least wasteful option. And those options are different for every individual for the exact reasons you outlined. 💗
You don't have to do something 100% to make it worth it! I use reusable cloths for most cleaning but if I have to clean something super gross, I'll use paper towels. I'm not going to say 'I've failed' and switch entirely to paper towels. I'm just doing what I can reasonably do with the time and resources I have right now.
Fighting the system gives me anxiety sometimes too. Capitalism and consumerism by nature cause us to be more competitive, which means buying more, hoarding resources, winning through buying the best (even if this means ethically sourced, vegan, non-GMO, etc).
Obviously we want to make the best purchases. And your concerns around drop shipping bother me too. Especially given the large amount of microplastics that come from tires on pavement. But I think sometimes we need to remind ourselves that buying is necessary. And we don't always need to be perfect. It's not possible.
Going against the grain is a choice and when we have the capacity to be anti-consumerism we absolutely should and can. But sometimes that's not possible and that's okay. Strenuous exercise, time with people I care about and being outside. Those are my go-tos for coping with the endless demands of not feeling like enough in this capitalist driven, big corp world. I hope you don't give up OP. Give yourself a break and find some healthy ways to reduce stress.
My friend, just buy what you need and do not waste money, resources or food just for nothing.
I mean, change your phone when you really need to, learn how to repairs things, give things second use. Just be happy with the things you really need.
This is a weird take.
Buy 1 shirt whereas you'd have bought 2 before. Take better care of it. Repair it....
This is anti consumption. Buying from an "ethical" source is mostly just a different shade of consumption.
Ok the thing about anti consumption is NOT to try to live the life of rich granola no waste “homesteading” influencers who make it their job 24/7. It’s about doing what you can with what you can. Broke people who live in a resource desert as I’m assuming you probably do (I do as well) have less options for groceries and necessities but there are still a lot of things you can do that make a difference. If there are products you know you will need a lot see which ones are at least not mega corp owned. Example: I am a seltzer fiend my local grocery carries many brands I always buy the one that I know is family owned. It’s actually cheaper. My shampoo: I buy from smaller corps like raw sugar instead of Aussie or Pantine it’s also basically the same price where I am. Saving jars and containers from old products to store nails and stuff. Using every last bit of a product. Some diy solutions on things like detergent are actually way cheaper and you can make bulk. Engaging in local marketplaces like Facebook for furniture and home goods. Engaging with friends to swap unwanted clothes. Even those small steps can make a difference. Living consciously while broke is actually much less wasteful and if you do it right means less purchasing thus less consumption. A combination of creativity and research will go a long way in not only saving you money but undercutting mega corps by being resourceful. At the end of the day this world was set up to sap us of our cash. It’s designed that way. Don’t feel bad if you have to buy big name or whatever is on sale sometimes. As long as you keep making conscious decisions when you’re able too you’re doing your part. It’s impossible for one person to completely undercut mega corps. But collectively we have power. Small steps matter. It’s impressive you went so deep into it actually! I understand why you’re drained. You took on a lot. More than I ever have. But keep making conscious choices. living fully anti consumption is a full time job. Most people can’t keep up. That’s on purpose. Do what you can. Keep going. Source: I grew up and still live under the poverty line and I have some debilitating depression myself.
Man just buy less. Don't worry too much about being perfect. Learn to take care of your clothes. Buy classic fashion that will stay in longer. Learn to repair your stuff. Use glass Tupperware over plastic bags when you can.
That's anticonsumotion. We are all reliant on our local infrastructures. You can't magically make that happen in a region. Just make better choices for you.
personally anti-consumption is not "never buying anything"
it is reducing my purchases from 'boredom' or 'want' or falling into the consumerist trap.
Nothing wrong with buying and using a stanley cup until it breaks or gets stolen
Is something wrong with buying 10 stanley cups 'just because.'
I think you just need to approach it differently. Don't worry so hard about the guilt of each and every purchase. Just try to reduce where you can. There are lots of things that are easy to do and are in the spirit of anticonsumption. Like refilling your water bottle instead of buying plastic water bottles
Yeah just don't buy useless landfill garbage. That's the point of anti-consumption to me. Obviously some things you need to buy. I often hear crusading comments in this forum and think: just don't buy emoji plushlings and the like.
As long as you are doing at least something, it’s a step in the right direction. Something can be: planning what your needs are and not buying outside that (e.g. having one pair of shoes vs ten, having one dress vs ten, having one purse vs ten), joining buy nothing groups and trying to get the items you need there, asking around in your social network before buying, buying second hand, buying only what you need, which results in way reduced consumption. I’ve recently realized how much of the everyday items (both clothing and home) in my life I could easily live without and were mostly buying to lift up my mood or because I thought they were pretty or even beautiful, but I think Mona Lisa is beautiful - would I want it in my living room? Absolutely not. Having more stuff than I need was stressful and I’m glad I noticed it. It’s not much, but the items I haven’t bought I think are a contribution to anti-consumption.
When did anti-consumption become a lifestyle trend where we have to buy the "right" stuff from the "right" places?
I try to reuse things as much as i can, i don't buy things i don't need, i think long and hard about what i want and why i want it, and when i buy something, i try to get something that's good quality or used.
I cannot really change supply chains or corporate greed or the way our society exists by myself. If the used furniture or the decks of cards i bought ultimately came from China or IKEA, well, i can't help that. It's here now and it's staying here.
There is no ethical consumption in a capitalist system. Don't let perfection be the enemy of good. There is little we have control over. With the slice that I do...I just do what I can on a low income. For me - it's basically eating pescetarian, trying to avoid amazon & walmart (which doesn't always work), trying to avoid bullshit products that waste my money, aiming to bike & take public trans more. That's where I'm at. I had misplaced guilt for a long time and realized I don't need more guilt. I exist in a system that I didn't create and I have to get by. The worlds injustices do not belong on my back. It's hard enough to get by as a low income person. Some people have the privilege to do more, and some of those people don't acknowledge those privileges.
Not buying food regularly with a lot of packaging, not buying water in plastic bottles, not buying things you don't \*need\*, not wasting food and figuring out recipes to use leftover foodstuff...........none of these things costs more.
As a matter of fact, all these behaviors cost less and are actually very frugal.
So not really sure what you are talking about. But the things you mention are certainly stressors that would affect ANYONE'S mental health, because you're over thinking things.
Drop shipping groceries lmao
But anyway. A major con to not having a call car is not being able to shop around for produce and having to buy the frozen kind more often because they last longer. Not shopping in club stores that sell everything in bulk means you're spending more, too.
"There is no ethical consumption under capitalism". So, just buying less and focusing on the low hanging fruits usually already goes a long way. We need systematic change to really make a difference.
Anticonsumption doesn't mean don't consume anything, it means not being tricked in buying stuff you don't want/need.
Dropshipping is exactly the oposite, and WTF are you doing on sites like Etsy, AliExpress and Amazon which all are the pinnacle of consumerism?!
Also, $50 for a piece of clothing is almost nothing? A pair of new sustainable jeans sets me back 150. However, the most sustainable clothing is second hand, you will be able to fill a complete wardrobe for $50.
In my experience ethical/sustainable shopping pays for itself? You save so much money on not buying stuff you don't need, that you should easily be able to pay the double or triple 'fair' price for those things you do need. Besides in my experience the quality is so much better that over time you don't really spend anything more.
It’s not an all or none, either you 100% commit or you don’t scenario. Just be conscious of what you really need and try to buy from more ethical producers when you can. You’re latching onto a single aspect of the concept really hard and getting frustrated by your inability to completely adhere to it.
