Shopping to (literally) help save the world

Allison Linn Senior writer • Profile • E-mail

Here’s the type of conundrum that Wendy Richardson often finds herself debating: If she is three miles from her office and realizes she has forgotten her reusable water bottle, is it more environmentally friendly to drive her Toyota Prius hybrid back to get it, or to walk 100 feet to a convenience store and buy a bottle of water?

Most people wouldn’t even think twice about buying the bottle of water, then tossing it in the trash. But Richardson is the type of person who tries, with everything she does, to literally help save the world.

A barrage of news about rising global temperatures, melting polar ice caps and other potentially disastrous environmental changes has prompted many people to recycle a bit more or consume a bit less.

“We’re seeing mushrooming interest in this, and it’s not just traditional environmentalists as you might think of them,” says Alexandra Kennaugh, who leads the Natural Resources Defense Council’s green lifestyles initiatives. “These aren’t just people who are wearing Birkenstocks and smell like patchouli.”

Some of those people, like Richardson, are taking that commitment to the extreme, trying to incorporate environmentalism into virtually every aspect of their daily lives.

Richardson, who lives in New Jersey with her husband and two kids, drinks her coffee out of a reusable mug, abstains from meat and mostly buys secondhand clothes and toys to reduce her carbon footprint. She favors organic and local food whenever possible and even keeps a garden at the offices of Nerdy Books, where she works as an author and editor. Her family uses only environmentally friendly cleaning products.

She composts waste and is the go-to person in her community for gathering old printers, computers, batteries and other technology-related trash for recycling. When her kids have birthdays, there are no balloons, individual soda cans or goodie bags. If she gives a gift, it’ll be wrapped in newsprint, not commercial wrapping paper.

“We just basically stop before we consume and think,” she says.

With so many major environmental problems to tackle, from pollution-spewing factories in China to disappearing rainforests, it’s easy to question whether one person’s decision to abstain from plastic bags or water bottles can make a difference. But environmental advocates argue that if more people start taking personal action, corporations and governments will follow.

Note: All figures based on a home in Aspen, Colo. Source: Sopris Foundation

“I do think that individuals do make a difference,” says Jonathan Harrington, author of the how-to book “The Climate Diet: How You Can Cut Carbon, Cut Costs and Save the Planet.” “It’s a bit like voting – if no one votes, then the system collapses.”

People who are making a deep green commitment say they at least feel better about themselves and the future.

When she was in high school, Michelle MacKenzie used to donate her babysitting money to environmental groups, and her devotion to saving the planet continued in college. But then she got involved in starting her career and, later, having kids, and “I just kind of forgot about it,” she says.

About a year ago, the stay-at-home mom took her two kids to the library to get some books about Earth Day. As they were reading them, it struck her how little her family was doing to help the planet.

“Literally, the first thing I did was, I went to Whole Foods and got a reusable bag,” she recalls. “It’s so, so small and I felt so empowered.”

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Taking shopping habits to the extreme PART 1 The resurgence of 'pocketbook patriotism' Quiz: Are these brands American? Want to make a difference? Here's how PART 2 Shopping to help save the world Quiz: How eco-savvy are you? PART 3 For frugalists, bargain hunting is a lifestyle Extreme Consumerism Section Front   Add Extreme Consumerism headlines to your news reader: