I’ve obviously contemplated this a bit. I personally don’t buy very much, but I sell things.
Most of my wares are electronic and are educational tools to assist consumers to, in fact, consume less and, importantly, waste less.
I sell printed books, too. How do I sit with that? Quite well. Books are not disposable. They’re shareable (indeed, my books have been the most requested in Australian libraries for several years running). And if they’re written mindfully (as I like to think mine are), then they will be consumed mindfully.
I also sell a range of bake-at-home products and cooking basics at supermarkets. How does this sit for me? Comfortably, too. You can read more here about the principles I adhered to in producing such a range.
I was propelled to this train of reflection after reading a profile of Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard. The outdoor gear creator is anti-consumption, pro-environment, too. But he weaves an interesting path through it all. What do you think of these observations?
* A few years back, Patagonia blatantly discouraged their customers from buying their products. They had an ad campaign that read “Don’t Buy This Jacket”, advising people, “Don’t buy what you don’t need”.
* Their “Well Worn” campaign published 40 free repair guides for popular items in late 2015 (just before Black