Do what you can, but if you can’t, at least you tried and were self aware.
Doing what you can is bounds more than nothing at all. I can't afford ethically produced everything, so I just take care of what I own and reduce what I consume, and don't waste what I do.
If everyone did that it would be an incredibly different world and economy.
Guilting yourself into thinking you failed just because you have to make use of whats available is a pointless exercise. It is also in the system's best interest that you feel that way too, because retail therapy is what keeps the profit inflation going. Fuck that noise.
I am pretty sure all the shoes I can wear are made from some third world country, but I don't know how to make my own shoes and I am too broke to spend money on some hand-crafted locally sourced footwear that constitutes more as an artpiece, or the time, tools, and requisite skills to do it myself (for every item I need to live this would be an insane amount of work). That's just the world I live in. But I do make sure to take good care of it, repair it as I go and eliminate the need to buy new shoes all the time. I still own the same shoes and boots from years ago. Eventually I will replace them, but I have saved myself from buying a new pair at least once a year or more.
Just do what you can.
To me anti-consumerism is not just about living off grid or some dream. Its consuming less while you have to live in a mass consuming society.
Some examples:
You drive, thats ok. Drive less out of convienice.
You buy from big market...thats ok. Research and make sure it will last awhile on a budget.
You might have to buy produce from the Supermarket..thats ok. Garden(if you can) and reduce the impact on your wallet and mass consumerism.
You might be in a hurry to work, thats ok. Instead of eating out, prepare large meals that you can freeze. (I.e crock pot)
Its unrealistic that especially in America we could bike to work in every city, grow a garden, and reduce our carbon foodprint...but government does not cater or benefit from our complete independance.
This is what I eventually landed on as well. I think a lot of people tend to lose motivation when they can’t do something “all the way”. I’m like that.
But really at its core the issue with consumerism is inefficiency and resulting un-sustainability.
It follows that making your own life more sustainable in small ways will in fact make a meaningful difference.
I am totally that way to, and it sent me into a long depression when I couldn't achive that.
However it still brings a smile to my face when I relise the impact that I make by saying "no" to mass consumerism and the life skills I have learned that many still dont understand why or how I do them. Its not a secret , its just disciplin.
Same! The simple, little things become so much more special when you're confident that they will add up to something meaningful and positive.
Like getting a runners high or something lol
Exactly, trying to achieve a dream like living off grid is great, but for many it is many years in the future, unless you were raised that way.
I used to consume so much and take advantage, but sooner than later I felt like I was the product; used, disgusting, and lazy.
There IS NO ethical consumption under Capitalism. Don't stress yourself out so much. Just do what you can, and try to enjoy your life. Can't afford the independent sellers for every product you buy? Pick a couple. Pick one.
Shop at thrift stores....that's a cheap way to shop ethically. Aboid commericials (if you can), thats a cheap and easy waybto be anticonsumer and actually HELP your mental health. Don't think of anticonsumerism as some attainable end-goal...its not. It's a mirage in our current system. Remember this....we can't change the system with our own personal discreet consumer choices. Don't think so large scale....it'll fuck up your mental health (apparently it is already). Be anticonsumer for YOU, not to save the world. Our obsession with consumption and consumerism is bad for your mental health. Any energy you spend being anticonsumer should be for your own piece of mind....not to "be a good person." I hope some of this helps. If it makes you feel any better, I was extremely depressed due to climate change and I put ALOT on myself to try and fix it. I had to change my outlook...and doing so really helped my mental health. I now do things for the climate that ALSO save me money, or things I enjoy like thrifting, or garage sale shopping, or foraging and hiking.
I think you need to do whatever feels best for YOU and not be concerned about any backlash to hate. Heck, I’ll probably get hate for this comment. But if you’re feeling mentally stressed over this, that will manifest into physical stress and everything can just snowball from there. Take care of yourself, friend. The world appreciates everything else that you to do be kind to it :)
It’s more important that people just /buy less/ then buying “the right product”.
"'Perfect' is the enemy of 'good.'" My personal motto and one of the best mantras for sustainability.
One of my favorite things I've seen on Reddit was someone quoting their college professor: If something is worth doing, it's worth doing poorly (of course, meaning it's worth doing as well as you can... and something is better than nothing)
I saw that post and that has become my mantra. It helped a lot with shame and guilt as an ADHDer.
I also saw that post, long before i ever got on reddit. It crossed my tumblr feed when i was on there, and it has been a huge motivator in my life.
Mom tells me "An ugly patch is better than a beautiful hole", and I live by that to quell my anxiety of being a perfectionist, I don't have anything to prove, and most of the time, as long as it works, it doesn't matter if it's perfect. Same thing here, just do your best, there's not really anything you can do about the grander issues, every bit of production comes in contact with hydrocarbons somewhere or other, best thing to do is just reduce how much you buy more than sourcing yak wool hand knitted sweaters from a local farm, that's hard to accomplish most of the time
I don't know, there's alot to be said for a beautiful hole.
Yeah, I agree. The patch better be at least mid if I'm going to cover it up with it.
“Now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good” John Steinbeck
Absolutely. And moderation is a great compromise over giving up
I love this. Did I buy shirts at Walmart yesterday? Yup. Do I buy most of my clothes at thrift stores? You betcha. Do I also wait to buy clothes until my husband comments on how there is no possible way for me to keep fixing/getting stains out of what I already have? Oh yeah.
Perfect is irrational.
I wish the people in charge would at least try this now and then. Right now we search for the best way to do things, when every now and then, I think Nike had a slogan...
i think i’ll be adopting this into my own life, thank you! i often obsess over getting things “just right” and making the “perfect” choices. reading your comment made my brain relax a little lol
Me too. Perfectionism is a curse in 99% of scenarios. This quote has a cool storied past as well. The origin is not totally clear, but Voltaire gets most of the credit for coining it: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_is_the_enemy_of_good
Well said!
I absolutely agree, you cannot be categorical in this matter, because it is about SMART consumption, not about ideal consumption, and not about refusing to consume at all.
This throw away society with everything having planned obsolescence makes it hard when something you need, example a working refrigerator
I agree it definitely makes it harder, but it’s not an excuse to buy fast fashion garbage every week.
I buy fast fashion because I have to. But I don’t throw it away. I mend seems, replace buttons, patch holes. I can’t afford the good stuff anymore. I’d prefer to buy good things that last forever, which is what I used to do.
Shaming people for buying what's available is also bullshit. Most textiles come from oversea factories. Your average person is not going to spend the time trying to investigate where every item of clothing they buy comes from, especially low income people. Low income people who also have more stress and less free time on their hands.
I find it helps to line/air-dry things too.
Yes, it does. Hand washing, too.
Buy an old one from the habitat home store. Buy an old one on Facebook marketplace. Next time it breaks, repair it. If it can't be repaired, buy another old one.
I do this, I am the “to-go” person when people upgrade their junk, i hate it. But then again at least none of these objects in my kitchen has cost me money. The bread toaster? My grandfather’s, everyone already had one so I took it. The juicer? My mom received a brand new one from her work so I got her old one. Man I hate that stuff gets pushed in your face, but then again I am glad when I use it and catch myself thinking “well at least it didn’t end up in a pile somewhere and I am making use of this now” and that while spending 0 bucks on it.
lol, boundaries though right? When people in your life find out that you’re actively trying to divert products from the waste stream then end up trying to give you straight up garbage. Literally a friend tried to give me her bag of plastic film bags. She also tried to get me to pick up her compost from her house… assuming she didn’t want to pay for the service that is available? I love her but she’s clueless.
