ediblewoman's blog

Happy Resale Month, everyone! This is day 110 since I took The Pledge to buy nothing new (except consumables like toothpaste and toilet paper) for the next year. It has been more difficult than I imagined. The biggest struggle I have is, is it more important to not purchase anything new, or is it more important to be aware of environmental impact?  Read More »

A week or so before my partner and I began our quest to buy nothing new for one year, we found a bicycle outside our door. It had obviously been stolen or abandoned some time ago, as it was quite rusty. But this was no ordinary bike, and my partner saw its potential right away. She brought it in the house and posted found notices on craigslist and in nearby bike shops. No one claimed it.  Read More »

The contest is winding down. I have a presentation to give to my Thursday class and I have a ten lesson unit plan on Minnesota history to turn in that day. I leave town for Chicago Pride and a wedding on Friday. So this is my chance to say goodbye to this semester's contest and to reflect on everything I've learned these past few months.  Read More »

I've decided that I was being way too strict in my self-imposed guidelines on the purchase of consumables. The Pact, on which this endeavor to buy nothing new is based, allows for the purchase of consumables like toothpaste and toothbrushes. I think my goal where toiletries and the like are concerned will be to buy as ethically as possible.  Read More »

My neighbor always says, “If you don’t know Spanish already, you’d better learn it, because the Latinos saved Phillips; we owe them that much.” In the 1990’s, a wave of immigration increased the Hispanic population of the Phillip’s neighborhood by over 500% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Today, once vacant Lake Street retail space is occupied by Latino-owned businesses.  Read More »

It's day four of buying nothing new, and already I have run into trouble. There are just so many things I buy without thinking about it! Most of these have to do with personal hygiene, which might be considered a necessity along the lines of food, but I'm torn. The one that really trips me up is razors. One cannot buy used razors.  Read More »

I am pledging right here, right now that I will buy nothing new for the next year. I just watched a film called The Story of Stuff and it has cemented my conviction that consumerism is among the worst problems the world faces. If we don’t experience a major paradigm shift soon, we will hasten our demise.  Read More »

Banner day at work today. I watched porn with my boss.  Read More »