Global Warming: Don't Buy It |
I get a little overprotective when I think someone is trying to take advantage of my younger sisters. I think some in the enviro-conscious movement are ripping them off -- and me and you -- just because we are women.
Women are the quintessential recyclers. Hand-me-downs, weeding the garden, the starving children in China and collecting pennies for glass bottles and aluminum cans. We encountered these things as kids. These things came from a mother’s consciousness. Even Mrs. Gore must have said: “Waste not want not, Al dear.” And I believe that marketers are aware that women control the destiny of the planet. We keep the home, teach the children, and we are the shoppers. Women are the major purchasers of environmentally kind items.
At my sister Terri’s house I saw her new eco-friendly kitty litter product. The manufacturer assured my sister (and all buyers) on the label that this product was not going to end up in landfills. So where’s it gonna go? My sister replied that it would decompose in the back yard or trash bag and not harm the environment.
New flash: Used kitty litter is a biohazard. We aren’t yet able to convert sewage treatment plants that can take all manner of animal and human wastewater to be retreated and made usable. But I’m sure one bright woman will think of it soon—if she hasn’t already. Carnivore poop, even omnivore poop, contains heavy metals and bacteria that render it a toxic waste.
There are other alarming developments in the green arena, mainly the drive for the green. The price of my sister’s new eco-kitty litter was outrageous. And after reading an article on organic wine, well it seems to me, for some folks it’s all about the money. Organic wine growers will sell less wine, and save the land. But they’ll sell it at higher prices not because they care a wit about sustainable agriculture, but because they’ll edge out all the other wine growers to have a larger share of the market. I’ll buy locally, thank you very much, and support the vineyard owner so she doesn’t have to sell out to land developers.
My warning to all women, do NOT feel guilted into buying something that will “save the planet.” There’s a great info on this very site that can help you sort out the flim from the flam. What we need to do is figure out how much we can do—realistically--to combat or control our consumption of non-recyclable goods. Caveat emptor. |
Bernadette Sukley |
| About the author: |
| Bernadette Sukley has written, edited, fact checked for nearly 20 years. Her topics range from health to sports and lifestyle, from human interest to hard news. Her work has appeared in Men’s Health, Sports Illustrated for Women, and ABROAD magazines. Currently polishing up 3 novels for publication, she welcomes discussions on women and literature.
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