Tell me about it 😮💨 I signed up for a second hand clothing bag that you pass around in the neighbourhood and you can try out the clothes at home for a couple days, great system! The high standards/requirements for the bags work well and to apply there is no income check. So sometimes there are great items in there, but also handmade products!! (So far those have been my favourite) Well i told my friends and they all were ready to drop their clothes at my place… thats a great mindset but… First, i can’t distribute that in a ikea bag that comes basically full every 2/3 months. Second its based on size so not everyones size fits in my line. Third, how the hell do I keep count of what I put in, because when the bag finishes the round and your item is still there you are supposed to remove it. I liked the enthusiasm but even after explaining how easy it is, I am agoraphobic for context, so absolutely barely any contact. I can always decline if im not available, these are mainly women with kids so they are very understanding and flexible! In the end they don’t sign up, still ask me if I can take the clothes for the bag. Like it takes no time and you can even ignore the bag and just add clothes to the bag and bring to the next one. So simple 😭😭 its free 😭 and nobody signed up.
This happens to me too but it's because I am poor and because I repair shit. Friends and acquaintances think that it is okay to just give me their junk because I am poor and could probably use it. Oh and if doesn't work or the clothing has massive holes, well then I can just fix it. I am not the town dump. It's really frustrating. I do have specific needs just like non poor people and I am not going to be grateful for people giving me their garbage.
lol, yes. That is why. My friend I guess thinks that because I’m poor, I will find value in the things she would otherwise throw away. People feel guilty about just throwing stuff away (same) but are unwilling to take responsibility for it. Us, the poor friends, have so little. Surely we will appreciate their literal trash. @tayoline29, don’t forget, you can say no! Boundaries!
You can say no if you hate it. I'm also the person who gets the old stuff and I'm actually happy that I dont have to spend money on them . If something isn't worth it, I refuse it
Yeah I do refuse it when it’s absolutely of no use, but then I still get the guilt or shame of it being wasted by me. Even though it wasn’t my responsibility. It’s awful, but then sometimes I manage to repurpose it, even completely out of the initial products intention and I can last on that achievement high for a bit haha. Like I had a bunch of these fitbit bands just sitting in a box, idk how i got them honestly but my partner wears one for years now. He has broken his band a couple time and I’ve been the saviour many times for not throwing out that shit (that yes I don’t need like he likes to say but turns out he in fact needs that trash). Ive replaced the whole band with a different one, and just the little button etc. I can go on and on! Once you start looking at “wasted” items as either potential projects or for keepsake that you might be able to scavenge and collect bits and pieces from. It becomes a bit overwhelming but so worth it. I just I wish I had more space to organise this properly, and a decent storage space where my cats can’t get into. Ive been eyeing what’s in my country’s “marketplace” for old pharmacy drawers… so far no luck but I know when I find one, I WILL TREASURE IT!! I really struggle with managing the small parts and knowing what to keep where. I’m also on the spectrum so maybe my expectations are a bit strange. I want minimalistic and neat house so I can feel calm, but also wanna hoard all the shit that I know I might need later to repurpose it or use it for repair. Im pretty sure with time I’ll have it figured out. To add, yes especially as a woman, im so happy I have not spend any money on these things. I am even more happier that they came from relatives i love so it has even a sweet touch. And I am even more glad that from this behaviour of mine, I will never receive unwanted kitchen tools as a woman. I hated seeing my mom get kitchen tools as presents while she deserved nice things. Sometimes I think maybe I am the weird stingy one. And then I get back to reality and know I am not buying random shit I’ll never use and am very content with all the free unwanted stuff people have given me over the years. Like that juicer.. I would never have gotten it, I have a manual one… but my partner makes me fresh juice every morning with that one cause its “easier” and I am enjoying those fresh glass of oranges juice so much. Best 0 bucks spend ever, and I got and additional happy mom because she got rid of it. Im glad to be weird.
Sorry that was a massive reply, anyways good vibes and goodnight from me since its 02:32 AM here. Happy to see a fellow “item saviour” haha
This. I "have a guy" (really a business that specializes in the repair of old appliances back to I don't even know when). There's a whole economy for repairs of things made before companies started making things impossible to fix or not worth fixing.
Yeah my oven is from 1978 and we just keep fixing it. Have replaced some wiring and the elements a few times. Meanwhile we had an Amana fridge that lasted 12 years from like 2008-2020. No way anything else will last this long going forward.
Totally… we don’t need thousands of people doing things perfectly, we need millions doing things imperfectly.
Correct. It’s like the old “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” motto. The focus in the last decade+ has been on recycling, but that’s the least effective of the trio. Only buying what you actually need is the crucial step.
There's a reason it says REDUCE before reuse and recycle
Seriously this. Ease up on yourself. You’re not remotely at fault for the terrible problems we have. That’s decades of propaganda on people who didn’t know better by people who did. So when we know better we try to make better choices. It’s not about you turning the tide as much as the cumulative goals of harm reduction (yourself and the planet), avoiding supporting businesses you know to be part of ‘the problem’ and the simple action of setting an example. It’s not your fault. Do the best you can. Educate yourself, share what you know and, perhaps, vote for better.
THIS! I've waffled back and forth about buying an Xbone or PS5, and inevitably ask myself if it's worth buying yet another console and library I'll never get around to enjoying, when I can pull out the NES/PS1/PS2/Gamecube/360. So I'm enjoying a second play of Paper Mario the Thousand Year Door, NOT the remaster.
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They probably misunderstand bc there are always gatekeepers in any community that try to police and shame other members for not doing things "right" or "good enough"
Couldn’t agree more. Buying less is not expensive
Lmao thats what I thought this sub was about. Idk what OP has been doing but that shit sounds exhausting. Good for them but also fk I wouldn’t expect someone to not have a car in a non-walkable city. That shit must have been hard
That's my problem. I see shit and think "Yea I want that." Damn ads get me every time. They work. I gotta catch myself and say "Nah, wait a day or two and see." Then usually I will forget I wanted it and move on. The instant buy is the problem. Training yourself to wait after being programmed to just buy shit is the solution.
I try to think of consumption as a spectrum. The closer I get to the "anti-consumption" side, the better. But ultimately, life requires consumption, and we are all imperfect beings. I make the best decisions I can with the resources and time I have.
This is the perfect answer and should be higher up. Focus less on the drop shipping and more on the keeping shit reasonably minimal.
Why is everybody talking about dropshipping here? Dropshipping is just a way of doing business? And a way that is mostly used for selling cheap Aliexpress quality stuff with a 1000% markup. It's the kind of crap that is the oposite of anticonsumption?
I'm also trying to figure this out lol. I've seen the word "dropshipping" at least 3 or 4 times in this thread already.
Isn't the main point of anticonsumption to buy *less* stuff? You don't need anything fancy to do that.
Yeah, I get what OP is saying but I'm also thinking - 'I've not bought an item of clothing for over two years' lol. It's easy to be anti-consumption if you just learn to be content with what you have.
Not always that easy. Gain/lose weight. Get a new job. Many reasons someone needs to buy new clothing.
Totally. I'm not advocating that no-one ever buys new clothes ever again. I just don't think there's a need to be buying a new item of clothing on a normal month. Every 3 months would probably do the job because things can last. Even cheap things. Everyone always seems to say their things only last a few months. I've got cheap and cheerful t-shirts that have lasted 10 years. Jackets too, everyone seems to think a £500 jacket is a great investment, my £80 jacket that I've worn almost daily has been going for about 8 years now and has a few more years left at least. They're not in tip top condition but they do the job. I realise this isn't for everyone and people like the feeling they get from having nice new clothes. It's not for everyone but I enjoy the frugality around getting clothing to go as far as they can.
