Green

Un-shopping:

• Before buying anything, ask yourself:
• Do I really need and want this?
• Can I get by without it?
• Is it made from renewable or nonrenewable resources?
• Is it made of recycled materials and is it recyclable?
• How long will it last and how will I dispose of it?
• Can it be maintained and repaired?
• Could I borrow it, rent it, or buy it secondhand?
• Is it overpackaged?
• Is it worth the time I worked to pay for it and its cost to the environment?

Good Reading on How to Shop Well:

• Berthold-Bond, Ann.  Clean and Green, Ceres Press
• Shook, Michael. Mother Nature's Shopping List, Citadel Press
• Steinman, David, and Samuel Epstein. The Safe Shopper's Bible, MacMillan
• Steinman, David, and Michael Wisner. Living Healthy in a Toxic World, Perigree Books
• American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network, US Dept. of Energy

Committee on Education and the Workforce reports on Wal-Mart