Dear Editor,
I want to commend “Connie Conservationist” for her recent letter — Let’s Stop Being a Consumer Nation —thoughtful, sincere, and rooted in the kind of practical patriotism that built this country.
The challenges she raises—rising waste, global overconsumption, the slow erosion of stewardship— are real. But so, too, is the opportunity before us. We can choose to live more responsibly, more locally, and more in line with the values many of us were raised on: thrift, care, and respect for the land and for each other.
My wife and I always believed in doing our part— turning off the lights, buying what we needed and not much more, and taking time to thank the local farmers who show up to local farmer’s markets in the early morning hours to keep us all well fed. These aren’t grand gestures, but small ones that add up to something meaningful. That’s the spirit I saw in Connie’s letter.
Greenwich is a special place. We have the resources to lead by example, to show our kids what it means to buy with intention and to live with restraint. We don’t need to preach. We just need to live our values, day by day.
Today, the biggest export from the United States seems to be the almighty American Dollar.
I agree that we need to stop being a consumer nation… buying and buying and buying cheap products from other countries that have no respect for the environment or human work. Cheap products made inexpensive on the backs of slave labor (yes that is still a thing in many countries) and environmental waste is never worth it.
Especially here we can afford to buy products that cost more and last longer. It is an investment in our wardrobes and our future. It will last you longer and support someone real that shares our values.
And if you cannot afford it, pick up a bargain at one of our local thrift stores!
With respect,
A Grateful Citizen and Thrifty Shopper
