Compassion vs. Consumption

As the holiday season falls upon us, our TV screens light up with loud music and flashing lights, content creators push out thousands of videos a day for holiday trends, stores display colorful and enticing "never seen before" advertisements with mass produced plastic home decor, limited edition and drastic discounts signs left and right--a hypnotic event holding society in a tight grasp. It's no wonder we fall prey to over-consumption so easily when everything seems so colorful and exciting while dancing around the FOMO (fear of missing out) effect. Could a $30 cute, innocent honey bear coffee cup really be so dark and corrupted?

To much disappointment--yes.

Large corporations have been manipulating the markets and trends for years now to gain profit off of our limited capacity for self-awareness and peace of mind. They profit off of that itch to feel involved, that itch to call something "mine", that itch to have more, I need more. They know exactly what trigger words to use and colors to slap onto the screen to get you to click "buy now". You have to buy it now, right? It's limited edition. The position of control they have assumed in our lives is that of a puppeteer and their unbeknown puppet. They make the decision before we even know what we need. Consumed by wants we neglect our needs, the needs of the Earth.

It is no surprise when these mass produced low-quality and unethically sourced material goods end up in Goodwill just three months after the hypnotic wave of trendiness has passed. They were never meant to be something you maintained and kept for good because you're already onto the next highlighted advertisement. Now they sit piled up in your local thrift store or in rotting landfills polluting the Earth and our shared air and water.

Today I am going to share with you some ways we can work together to combat over-consumption with compassionate action to make a difference starting in our own lives.

1) The Triple R

Many of you are probably already familiar with the term or what it breaks down into: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Our first step of order is to REDUCE. What does this mean? In a world wired to constantly want more, we take a step back and want less. We bring awareness to our purchases to no longer impulse buy and put intention into what we are consuming. Do I need more clothes? Do I need these trending mugs? Do I need more bags? Let that item sit in your cart for a week and see how you feel. Sometimes these desires are only momentary or we realize that we already have enough. This is not to say you cannot have any collections or treat yourselves, but do it within the realms of moderation and awareness. Reduce your consumption in the first place and you are already reducing pollution of the Earth, your mind, and your environment.

The next step is to REUSE. Now that you have these belongings, you want to make them last. If you can't imagine yourself keeping said belonging for many years or even your entire life, do you really need it? Maybe you are trying to fill a void inside with this short-term burst of pleasure. When I buy new clothes, I make sure I am purchasing something that truly uplifts me that I'll want to continue to wear for the indefinite future. But what if that shirt gets stained or torn beyond repair, or maybe I've had a change of heart and it truly doesn't suit me anymore? Things happen! Our first instinct may be to just toss it in the garbage, but that only throws it right back out into the never-ending cycle. Old shirts? New cleaning rags! Chipped mug? Toothbrush holder! There are many creative ways for us to reuse old and forgotten belongings. If you really can't come up with something, donate to local charities for people who may need it more than you or ask a friend and neighbor if they're interested in taking some items off your hands. One mans trash is another mans treasure!

Finally time to RECYCLE. Similar to finding new purpose, recycling is the act of taking our trash (commonly plastic, glass, cans, and paper) and breaking it down to build it back up into new usable material. Instead of throwing those empty cans and plastic packaging into the trash to go sit in a landfill, put it in your recycling bin to help keep it in the transit of sustainability. Do your research to make sure what you're tossing is in fact recyclable (sometimes labels can be misleading!) and if there is any food and grimy residue to thoroughly clean it beforehand.

2) Support Local & Small Businesses

Those large corporations have everything you need 24/7 on your doorstep instantly and for way cheap! Awfully convenient and awfully unethical. Many--if not all--large corporations use methods such as lack of transparency, child labor, slavery, environmental & animal harm, fast fashion & mass production to continuously fill their pockets with money at an insane rate with little care for the damage they're inflicting. Instead of shoveling all of our money to businesses like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Fast Food Chains, etc, we can take the extra step to support our local & small businesses. Visit your weekly farmer's market to buy fresh and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables or buy some pottery and a new high-quality shirt from the hardworking artists. Not only will you obtain delicious and lasting items sourced from your region without harvesting out of vulnerable countries, but you'll make nourishing connections with your community! But sometimes it can be expensive to only support small businesses and it's a privilege to be able to in this economic crisis we live in. Their hard work and time is taken into account for pricing unlike these corporations who can lowball and push out products instantaneously due to unethical means. When you have the capacity though, know your money is going towards a better future and a better now. Don't feel guilty or have unrealistic standards on your ability to meet your needs. Sometimes there are no other choices with our current financial capacity and regional resources than to purchase from these larger corporations, and that's okay. Save those purchases for the items you genuinely can't find anywhere else and need in your life. Opt in to saving up your money longer for that more expensive but high-quality and independently made good rather than buying more than you need low-quality cheaply and unethically made goods.

3) Buy, Buy, Buy Thrift, Thrift, Thrift!

"I want to support my local businesses or buy from independent artists, but it's just too expensive to rely on!" And I completely understand. While I would love to always turn to these businesses, with my financial situation I don't always have that privilege, but there are still other resources to help us meet our wants and needs without having to turn to fast fashion. Thrift stores and establishments such as Goodwill maintain an environment where you can find secondhand (or even new) clothing for much cheaper than their wholesale price. Majority of my own clothing comes from secondhand stores (online and in-person). There is a common misconception and stigma that the clothing is "dirty" and "wont last", but these ideas have been conditioned into us through the lenses of corporations that convinced us we need new new new. Wash the clothing, make them last by choosing items that are in good shape and up your alley. Don't have a thrift store near you? There are online platforms such as Depop or Ebay to get secondhand items and clothing for cheap. I've gotten some lovely clothing pieces off on Depop and sold many of my own items there! This is not to say that these establishments are perfect themselves. There have been many cases of them raising prices to meet the demand and taking away from the essence of what they once were, but in comparison to the general market, still a stark difference! It can be tempting to bulk buy when met with such enticing prices, but remember REDUCE and leave clothing for others in need.