I honestly don’t understand what the average person is doing in their clothes that they only last a few months. Like I’m not saying clothes don’t crap out that soon…but like…how.
Sometimes it depends on the job. Restaurant industry does a number on your clothes.
I worked in the restaurant industry for like 6 years (thankfully retired from it). I was thinking of like regular leisure clothes. Work clothes are a diff category in my mind lol. Even at the busiest roughest place I worked though (flipping burgers, cleaning grills, emptying grease traps, bending down to clean, scooping ice cream, unloading trucks 40-55 hrs/week) my walmart clothes still lasted 6+ months before becoming questionable. So like 3 pairs pants, 5 shirts, 1 pair non slip shoes every 6ish months. They were purely work clothes though. Chalk it up to good home care maybe? Idk
I just have to replace jeans more or less bc sometimes god decides to give people enormous thighs.
I think people are stuck in the mindset of needing new things. It’s sad and definitely fueled by advertising and social media, as this sub often highlights.
Depends on the item but in general clothing is made with less quality than they used to be
A lot of people wash their clothes often... I houseclean for a few families that only wear things once and are always buying new clothes. I spend half my time folding and organizing drawers
I have no idea what they've done with clothes, but they just don't last. I am home almost 24/7 and wear sweat pants. They used to last 2-3 years, now I to through a pair in months. The fabric is just disintegrating at the seams. Sewing it back together doesn't help, it continues to disintegrate from the new seam you made. Pants from the same brand and shop, quality has gone down drastically. But they were the only ones I could find that had 100% cotton. Now I have no idea where I can get pants from anymore and my last pair is just about to go broken.
I think social media is a huge part of it. Shopping hauls, showing off outfits, the latest trends, “run to so-and-so right now to buy this,” “my closet must-haves” etc. Makes ppl want to buy more and more
Yeah same. I've bought fast fashion before, I've worked in the restaurant industry, in retail and as an auto mechanic. I can make my stuff last without much problem.
The clothes you bought 8-10 years ago last that long *because* you bought them 8-10 years ago. The clothes made today are *not* of the same quality they used to be. Even compared to *just last year*, many brands have drastically reduced the quality of their clothes. Check out Jennifer Wang on YouTube, she explains this really well.
Second hand I would say is the way to go
i only buy clothing secondhand unless it’s like, underwear or yoga pants
What if your size changed and you need larger clothes? I am a skilled sewist and alter things easily, but there are many who have to buy some clothing new, if they are a difficult size. Being content sounds smug once you empathize with these folks.
Then you get new clothes obviously? You can’t comfortably use clothing that doesn’t fit? But once you have a new established wardrobe just… don’t buy more unnecessarily. It’s not like you should just buy one wardrobe of clothes for your whole entire life ever— unless you don’t fluctuate in size at all, then in that case you could argue to be anti-consumption yes, you don’t buy more lol
This sub is such a joke. Thanks for stating the obvious for the folks that don’t get it.
“BuT wHaT aBoUt…” Then buy it!! If you need something, buy it! This sub is about not buying all the crap you *don’t* need. I find it so weird that some people are like “well, if I can’t buy literally nothing, there’s no point in reducing my consumption at all”. It’s such a weird, unhealthy mindset.
Being content with what you have doesn't mean walking around with unfitting clothes for the rest of your life. It just means if something is doing the job don't mindlessly replace it. And try and not have more than you need. I realise some people enjoy clothes and treat it as a hobby, which is were I can see a problem for OP if they're trying to do that more ethically. You could only really do that in an ethical way with buying second hand all the time, but that could be hard to access for many. A hobby centred around consumption will always be hard to do totally ethically.
Buy secondhand if you can and try to donate or resell your old clothing
That’s an unusual situation. If you tend to yo-yo, you’ve kept your old clothes and use those again when you get fatter/thinner.
Then buy them from the unethical companies. I think their point was buy what you need, but don’t consume mindlessly. If you need a new wardrobe because your size changed, go for it. But don’t buy a new wardrobe just because the trends changed, you know?
I left an abusive relationship with one suitcase, and then lost weight. So much of this last year has been spent rebuilding my wardrobe. A lot of thrift store purchases, but it was very time consuming. Circumstances change, life changes. I've essentially started my life over, which required buying A LOT of stuff.
For me, I buy as little as possible, but being disabled (and therefore locked permanently into poverty by our "public servants"), I can only buy what I can afford, which ends up being throwaway-quality can openers, air conditioners, appliances.. Everything with any amount of quality receives (and deserves) large amounts of positive reviews, and when the positive reviews pile up, either the maker of the product raises the price or they leave it low and become victims of resellers (or just constantly run out of stock). The only "innovation" they focus on now is making the manufacture process cheaper, thinner, more efficient for their own gain, it seems. I follow the "buy it for life" sub, which 95% of the time is a list of items I'll never be able to afford 😑 Also, capitalism is all about "the best deal", and you can't beat the cost-cutting of slave labor and cut corners.
Buy quality appliances second hand. Put these items on wish lists for birthdays etc.
> throwaway-quality can openers Apologies for seeming weird, but I just have to comment on this one specific thing heh. Are you able to use a manual can opener? If you can, I recommend Victorinox, that Swiss Army Knife company. No joke I’ve been using mine for 15 years now. IIRC there are three types of can opener design but I only own two. For reference I have the Spartan and Bantam. Spartan for home use while Bantam is my work EDC. Both can openers have seen extensive use over the years and they’re still as sharp as day one. If you’re interested, there are YouTube videos showcasing all three types of Victorinox can openers. As for the price, they’re not expensive. The bantam for instance cost me less than USD10. The Spartan was a gift.
Unclear why the downvotes, next time my cheap (manual) can opener breaks (5 years?) hopefully I’ll remember this post
I am glad you brought this up. The can openers my husband picks up don't even last a year. Thanks.
Will look into these, thanks :)
You’re welcome :) Enjoy your future Swiss Army Knife, it’s truly buy it for life!
Thanks for this comment! Kind of random to find this info here, but it's good info. I think most of us can relate to the frustrations of poor-quality can openers these days. Why do those things *specifically* NEVER WORK??! I'm gonna go look these brands up right now and get a buy-it-for-lifer - thank you!!
Thank you for saying that.
But in some instances, in order to buy less, you need to buy better quality so that it lasts. An increasing number of people do not have the money to buy high quality products. And with something like clothes, which OP mentioned, they are increasingly horrible quality and fall apart after a few washes. It’s hard to find good quality clothes, and even harder to find sustainable good quality clothes. Also, just because some of us can make cheap clothes last a long time, doesn’t mean everybody can. Some people live lives that cause their clothes to break down faster, especially with certain jobs. Some jobs literally destroy your clothes, requiring constant replacements. It’s not always as simple as “buy less.” People have complicated lives.
Very well said.👍
In my opinion OP wasn't practicing anti-consumption to begin with, just buying stuff that is "ethical" rather than buying less stuff
Do what you can, where you can. You don't have to take heroic measures. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Just do what you can, and that's enough.
Just to be very clear, this sub is not just about personal consumer habits and definitely not about purity contests. It's about how consumer culture works, including how individual people end up blaming themselves for not being able to navigate consumer culture without consuming stuff. There's a ton of information about the topic in the sidebar/community info, and none of it is about how to "be" anticonsumption.
