Friday, December 31, 2010

Getting ready for our journey

It's New Years Eve 2010 and have spent the better part of the day entertaining children. A trip to the zoo and playing with cars. We have pledged as a family to go an entire year without purchasing anything new. No retail therapy for any of us. My husband wants to save money but my purpose is greater. I want to show how a family of 6, consisting of 4 boys ages 12, 9, 7 and 5, can live without retail. How we as a family can reduce our carbon footprint. I want to teach my boys that every consumer action has a consequence. That every product they buy comes from somewhere and to think about that. Where? By whom? What are the conditions of the workers? How does the product get to store shelves? Those cheap clothes at Walmart are actually made by enslaved workers making 12 cents a day. The freighters that bring the clothes to North America are returned to the country of origin EMPTY! I want to show them that we as a family can reduce our impact and encourage change. By not spending on retail and hopefully influencing others to do the same we can send a message to Mega Corp America that we will not tolerate people to be used and abused for our $5 pair of jeans. And we will not tolerate empty freighters polluting our oceans. So, we take the challenge! We have a few exceptions to the rule...bought new will be food, medications, undergarments and shoes for the boys if alternatives cannot be found. I hope to make an impression on my children to not take for granted the life we have. To appreciate the little things. To value people instead of things.

Wish us luck!

Susan