An Arbor Day Reflection – Using My Purchasing Power to Protect the Planet

The kids are coming this weekend and I need to get out shopping.  Its been a tough week and, honestly, the last thing I want to do is shop.  In fact, I have taken to buying more online lately, not just for convenience sake, but also because of the wider selection of products I can choose from.  And these days, convenience seems to be everything, right? 

But the little voice inside my head always nudges me to shop local first and patronize the independent merchants whenever possible.  See, I’m like most consumers, I want the best price, to choose the best product from the largest selection, and still appease that part of my conscience that tells me to do the right thing.  I’ve always held the opinion that, while many things are out of my control, what I purchase, how I purchase, what I bring into my home, and put into my body, are made up of the choices that I make.   I want those choices to align with my value system for good health and what’s important to me.  And what’s important to me?   My children, grandchildren and their future here on Mother Earth. My family’s future is enough to keep me up at night. And it’s important enough to me to make me stop and shop more wisely and take the time to investigate the products I am looking to purchase. 

Social media sees to it that we are inundated with a lot of different claims, and sometimes it’s difficult to maneuver through the claims and know what’s factual.  We all know that saying it, or reading it, doesn’t necessarily make it so.  So, I do my research and work to make responsible choices and lead by example.  I take my own bottle with me instead of adding another plastic container to the landfills.  I recycle. I try to buy second-hand.  I shop supermarkets that offer organic options.  But there's one label that has made my decision making easier, the Forest Stewardship Council^® (FSC^®) label . My research has told me that FSC’s existence is to assure me that these products and manufacturers are adhering to the standards that are important to me.  Whether its paper goods, lumber products, furniture or household goods, I don’t have to second guess and that appeases the little nudging voice inside my head.

I’m from a small town, and FSC choices aren’t always available to me.  I ask, and if not available, I reach further.   But the more I ask and consistently purchase locally, the more the retailers adhere to consumer demands.  I’m not going to wait for the politicians, I am going to effect change where I live, and for whom I love.  I do what I can and what is within my own reach.  It’s not a noisy and pushy campaign, but rather a quiet and personal selection.  I’m far from perfect.  I don’t drive an electric car, I don’t have solar panels on my house. But each day, I will continue to do my best within my means to make choices and buy products that work in harmony with the Earth.  Because if everyone does, things change.  And that’s a fact.