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Christmas waste

PearlyPearly Posts: 345 The Mix Regular
Oooh I love a good rant! Normally I'm the one editing and searching for ranters, but as it's the end of the year I thought it was about time I was let loose on the rants page.

I swear I love Christmas, but my conscience is getting the better of me and next year I will definitely make an effort to be more ethical about my gifts!

Christmas waste....

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    For anybody interested in "ethical shopping"

    Ecotopia
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Pearly wrote:
    Oooh I love a good rant! Normally I'm the one editing and searching for ranters, but as it's the end of the year I thought it was about time I was let loose on the rants page.

    I swear I love Christmas, but my conscience is getting the better of me and next year I will definitely make an effort to be more ethical about my gifts!

    Christmas waste....
    How consumerist Christmas is really bugs me and of course the waste. This year I'm only gving 4 presents and I'm not giving cards, I don't like it.

    To be honest for a few years I haven't been arsed with Christmas, but then it's the only time my Mum, my brother and my stepfather and I are under the same roof. So it's nice to forget about the job, uni work and other things to have a meal together and play scrabble.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    How consumerist Christmas is really bugs me and of course the waste. This year I'm only gving 4 presents and I'm not giving cards, I don't like it.

    To be honest for a few years I haven't been arsed with Christmas, but then it's the only time my Mum, my brother and my stepfather and I are under the same roof. So it's nice to forget about the job, uni work and other things to have a meal together and play scrabble.

    consumerism + family + presents = christmas
    religion never gets a look in nowedays. christmas being jesus' birthday and all that... i'm just saying
    tho' i do think all people should be ethical consumers tbh. i am. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm in agreement. I love Christmas but I also hate all the waste and consumerism. This year I've bought lots of presents from brochures from places such as Amnesty International, Oxfam and Natural Collection (my daddy works for the latter). All my friends are getting one gift each from one of those brochures (for example, one friend is getting a scarf which has been ethically produced, and another some cute paper made from elephant dung!) and I'm baking them all some Christmas cookies. Same goes for parents. I even got wrapping paper made from recycled paper. Go me! I know I could do more though, so I hope to me more organised next year.

    I'm an HMRC Local Environment Officer so I've got to practice what I preach both inside and outside of work. It can be pretty expensive though!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    otter wrote:
    consumerism + family + presents = christmas
    religion never gets a look in nowedays. christmas being jesus' birthday and all that... i'm just saying
    tho' i do think all people should be ethical consumers tbh. i am. :)
    Yes, but to be honest, it is near enough impossible to be an 'ethical consumer' unless you buy everything locally.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ugh I read these articles and I feel so bad.

    I hate the fact that I drive around and bitch and moan to my OH about how many poor people (and kids) are dying in the world and we spend like hundreds on clothes or fancy cars, LCD TV's etc.

    It's fucking advertising that's to blame, they make me think I want/need it.. wasn't it some relation to Freud that started all this full blown advertising stuff off in the 20th century?

    I wish I could stop, but I don't see how I can stop entirely, I love buying my kid presents (and he's only 2) and the pressure as a parent to help your child 'fit in' I imagine is immense when they get to school... arg!

    PS. Writer of that article looks hot. ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes, but to be honest, it is near enough impossible to be an 'ethical consumer' unless you buy everything locally.

    being an ethical consumer means having an awareness in where your goods come from / how they were produced / etc etc etc and it means ensuring you are not paying for exploitation of people or resources when buying the end product. it is a difficult concept to define, and although consumers can do their best when buying goods or services nothing is entirely perfect.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    otter wrote:
    being an ethical consumer means having an awareness in where your goods come from / how they were produced / etc etc etc and it means ensuring you are not paying for exploitation of people or resources when buying the end product. it is a difficult concept to define, and although consumers can do their best when buying goods or services nothing is entirely perfect.

    I try to buy ethically... But in the end, I personally believe that the most ethical way to buy is actually to go local. For example, with food. Buy from local organic sources, fruit and vegetables that are in season (I personally don't believe any meat is ethical unless it is from the wild or roadkill).

    I think Fairtrade should be supported too, but I've heard that Fairtrade clothing, whilst the cotton is Fairtrade the stitching is likely to be done in a sweatshop.

    What is "ethical" is down to the indivdual too.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I got a goat last year and it was the nicest present I got

    (not for me, for someone in africa)
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