Can We Get That Another Way?
Six words for rethinking what we want to buy.
I think I'm one of the few people in my town who does not own a ring light. I think this because I was considering buying one for an upcoming day of Zoom interviews but decided to text a couple of people first to see if I could borrow one. Within five minutes, I secured two and some unsolicited, although appreciated, tips on wardrobe, makeup, and background.
Before my daughter entered real school and I started a job that requires somewhat regular hours, I had all sorts of ideas about making conscientious purchasing decisions. I could count on one hand the number of toys I had bought for my child before she turned 3. Once school and work became more structured, I quickly realized how challenging it is to live my values around consumerism and get us through the days. It's easy to click add to cart at any hour and have whatever item we need or, really I think we need, arrive at our door a few days later. It's not impossible, though.
I usually run household errands like grocery shopping on Fridays, but in preparation for a 24-hour buying blackout organized for today, Friday, February 28, here in the U.S., I did my shopping earlier in the week. The buying blackout is the first of several planned economic boycotts organized by activists aiming to showcase everyday people's financial power. Consumers are being asked to avoid spending any money on fast food and gas or making purchases at major retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Target. Exceptions can be made for purchasing necessary goods such as food, medicine, or emergency supplies. Purchases, preferably with cash, at small, local businesses are fine.
A second consumer blackout is planned for Friday, April 18, with additional brand specific boycotts planned over the next several months, including:
Amazon: March 7-14
Nestle: March 21-28
Walmart: April 7-14
General Mills: April 21-28
Boycotts were a powerful tool during the Civil Rights Movement, but honestly, I'm a little skeptical of them in 2025. I just don’t think politicians will care until voted out. Still, I think it's worth participating in—it can be cathartic and make you, if only briefly, feel powerful—but more than that, they can be a starting point for reconsidering how we regularly shop and its impact.
We consume, for instance, 400% more clothing today than 20 years ago. The pollution required to make those clothes is devastating, and so often, they end up quickly in the trash. In the United States alone, more than 11 million tons of textile waste ended up in landfills in 2018. Then there are the toys. Worldwide, toys make up about 6 percent of all landfill plastics. Some 60 million Barbie dolls are sold each year, contributing the emissions equivalent to burning 381 million gallons of gasoline.
My child is at an age where she is full of material wants. A camera another kid has (she has one, but hers doesn't have cats on it), the crayons that draw in your hair, the sticker at the bookstore. You get the idea. All parents have tricks for not buying their kids things when shopping, but my go-to lately has been this: "Can we get that another way."
It forces her to practice her problem-solving skills, think about how much she wants something, and ultimately consume less. I can tell it's making a difference in how she thinks about toys and clothes. In November, we took part in a local toy swap where you bring gently used toys, and you can pick a new to you used toy. She loved it and now asks when we can do it again. We gave away a couple of toys she had outgrown recently, and she wanted to make sure I wasn't just throwing them away. That we were finding another kid who would use them. The questions made me feel like I was winning at life, if only for the day. I don't want my child to feel guilty about wanting things, but I do want to normalize being intentional about what we buy, and to first borrow, or buy used.
Here are some other ways to rethink your purchasing this year.
Let it simmer. Anytime you you're thinking about buying a non-essential purchase, don't just buy it. Instead, give it a week. Do you still want it? Is your child still asking for it?
Consider your options. If it's been a few days and you still think your kid needs that toy, or you still need that ring light, ask yourself: How else can I get it? Can you ask a friend or neighbor? Can you borrow it for a few days to see if you really even use it? You may have to step out of your comfort zone a bit to do this (I did) but I’ve found most people are not only willing to let me borrow something but that they like to help, and it’s one more way to build or strengthen community.
Utilize your local library. Libraries are magic. There are books to borrow, but also, depending on yours, puzzles, games, artwork, and even seeds to take. This feels like a good place to mention if you want to support my new book you could ask your local library to stock it.
Buy nothing groups. Admittedly, the buy-nothing groups sometimes scare me. There are a lot of rules. But I have found them helpful in giving away toys and some clothes.
Buy used. Local thrift stores, if you have them, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Mercari, and other online sites are often great places to find high-quality used items at a lower price.
Shop local. When you need to buy something new try to get it from a local business, where your purchase helps support the local economy, not billionaire CEOs.
See if the brands you're purchasing align with your values. When buying something new, Goods Unite Us lets you search brands and see if they donated to politicians and causes you support (or don't).
How are you approaching purchasing in 2025?
P.S. Here are a few things that I've been working on:
Published: Why Are Restaurants Selling Beef From Dairy Cows? for Modern Farmer and A Beginner's Guide to Gardening with Native Plants for Azure Road. I also spoke with Sonalie Figueiras of Green Queen, about my book PARENTING IN A CLIMATE CRISIS. And this lovely review in Publisher’s Weekly dropped yesterday.
Working: On a story about dark sky reserves for Azure Road.