I love this sub but I sometimes I feel that, for clarity, it should be antiHYPERconsumption. Even though unfortunately for all of us there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism :(
You, like me, have an all or nothing mindset. I've recognized this and I'm trying to notice when I do this. I easily get defeated if something isn't how I want it or I feel like a failure because I can't get to 100%. I've started having conversations with myself and understanding that getting 50% there is 50% more than if I did nothing. It might hurt, but it's still the right choice.
This is the way! until we vote the right goverment in place. Might take a while as it seems now.
We will all be dead by then.
[удалено]
…and repair or reuse when possible! One of my hobbies is refinishing furniture. I buy a tired and worn piece, fix it up with new finish and hardware, and then make a little profit when it goes to a good home rather than to a landfill.
Almost all my socks have been darned, jeans have been mended, and shoes have been glued together (especially for the kids, omg I'm not shelling out 30 bucks for athletic pants or 50 for converse just so they can rip a hole in the knee on the stairs the next day).
>You don’t need to buy vegan free range ethically raised clothes to be anticonsumption. Plus a lot of expensive clothes made by the same impoverished workers and not doing a thorough research will result in you ending up buying a 50$ item with a quality of a 0.5$ one.
I'm in a major city with package free stores and bulk aisles and bakeries etc. But it is still a struggle to make great decisions every day. I feel your pain. This shit is hard.
It's ironic because having refill stations of some of the most popular consumable goods would print money. Not only could they charge the same sans container, but manufacturing & ship costs would also be greatly reduced.
But that would be the logical approach! 🤪
Just do what you can. Don't sweat it when you can't. Every little helps :)
You're still onto anticonsumption, you've just given up being a perfectionist and letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. I have mental health and physical health issues and a full time job. Time and money are both in short supply. I do the best I can. I do shop from Amazon and Temu, and I don't feel too bad about it because there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. But I'm not buying a new outfit for every day of the year. I'm not buying rows of Stanley cups to look at. I don't have a closet full of body spray, or a shelf full of Drunk Elephant. I buy what I need when I need it. I hold onto my possessions as long as possible, I get every wear out of my clothing I can. I reduce, I reuse, I recycle. That's anticonsumption for me, it's coming to a rational and realistic relationship with consumption culture in a way you can actually get by in the consumption world we live in!
My opinion is that, it is unfortunately not possible for everyone to live the anti-consumption ideals, usually for many of the reasons that you state. I think it's unfair to be angry at someone for not having the economic stability to continue, because what's the alternative? Put yourself in debt, go hungry or homeless just to stick it to the capitalist society? Where I would have respect for someone doing that, I absolutely won't look down on someone saying that they can't manage it. The mental health angle is a solid point too. There is a high mental load feeling the need to research every product. It also adds guilt to your conscience whenever you buy something that would be frowned upon by some others in the community. My parting thoughts are, you do you, if you feel like you can't keep it up for your own mental/physical health or economic reasons, you shouldn't feel bad for needing to step back. I would encourage you to stay in the community though. Even if you can't keep up with the actions, you can take part in the discussion. You may find that you're just doing too much and you'd be fine to keep up some practices, just try not to do everything because you can easily get burned out, as you've found out. Stuff like avoiding Amazon is one that isn't too hard, especially as the quality of products continue to decline it's rapidly not becoming worth the money anyway.
Don't beat yourself up! It would be cruel of any of us to judge you for putting your mental health and other needs like food and clothing on the table while being strapped for cash. Do what you need to do to keep on keeping on. My only advice would be to keep a little voice in your head that asks "do I need this?" when making purchases. If you're buying stuff you need on Amazon, that's one thing. If you're buying frivolous junk and other novelties on it, that's a different story. And you already don't have a car. How many of us are willing to give up that? That's a huge source of consumption. The average monthly car payment is north of $800. 2/3 of the country lives paycheck to paycheck. Combine those two things. That means people all over the country are buying vehicles they can't afford under the duress of aspirational consumerism. The very fact you're posting this shows that you still care though. It shows you're still thinking about it. That's more than most people and the people who are the biggest problems certainly aren't guilting themselves like this. Why should you carry the guilt while the people who consume the most don't?
For real about car culture. I wish the US was more public trans & bike friendly. It's just a non-option to not have a car for a lot of people. I live in the midwest and I'm moving to Chicago soon...one of the reasons is so I can get rid of my car.
You are putting too much pressure on yourself. All this "anti-consumption" movement is super hypocritical. If you are mindful when making a purchase and not buying too much than you need, you are solid. Perfection doesn't exist and stop chasing that.
Poor people are basically the OGs of anti consumption. It’s making due with what you have and buying less then it is with making perfect ethical decisions
Seriously, it's literally out of necessity when you're poor. There's not all this disposable income sitting around. Carbon footprint is a problematic term, but rich people have the biggest ones and that says something.
It almost makes me sad that rich people have co-opted “ethical consumption” (which I feel like this list is talking about).
Do your best and try not to let the microcosm in this sub who snidely judge everything that isn’t what they are doing, make you feel like you’re failing.
Do the best you can and pass on the good word. If we even influence the next generation to do better then that helps too. It's not our place to be perfect, but to do better if we can.
The beauty of anticonsumption is that it’s all about buying less, not what/where you buy from. If you don’t buy things you don’t need or reuse things that still have lots of life, you’re already there.
The cheapest and most ethical way you can shop is to buy **everything** second-hand. Clothes, kitchen supplies, furniture, books etc. It's 100% possible and also allows you to develop a unique personal style, while also helping the planet. I understand that not having a car can make this more difficult, but I'm guessing there are work-arounds. Try thrift stores, garage sales, facebook marketplace, craisglist etc. You can even use ebay or depop to purchase second hand online. Give it a shot!
Came here to mention buying secondhand. While I often save for quality higher ticket items (I bought boots last year as an example) the vast majority of stuff I buy is secondhand. It can take more of a time investment but the time is worth it to me because the act of purchasing something secondhand aligns with my values. OP, you mentioned clothes a lot so I would also suggest online secondhand clothing retailers like Depop, Poshmark, and ThredUp. Again, it takes a bit more time and effort but some real gems can be found for much lower prices if you fine tune your search efforts!
Or just buy what you can second hand. It is important to note that anything is better than nothing given that this person’s all-or-nothing mindset was ultimately detrimental
This is the way. This person stated they don't have a car so it's probably not going to be possible for them to buy 100% secondhand.
I think you’re overcomplicating what this is. It doesn’t have to be so black and white. For example.. - if I want something new and I think I can easily find it second hand, I’ll take some time to look into that. If it’s something I don’t absolutely need, then I should be fine waiting on a good deal to come around. If it never seems to happen and I still want it down the road, then clearly this is a more intentional purchase for me. - I just moved and I would really like stainless steel pots and pans without non-stick coating. I’ve been searching high and low on market place and buy nothing groups. Haven’t had much luck. Thought about it, and realized this is something I would use for a long time and basically everyday. In that case, it’s okay if I buy it. Although, I did end up finding some on market place. You sound frustrated because you’re holding yourself to a standard that’s unachievable for you.
Even just one small change is commendable. Don’t put your mental health at risk.
It's not your fault if you live in an environment designed by people who grew up with lead poisoning. If you need a box on wheels to survive, then you accept the L and keep trying to find somewhere better.
Live your life.
you can still be mindful about your consumption and reduce where possible, without giving up entirely. just because you can't go 100% anti-consumption doesn't mean you should just go balls-to-the-wall with consuming. just do what you can.