4) Educate Yourself

While some remain blind in the face of awareness, many of us are victims of misinformation and lack of education on the topics of sustainability and over-consumption. I wholeheartedly believe that if more of mainstream society was informed on the impacts of their consumption and how to make positive change, it would make a big difference. It's hard to hide behind selfish desires when so much of the truth has leaked through. Stay informed and take the initiative to educate yourself on the state of the Earth, sustainability, and the economy, taking responsibility to fact check and hear from multiple sources. Sometimes it's hard to read long articles like the one I'm writing now, but there are other methods such as documentaries, dialogue between people, and in-person events and conventions. I personally enjoy a good documentary such as Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy that takes a deeper look into over-consumption and how corporations are manipulating the markets.

5) Self-Sufficiency (Living Off the Land)

Through a bit of research and experimentation, one can become proficient in "living off the land" or "self-sufficiency". This may look different for each person as the level of commitment is certainly a spectrum. Self-sufficiency helps remove yourself from the cycle by taking measures into your own hands. Cutting out the middle man and big corporations allows you to know exactly where your resources are coming from, minimizes dependency, and saves a lot of money in the long run. The Earth has given us everything we need since the very beginning, she is there to support and nourish us. This may look like building an outside or countertop garden, foraging berries and herbs, preserving your food through freezing, dehydrating, and canning, learning how to cook rather than relying on microwave meals and going out to eat all the time, composting your leftovers, air drying your clothing outside, collecting rainwater, installing solar panels, and ultimately DIY (doing it you yourself!). Not all of these are options for the everyday citizen, but it's not about completely removing yourself from the system but rather finding ways that work for your lifestyle to minimize your impact and minimize reliance on big corporations for all your needs.

6) Touch Your Roots

Bringing awareness to our ancestral roots and where we have come from as a human race can bring many insights into our culture and lifestyle as both an individual and collective community. We can see that going every generation back the human population lived with less and less "stuff" and yet people were able to live bright, fulfilling lives. Our ancestors had a stronger connection with the Earth through both necessity and recognition of her bountiful gifts. Through the uprising of technology and the industrial revolution, humanity has been growing at a rapid pace that is overheating the planet and our markets. For most of us, we have lost our values of living off the land and living off of less. That is not to overshadow the hardships of our ancestors who fought many obstacles without the wonderful blessings we have today such as modern medicine. Having "stuff" is not the issue, it's the rate in which we consume and the dependency on external items to bring us happiness. Media has taught us that we need to be surrounded by all the new technologies, toys, furniture, clothing, movies at a constant rate to be happy and stay up to date with society. Beautiful cultures based around community and living off the land often get watered down through modern influences and expectations. When we get in touch with those who came before us, we can realize that our happiness does not depend on external conditions and we can live a fulfilling life with less, allowing more space in our lives both mentally and physically. Let's work together to build lasting connections with our loved ones through quality time and shared experiences.

7) Investigative Meditation

Why do we feel the need to over-consume in the first place? Often times there are knots within us, balls of unconfronted suffering that we avoid, repress, and run from. Many people can account at least a distant feeling of something missing or a void inside when faced with silence. It's uncomfortable and scary. Instead of creating space to look deeply within, we grasp at the external to fill those holes because it's comfortable and we don't have to face that rooted pain. When we are in a constant state of consuming there is no time for the knots to make themselves known, and so we don't have to face the unknown and unbearable. While this may seem like a short-term resolution, those knots do not go away on their own and they will relentlessly continue to bubble to the surface. The first step to untangling these knots is through bare recognition. Bringing awareness to the fact that the knots exist without judgement--"this is a knot"--no need to attach a story to them. We are no longer running when we raise awareness. It's going to be uncomfortable, it's going to be scary, and we're going to be met with a lot of uncertainty. Putting in the work to create space and look inside, meditating and contemplating on where these feelings of emptiness and longing for more come from, will lead to the knots beginning to untangle. Within the process of untangling will come newfound satisfaction and true happiness as you touch inner peace, shining a light on your suffering. When we are truly content inside, we won't feel the need to over-consume to hide from the darkness. Now this is easier said than done. Depending on how deeply rooted our knots are, some may come apart easily and others may take years. In many cases it may take multiple hands to undo the knot. Taking refuge in a community who can support your journey of healing will create a safe-space with boundless energy to lift you up in your times of hardship. We are stronger together.

There are a multitude of options for taking a step back and consuming less in order to preserve our peace of mind and the peace on Earth. This list is only some of many! It can seem overwhelming and uncomfortable at first, but when that space is created it feels like a weight lifted off our shoulders. Take baby steps, find methods that work the best for your lifestyle and don't get caught up in the fine details and having to be "perfect". There is no such thing as perfectly ethical in an unethical society. More damage can be done if we beat ourselves up for not "doing enough" when all of our lives are full of unique experiences and access to resources. There is no one simple answer, no one-size-fit-all solution. You are enough.

Smile & Be Well

Happy Holidays!

Nanala McMillan

New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia