I haven’t been paying much attention to the blog lately. Like, what is the point of blogging about making personal sustainable and ethical moves with (gestures all around) everything happening under this federal administration?
This time around feels worse too. As a woman of color, as someone from an immigrant community who cares about the environment, science, public education, civil rights, and many other things, I feel assaulted by the news every day. And I’m dismayed by all the people who are seemingly fine with authoritarianism.
I’m trying to figure out how to balance work, blogging, personal endeavors, and doing something to resist or at least help other people. Part of resisting is finding joy where we can and taking care of ourselves (which at the moment seems to have translated into eating more pastries, a delicious but not exactly healthy move).
I’ve been calling my reps. And I’ve also used some of my Quince coupons to donate undergarments to a mutual aid group that helps migrants. (Thanks to everyone who has used my referral code.)
For now, I plan to continue blogging on here, though not as frequently. We’ll see. Also, I signed up for a Bluesky account. I remain on Instagram and Threads for the time being, but meh Meta. Cannot be beholden to these social media companies run by CEOs who are kissing the ring. Hell, I’m even contemplating restarting my newsletter (though I don’t love writing newsletters) because at least that’s something I can control.
A Successful No Buy January
I didn’t buy stuff in January. Please clap! Honestly, though, this was not hard for me. I’ve been slowing down my consumption for eight years now, and not buying any clothes or housewares for a month is easy peasy now. (Well, I did buy the plant above, but my rule is that plants don’t count!)
If I want to challenge myself, I should extend the time, so I’ll do just that. Can I do a No Buy Q1? I also remain committed to various boycotts and added a few. (I’m looking at you, Target.)
What I Read on Sustainability
What happens to 50,000 lbs of extra LA wildfire clothing donations? – When the wildfires happened, I saw people in NYC asking how they could donate clothes. And I thought, “Use your common sense! It makes no sense to ship your clothes across the country!” There were plenty of clothes donation locally. Too much, in fact as this story and others report. A surge of donations — and the labor it takes to sort and organize them — can actually impede relief efforts. It’s always best to give cash, if you’re able to, during a crisis.
Really appreciated this pair of articles from The City that demystified how to recycle in NYC. The first one is a guide to how to recycle, including what they take and don’t. And the second story takes you behind the scenes at the recycling plants. NYC says if you’re not sure about something, put it in the recycling bin and let them figure it out. Because if you put it in the trash, it is definitely going to the landfill.
One thing I found very joyful amidst the chaos… you can get a tour of the Brooklyn recycling plant! It’s overwhelming for sure, but it was nice to see that things are getting recycled (it’s for profit) and reused.
Oooh! I would love that. Thanks for the idea.
I’m sorry to hear this but I can totally understand where you’re coming from. I unfollowed many blogs because too many of them remain focused on useless consumerism but I continued to enjoy yours as sustainable and ethical consumption is important to me as well. Like you I’m also WOC from a immigrant community and every day is just so demoralizing now with this current administration. It’s such a struggle to stay sane while also staying informed. I’ve been focused on how to survive all this as my husband and I are also trying to work on an eventual exit plan from this hellscape. It’s really scary how there is no public health in the wake of so many illnesses running amok. I mean who had tuberculosis and measles making a comeback. My main focus as an immune compromised person is to not get sick. I meant to thank/compliment you on your outdoor dining in Philly post btw. We still mask and don’t dine indoors so I really did appreciate it. I’ve decided that I will be resisting by opting out of supporting the economy for the next 4 years and trying to encourage others to do so. I still blog because I want to share resources and tips. I just can’t with SM because of their owners as well as the superficiality of people on there. I get that people don’t want to be negative but some just seem to be living in a different reality. Crazily enough I’m still on Twitter because I belong to a Covid informed group there and get a lot of valuable information. We knew about the dangers of bird flu last year. Not on Bluesky but I will follow you on Threads. Take care of yourself, stay strong and stay well.
Thank you for your kind words. It’s good to hear from someone who feels similarly and who is going through some of the same things, from struggling with balancing sanity/staying informed to being immunocompromised and dealing with health issues. Solidarity!