Durable Goods

If you've ever been to Europe you probably noticed quite a few things that are done differently over there. Some good, some bad depending on your perspective. One thing that I think is a negative quality of many Americans is our obsession with buying cheap stuff. I admit, I'm guilty too.

There are two categories of cheap stuff:
1.) Items bought on a whim with no real value. This includes anything you won't use or look at for more than a month at a time (e.g. most things in the after holiday "sale" bins). I think a lot of buying in this realm is addictive - unfortunately the great US of A seems to have a lot of shopaholics. We all fall prey from time to time, but left unchecked it's a serious problem, just like chemical or sexual addictions. "It was on sale" is not a reason to buy anything...

2.)Useful items of inferior quality. This is a huge problem because we all need certain things to go about our lives. Cars, vacuum cleaners, pens... And please remember - cost should be tied to more than just how much money you'll have to pony up for something. How about the efficiency, the cleanliness (or lack there of), the maintenance costs (again not just money - hassle, time, waste...). We must demand quality products - you can start by doing your homework before you buy.

So please:
-Don't buy things you don't need
-Do your homework before you buy
-Choose to value quality and durability over what's popular or on sale
-Consider all costs, not just monetary ones.

Here's a few companies that fit the bill:
*Apple - after years as a PC guy and TONS of problems I'm happy to say that my Mac has had zero problems in four years and it is more recyclable than other brands!
*Meile - pricey vacuum cleaners, but worth it. They work really well and last forever.
*Austin Air - a top quality stand-alone HEPA filter. I wish there were more American companies like this. Every filter is made start to finish in there factory.
*Vita-Mix - blender that you could probably chip yard waste with. Works great, fantastic warranty.

Community Garden Patch

I'm starting this blog to document my search for a better ways of doing things. The topics will be all over the map, but with a focus on sustainability. It is also my hope that some of the questions I raise will be answered or challenged by you, the reader.

My first "Why Not?" has to do with (sub)urban farming.

Most places I've ever been are drowning in seas of grass. Not only in people's lawns (another post!), but public spaces that are not used for recreation. There are several such places within a mile of my house. This is a waste! These spaces could be used for community gardens - and by community I don't mean 10 square miles - I'm talking a walkable area - an area large enough to encompass several hundred homes.

The way I see it community gardens would:
-bring neighbors together
-increase environmental awareness on local level
-provide quality, nutritious food at reasonable cost
-decrease all of the inputs normally associated with traditionally marketed food (e.g. fuel consumption, packaging, refrigeration, etc.)

So next time you drive 20 minutes to spend $4 on a tomato at Whole Foods you might take a minute to think you can start your own community garden.