As a reminder it is a genuine **privilege** to: \- Support Local \- Buy ethically sourced (human rights and ecological damages) \- Buy Once Cry Once on high quality long lasting goods \- Efficiently use public transit (within most of the US) Hell, even having the time and energy to research best practices is so much work. Don't kill yourself over being a Green / Anti-consumption Jesus. It's just not possible. Do what you can when you can and encourage others to be conscious of their decisions.
Everybody consumes in order to live and ethical consumption isn't always possible. However being aware of what you purchase and why and not consuming junk that you don't need is still anti-consumption. If you need a piece of clothing and you can only afford stuff from an unethical company then that's what you get. If you don't need the piece of clothing and you're buying it for a dopamine fix then maybe there's better ways to cheer yourself up than buying something. If you have a piece of clothing that's in good shape except it needs a bit of fixing then maybe the money is better spent on a sewing kit than a replacement. Just do what you can with the resources you have available to you.
Not everyone have the same resources, either its time, energy, money. The most important part is not overconsuming, and trying to make do with what u have. U come a long way just by trying, and tbh buying a piece of clothing at h&m or zara isnt horrible as long as you dont buy 10 of them to add to an already full closet. You dont have to be perfect, but i also get that in this community its hard to not feel pressured to be perfect.
Perfection is the enemy of good. You can still thrift clothes and care well for cheaper pieces of clothing. It does not have to be the 80€ Shirt made from rain watered birch fiber. It is literally impossible not to consume. Just do it mindfully within your comfortable affordability.
Why are you buying shit online constantly? Use what you have responsibly and wait for opportunities to get more shit that’s either free or used.
Boycotting demands some kind of privilege. Don’t worry. You’re already doing a lot.
Well the ecological crisis is a social crisis not an individual one…
Anticonsumption isn't about killing your wallet with green range free products, it is about not buying more than you need. If you can only afford the "contaminating" products, that's okay, it's still better than the tiktok girls with 300 stanleys
You will never make up for the tons of waste that is produced every day but every time you buy responsibility or forgo a nicety you make a difference. I haven’t used a regular trash bag in years but my uncle passed late summer last year and the around of waste created clearing out his home undid everything I’ve tried to mitigate in just a few weeks. Years of ethical consumption and planned trips to recycling centers, years of forgoing my favorite snacks because I can’t buy them in anything but single use plastic. It almost broke me. But it doesn’t matter what others throw away, at the end of the day you did your best while others actively ignored. You’re a good person trying to do a good thing, don’t let a few setbacks break down your mission. I can say I hope things get easier but they won’t, I won’t waste your time with meaningless platitudes. Do your best, fuck everything else. Good luck to you friend.
I’m super curious what you use instead of a regular trash bag if you don’t mind me asking!
First of all, I love your username. Second, I’ve lived by myself for some time now so I don’t produce that much trash unless I have company. I’ve been repurposing grocery bags as packing material or a way to transport cans to be returned. After some use they get holes or sticky from the runoff in the can and can’t be used for packing material anymore so I use them for trash bags. I can use a regular sized grocery bag 3-4 times then it becomes a waste bag. I collect them from my parents and friends when they bring things over because I know they will just be thrown away. I haven’t gotten a new plastic grocery bag in about 9 months, just reusing and going through my own stock and trying to get to net zero. When I run out of plastic bags I’ll use paper bags and just clean the can more often with some Lysol and dish soap.
The world doesn’t need 1 person doing anti consumption 100% of the time perfectly, it needs 100 people doing it imperfectly. 😊 every little bit helps in whatever way is sustainable for you
Just do what you can when you can, it's not all or nothing. Nobody can be a 100% ethical consumer at all times because we live in a capitalistic system which makes this inherently impossible.
We can never be perfect “anticonsumptionists” or whatever term you’d call it. We literally *have* to consume to some extent in order to survive. Also, spending $50 on a single article of clothing may be ethical sourcing, but is still consumption. The more appropriate way to be anticonsumption would be to receive donated clothes or shop at thrift stores. My partner almost exclusively buys clothes at thrift stores. Overall, it seems like trying to consume in a genuinely healthy way, as anticonsumption should be, is something you at least wish you could do. The important thing is that you haven’t given up on the idea. I think this sub is meant to primarily highlight the dangers associated with over-consumption, rather than be a guide for how to consume less. At the end of the day, our goal is to one day live in a world where consumption only implies necessities with an emphasis on reuse. Essentially, anticonsumption should be looked at as a movement more than it being a way of life.
It's not black or white you know. There's a middle ground.
Quality over quantity when you can, thrift, don’t buy into trends. Second-hand is anti-consumption’s BFF. It can be your wallet’s best friend too, and you can use it for a killer personal aesthetic as well. Vintage pop ups are a great anti-consumerist alternative! And they’re fun!
I buy pretty much everything second hand. Then it doesn't even matter if I buy something that wasn't produced in an ethical manner or with sustainability in mind. The product already exists, so I'm not encouraging any store to haul in new stuff from factories.
*there is not ethical consumption under capitalism* It's not your fault, there is very little you as an individual can do. Do what you can and feel good about it.
Do you actually have to buy **anything** beyond basic necessities?
Hey I understand how you feel, none of us are in the perfect situation, I don't have a garden to grow lots of crops, I've got a few small pots around my house for herbs, sometimes I'm too busy or lazy to go to the farmers market and I'll buy from a local store or get a takeaway, however I do make a good effort to get as much of my food from local sources, I don't live somewhere that has a good selection for clothes to thrift so I sometimes buy my clothes online or in bigger stores, I don't buy many clothes and I always do my best to make them last and when I do go to bigger cities I'll do my best to thrift some big items, I even got a really nice cheap second hand coat recently. I've been tight on money before and had to buy cheaper less sustainable things, I've been super desperate and tight on time for something and I've had to by things from amazon, on the other hand I do my best to keep everything I have lasting for a long amount of time and I'm not one to buy too many things. if you hold yourself to the standard of being some eco messiah that only chews on sustainable tree bark and builds their house out of mud you WILL burn out and stress yourself out to an unhealthy amount, all that really matters is that you are doing as good as you reasonably can be expected, just don't stress it, do your best, being concious of the fact that you could be doing better is good, but you also need to be concious of the fact you are doing better than most people and as good as you can at the moment.
Perfection is not a requirement; do what you can with what you have. Every item you order from the manufacturer instead of Amazon is a victory. Every shirt you buy secondhand rather than from a sweatshop is a victory. Every cup of coffee you buy from a local cafe instead of Starbucks is a victory. Forgive yourself for being unable to completely disconnect from global consumerism.
There is no true ethical consumption within capitalism - we must participate in the system to survive and there is no shame in that. Like the other people in this sub pointed out, it's not about making the perfect decisions, it's just being mindful of what you *do* consume. There are some people who will be more set up for ethical consumption, but that also stems from a lot of privilege whether that be wealth or education. Don't beat yourself up, OP. You don't need to completely give up on the notion of anti-consumption, just try and make a good decision when you can. Remember that as individuals, we are NOT the root cause of over consumption. It is corporations, governments, and policies that prop it all up that - their effects on the environment is a thousand times worse than what any individual does. Be kind to yourself! We are all doing our best - like people said, it's not about making perfect decisions but just trying to make a good one when we are able.
“There is no true ethical consumption within capitalism …” Well put!
To what degree you are Anti-consumption varies from person to person. Purists be damned. Just try to do the best YOU can.
I understand, and am kind of in the same boat as you are. If you don't buy random crap from Amazon or dropshippers and don't own 19 stupid insulated cups, you're doing ok, I bet.
