STONE SOUP: Lifestyle

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:52:31 GMT

Because I was trying to win the weekly Helium contest. I wrote a fistful of articles about the New Year. If you want to find out how to inject romance into your celebrations, or what time the pubs stop being child-friendly in Dublin, Ireland, the scoop is right here.

My favourite in the lot is

http://www.helium.com/tm/758681/seven-years-resolutions-windowmaking

Not that anyone needs advice about how to break resolutions, but it was fun to write.

The Emperor's Old Clothes

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:25:28 GMT

http://www.checkerspotmagazine.ca/EN/issues/fw07/eco-clothing.asp

What we wear is a much bigger environmental issue than I realized. In California alone, nearly seven million pounds of chemicals are applied annually to cotton crops. One-third of a pound of chemicals goes into producing a single cotton T-shirt. The environmental devastation doesn't stop there. Over 90 per cent of North American clothing is produced overseas, requiring the burning of fuel for transport.

We can reduce environmental damage generated by the production of our clothing. Buy eco-friendly; buy less; buy used. Mix, match and re-purpose what is already in the closet. Barter, borrow, re-model. If every Canadian bought one used cotton t-shirt a year, it would reduce agricultural chemical use by five million kilgrams.

I wonder -- could I make it through 2008 without buying any new clothing at all? That's an intriguing challenge.

Suppose we all took the pledge. Our planet would breathe easier.

But what about our economy? Can you imagine all those retail clothing stores with no business? The textile workers without jobs? The farmers without buyers for their textile crops? The transportation providers with no cargos?

Consumerism needs to be dismantled. But, as with many issues, evolution is better than revolution.

Nonetheless, I think it's safe enough for me to try the no-new-clothing project. I haven't purchased make-up since 1999, but the cosmetics industry is still thriving.

Living Within Your Means

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:19:06 GMT

http://finance.sympatico.msn.ca/SavingsDebt/Insight/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=5753467

I love this article!!! Not only is the author living within her means, she is taking responsibility for her choices without whining. She is also generating material for a potential best-seller. The struggles of today may turn out to be the "good old days" of tomorrow.

Frugality doesn't have to be a burden. It can be a potential adventure. Inventing creative solutions to meet our needs is much more exciting than using a credit card.