Green Consumption

Greed in The Name of Green
Monica Hesse, Washington Post
http://tinyurl.com/2v9kwp "Congregation of the Church of the Holy Organic, let us buy."

A well written, scathing commentary on the trend towards "green consumerism." A trend of the affluent buying public that thinks in all seriousness we can buy our way to greater environmental consciousness.

Companies of all kinds attempt to produce "greener" goods by embracing sustainable and organic materials of all kinds; lovingly made by hand from people paid fair wages and working in nice working conditions. All these people should be applauded for their efforts, we need more effort like this. However, before getting rid of your current -insert consumer good here- we must ask simply, "do I, or we, need it?"
What's wrong with your current furniture, clothing, etc? Even something made from 100% renewable, non-toxic materials still requires use of energy and resources to construct and transport from source (hemp field, FSC timber field, etc.) to factory or craft-shop, to a distributor, or direct to your house. Your old things have already been paid for and manufactured. If they're still wearable, functional etc. It is much greener to keep using them, rather than buy replacements labeled green. Also saves green ($$$).

If you need to replace things, and get new ones, by all means choose the greener option, sure you're paying more, but you're doing more, you're subsidizing a more socially responsible way of producing goods and services; averting dumping of chemicals into the environment; supporting the economy of the people that made the item and other goodly things.
Be a wise consumer, who knows their limits, and when it's time to decline. Many of the greenest goods are some you already have.