Spending

A few years ago I read about something called The Compact.  Participants pledge to not buy anything new for a year except for food, underwear, and health and safety items.  While I haven't jumped on that bandwagon, it did make me start to think about how many items we buy new when a perfectly good (and sometimes even better quality) used item is available.

Fast forward to not too long ago, I came across an article about children being forced to work as slaves to harvest cocoa beans.  And later I discovered issues of human exploitation related to many products we buy including bananas, coffee, sugar, and cotton--not to mention child sweat shops we've heard about over and over again.

Such knowledge necessitates change lest the haunting reality of our own enjoyment on the backs of others' suffering begins to eat away at our souls.  

Or maybe it just turns to numb indifference.

I am not even going to begin to debate world economics.  I realize that standards of living our different in other countries.  I also understand that what is a fair wage here needs to be translated into what is a fair wage in other countries.  Yes, I've also heard the every country must go through it's own Industrial Revolution.  My concern with that argument is that one is assuming that all things (trade, funneling of profits, etc.) in these other countries is the same or similar to that of the U.S. during it's Industrial Revolution.  I don't know that to be the case.

This is what I know.  I can't go shopping just for fun anymore.  I don't wander the aisles of Target to find something I might "need" that I didn't even know existed before I walked in the store.  I want to know where my purchases came from.  And I don't want to support human slavery with my dollars.

I am definitely not saying this is an easy pill to swallow.  It has taken some working out what we believe and how to actually implement our beliefs, and sometimes there isn't a really good option.  

These are some practical ways our family tries to be conscientious consumers that may help you as well:

1. Reduce purchases overall.  Do we really need it? Can we borrow it?  Do we have something else we can use instead?

2. Look for it used.  (There are certain items like underwear and tennis shoes that I will not buy used. I also look for things that are in good condition or can be easily fixed.)

3. Look for it from an ethical source or local vendor.  My husband and I debated on the preference of used over responsible or known merchant.  Practically speaking, a lot of the more socially responsible companies are more expensive.  That being the case buying used in combination with buying from an ethical source for the items we either can't find or don't want to buy used works out better for our pocket book. (betterworldshopper.org is a good resource for finding out how companies rate on social and environmental practices.)

4. Do what you can.  If we've gone through the previous options and haven't found what we need then we buy from a less desirable source.

Maybe it seems odd to refer to "beliefs" in light of spending.  God calls us to serve Him and love Him in everything we do.  And our life choices--all of them--should be a reflection of His love in us.  

What is God calling you to do?