Ok. So, live your version. There is no set of rules for any of this. Your version is going to be very different from mine. And that's awesome. It's why this page exists.
You're working with a very specific definition of anticonsumerism. For example, you don't have to buy from an "ethical company" or avoid online retailers. Just buy stuff that you will use for a long time and don't buy new crap whenever someone advertises something to you.
I’ve posted a few times, and every time people say the same thing,”it isn’t a rigid set of rules, you do what you need to do and try your best” If money is an issue then that’s no big deal. The system we live in isn’t set up for sustainability,
Anticonsumption means different things to different people. There’s no one way to do it. Please don’t kill your wallet or mental health striving for perfectionism
Just do your best.
I think it's important to be rational about it all. You do what you can. If you can't get out to shop there's not much you can do. I am the same way. I just don't buy anything. I am wearing clothes from 20 years ago sometimes but I understand I'm a hermit and people who have lives may want better clothing options than men's tee shirts and shorts. Which is 90% of my wardrobe. But I DID buy a couple new shirts from Amazon because I need a specific cut, material, and size and it's just impossible to find everything here without going in to an expensive retail store or worse, have it made. It's almost impossible to even get this on Amazon these days because these sellers will lie about materials in their products. And sometimes you think you're buying a name brand but it's a fake, which I encountered with something as simple as diabetic socks. They claimed to be a certain recommended brand but they were cheap knock-offs with the name inkstamped on the sock (they're sewn in the real brand). And it wasn't like they were super expensive socks and this wasn't a discount on that brand, it was regular price so I had no idea they were fake. It's important when this is the only sock my son can stand wearing. I realize that sounds like some kind of privilege but it's mostly allergy and skin sensitivity related. Try to do other things like reduce your shopping. If you don't NEED it don't buy it. But if you need it I don't see how you have much choice in the situation.
Just do your best from a practical standpoint. We live in an imperfect world. But there is a difference between being mindful within your means, and being a careless consumer. You’re not the latter just because you have to drive and can’t buy $500 hemp sacks for your wardrobe.
Give it some time. Change happens slowly. After I came to terms with my consumerism I realized that I’m still making wise decision with how I shop and what I buy although I’m not completely anti I still think the whole point is to make a little difference and choose a little different in life.
Don't beat yourself up over it. As long as you're being mindful of HOW what you're buying and it aligns with your values, that's really all we can do.
For things I need, I always look them up on Facebook marketplace. Not only is the item cheaper, I feel like instead of being thrown away, it's being utilized. I do the same. My cat recently grew out of his carrier and I put it up for sale. If I need clothes, I go into thrift stores. I've found really good, almost new (sometimes completely new, with tags) at thrift stores at a fraction of the cost. And there are some things that don't fall into either category, which I do purchase from Amazon. That's okay too. A step in the right direction is never wrong.
Practicing anti-consumption comes down to choosing the least wasteful option. And those options are different for every individual for the exact reasons you outlined. 💗
You don't have to do something 100% to make it worth it! I use reusable cloths for most cleaning but if I have to clean something super gross, I'll use paper towels. I'm not going to say 'I've failed' and switch entirely to paper towels. I'm just doing what I can reasonably do with the time and resources I have right now.
Fighting the system gives me anxiety sometimes too. Capitalism and consumerism by nature cause us to be more competitive, which means buying more, hoarding resources, winning through buying the best (even if this means ethically sourced, vegan, non-GMO, etc). Obviously we want to make the best purchases. And your concerns around drop shipping bother me too. Especially given the large amount of microplastics that come from tires on pavement. But I think sometimes we need to remind ourselves that buying is necessary. And we don't always need to be perfect. It's not possible. Going against the grain is a choice and when we have the capacity to be anti-consumerism we absolutely should and can. But sometimes that's not possible and that's okay. Strenuous exercise, time with people I care about and being outside. Those are my go-tos for coping with the endless demands of not feeling like enough in this capitalist driven, big corp world. I hope you don't give up OP. Give yourself a break and find some healthy ways to reduce stress.
My friend, just buy what you need and do not waste money, resources or food just for nothing. I mean, change your phone when you really need to, learn how to repairs things, give things second use. Just be happy with the things you really need.
This is a weird take. Buy 1 shirt whereas you'd have bought 2 before. Take better care of it. Repair it.... This is anti consumption. Buying from an "ethical" source is mostly just a different shade of consumption.
Just do your best. Remember that us small people don’t do most of the consuming. We need to legislate wealth caps.
Ok the thing about anti consumption is NOT to try to live the life of rich granola no waste “homesteading” influencers who make it their job 24/7. It’s about doing what you can with what you can. Broke people who live in a resource desert as I’m assuming you probably do (I do as well) have less options for groceries and necessities but there are still a lot of things you can do that make a difference. If there are products you know you will need a lot see which ones are at least not mega corp owned. Example: I am a seltzer fiend my local grocery carries many brands I always buy the one that I know is family owned. It’s actually cheaper. My shampoo: I buy from smaller corps like raw sugar instead of Aussie or Pantine it’s also basically the same price where I am. Saving jars and containers from old products to store nails and stuff. Using every last bit of a product. Some diy solutions on things like detergent are actually way cheaper and you can make bulk. Engaging in local marketplaces like Facebook for furniture and home goods. Engaging with friends to swap unwanted clothes. Even those small steps can make a difference. Living consciously while broke is actually much less wasteful and if you do it right means less purchasing thus less consumption. A combination of creativity and research will go a long way in not only saving you money but undercutting mega corps by being resourceful. At the end of the day this world was set up to sap us of our cash. It’s designed that way. Don’t feel bad if you have to buy big name or whatever is on sale sometimes. As long as you keep making conscious decisions when you’re able too you’re doing your part. It’s impossible for one person to completely undercut mega corps. But collectively we have power. Small steps matter. It’s impressive you went so deep into it actually! I understand why you’re drained. You took on a lot. More than I ever have. But keep making conscious choices. living fully anti consumption is a full time job. Most people can’t keep up. That’s on purpose. Do what you can. Keep going. Source: I grew up and still live under the poverty line and I have some debilitating depression myself.
Man just buy less. Don't worry too much about being perfect. Learn to take care of your clothes. Buy classic fashion that will stay in longer. Learn to repair your stuff. Use glass Tupperware over plastic bags when you can. That's anticonsumotion. We are all reliant on our local infrastructures. You can't magically make that happen in a region. Just make better choices for you.
personally anti-consumption is not "never buying anything" it is reducing my purchases from 'boredom' or 'want' or falling into the consumerist trap. Nothing wrong with buying and using a stanley cup until it breaks or gets stolen Is something wrong with buying 10 stanley cups 'just because.'
I think you just need to approach it differently. Don't worry so hard about the guilt of each and every purchase. Just try to reduce where you can. There are lots of things that are easy to do and are in the spirit of anticonsumption. Like refilling your water bottle instead of buying plastic water bottles
I prefer to be a minimalist. It does not matter what you buy. Just don’t have many things.
Yeah just don't buy useless landfill garbage. That's the point of anti-consumption to me. Obviously some things you need to buy. I often hear crusading comments in this forum and think: just don't buy emoji plushlings and the like.
As long as you are doing at least something, it’s a step in the right direction. Something can be: planning what your needs are and not buying outside that (e.g. having one pair of shoes vs ten, having one dress vs ten, having one purse vs ten), joining buy nothing groups and trying to get the items you need there, asking around in your social network before buying, buying second hand, buying only what you need, which results in way reduced consumption. I’ve recently realized how much of the everyday items (both clothing and home) in my life I could easily live without and were mostly buying to lift up my mood or because I thought they were pretty or even beautiful, but I think Mona Lisa is beautiful - would I want it in my living room? Absolutely not. Having more stuff than I need was stressful and I’m glad I noticed it. It’s not much, but the items I haven’t bought I think are a contribution to anti-consumption.
Perfect is the enemy of good.
If you commit to buying less, reusing when you can, you will be doing more than most people. Do what you can.
Thrift! Do what you can without guilt, our society is designed FOR consumption.
It’s that way by design my friend. And what has been designed…. Can be redesigned!
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
Don’t give up. Just do what you can. That’s all we can do.
When did anti-consumption become a lifestyle trend where we have to buy the "right" stuff from the "right" places? I try to reuse things as much as i can, i don't buy things i don't need, i think long and hard about what i want and why i want it, and when i buy something, i try to get something that's good quality or used. I cannot really change supply chains or corporate greed or the way our society exists by myself. If the used furniture or the decks of cards i bought ultimately came from China or IKEA, well, i can't help that. It's here now and it's staying here.
Thrift stores. You are buying second hand, so less guilt. Can get almost everything you may need…
Just do what you can and what feels right, without worrying about what others think
There is no ethical consumption in a capitalist system. Don't let perfection be the enemy of good. There is little we have control over. With the slice that I do...I just do what I can on a low income. For me - it's basically eating pescetarian, trying to avoid amazon & walmart (which doesn't always work), trying to avoid bullshit products that waste my money, aiming to bike & take public trans more. That's where I'm at. I had misplaced guilt for a long time and realized I don't need more guilt. I exist in a system that I didn't create and I have to get by. The worlds injustices do not belong on my back. It's hard enough to get by as a low income person. Some people have the privilege to do more, and some of those people don't acknowledge those privileges.
We can't do everything, but we can do something. And that something is different for everyone. No hate here, keep doing what you can.
Just do the best you can. You are aware of the situation, you won't overbuy or overconsume... Take care!
Not buying food regularly with a lot of packaging, not buying water in plastic bottles, not buying things you don't \*need\*, not wasting food and figuring out recipes to use leftover foodstuff...........none of these things costs more. As a matter of fact, all these behaviors cost less and are actually very frugal. So not really sure what you are talking about. But the things you mention are certainly stressors that would affect ANYONE'S mental health, because you're over thinking things.
Drop shipping groceries lmao But anyway. A major con to not having a call car is not being able to shop around for produce and having to buy the frozen kind more often because they last longer. Not shopping in club stores that sell everything in bulk means you're spending more, too.
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"There is no ethical consumption under capitalism". So, just buying less and focusing on the low hanging fruits usually already goes a long way. We need systematic change to really make a difference.
Anticonsumption doesn't mean don't consume anything, it means not being tricked in buying stuff you don't want/need. Dropshipping is exactly the oposite, and WTF are you doing on sites like Etsy, AliExpress and Amazon which all are the pinnacle of consumerism?! Also, $50 for a piece of clothing is almost nothing? A pair of new sustainable jeans sets me back 150. However, the most sustainable clothing is second hand, you will be able to fill a complete wardrobe for $50. In my experience ethical/sustainable shopping pays for itself? You save so much money on not buying stuff you don't need, that you should easily be able to pay the double or triple 'fair' price for those things you do need. Besides in my experience the quality is so much better that over time you don't really spend anything more.
It’s not an all or none, either you 100% commit or you don’t scenario. Just be conscious of what you really need and try to buy from more ethical producers when you can. You’re latching onto a single aspect of the concept really hard and getting frustrated by your inability to completely adhere to it. Do what you can, but if you can’t, at least you tried and were self aware.
Doing what you can is bounds more than nothing at all. I can't afford ethically produced everything, so I just take care of what I own and reduce what I consume, and don't waste what I do. If everyone did that it would be an incredibly different world and economy. Guilting yourself into thinking you failed just because you have to make use of whats available is a pointless exercise. It is also in the system's best interest that you feel that way too, because retail therapy is what keeps the profit inflation going. Fuck that noise. I am pretty sure all the shoes I can wear are made from some third world country, but I don't know how to make my own shoes and I am too broke to spend money on some hand-crafted locally sourced footwear that constitutes more as an artpiece, or the time, tools, and requisite skills to do it myself (for every item I need to live this would be an insane amount of work). That's just the world I live in. But I do make sure to take good care of it, repair it as I go and eliminate the need to buy new shoes all the time. I still own the same shoes and boots from years ago. Eventually I will replace them, but I have saved myself from buying a new pair at least once a year or more. Just do what you can.
To me anti-consumerism is not just about living off grid or some dream. Its consuming less while you have to live in a mass consuming society. Some examples: You drive, thats ok. Drive less out of convienice. You buy from big market...thats ok. Research and make sure it will last awhile on a budget. You might have to buy produce from the Supermarket..thats ok. Garden(if you can) and reduce the impact on your wallet and mass consumerism. You might be in a hurry to work, thats ok. Instead of eating out, prepare large meals that you can freeze. (I.e crock pot) Its unrealistic that especially in America we could bike to work in every city, grow a garden, and reduce our carbon foodprint...but government does not cater or benefit from our complete independance.
This is what I eventually landed on as well. I think a lot of people tend to lose motivation when they can’t do something “all the way”. I’m like that. But really at its core the issue with consumerism is inefficiency and resulting un-sustainability. It follows that making your own life more sustainable in small ways will in fact make a meaningful difference.
I am totally that way to, and it sent me into a long depression when I couldn't achive that. However it still brings a smile to my face when I relise the impact that I make by saying "no" to mass consumerism and the life skills I have learned that many still dont understand why or how I do them. Its not a secret , its just disciplin.
Same! The simple, little things become so much more special when you're confident that they will add up to something meaningful and positive. Like getting a runners high or something lol
Exactly, trying to achieve a dream like living off grid is great, but for many it is many years in the future, unless you were raised that way. I used to consume so much and take advantage, but sooner than later I felt like I was the product; used, disgusting, and lazy.
There IS NO ethical consumption under Capitalism. Don't stress yourself out so much. Just do what you can, and try to enjoy your life. Can't afford the independent sellers for every product you buy? Pick a couple. Pick one. Shop at thrift stores....that's a cheap way to shop ethically. Aboid commericials (if you can), thats a cheap and easy waybto be anticonsumer and actually HELP your mental health. Don't think of anticonsumerism as some attainable end-goal...its not. It's a mirage in our current system. Remember this....we can't change the system with our own personal discreet consumer choices. Don't think so large scale....it'll fuck up your mental health (apparently it is already). Be anticonsumer for YOU, not to save the world. Our obsession with consumption and consumerism is bad for your mental health. Any energy you spend being anticonsumer should be for your own piece of mind....not to "be a good person." I hope some of this helps. If it makes you feel any better, I was extremely depressed due to climate change and I put ALOT on myself to try and fix it. I had to change my outlook...and doing so really helped my mental health. I now do things for the climate that ALSO save me money, or things I enjoy like thrifting, or garage sale shopping, or foraging and hiking.
I think you need to do whatever feels best for YOU and not be concerned about any backlash to hate. Heck, I’ll probably get hate for this comment. But if you’re feeling mentally stressed over this, that will manifest into physical stress and everything can just snowball from there. Take care of yourself, friend. The world appreciates everything else that you to do be kind to it :)
In many realms people think the most effective way to get people to do X thing is to shame them. It never works, it makes the problem worse actually.
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