one cannot escape, nor should they, the earth's warning signs. 

consumerism is choking our planet -- OUR planet -- and we do have a say about that.

each time we purchase an item, we are endorsing it. "yes, i vote for this item" is what we are saying.

so we need to be mindful of what the item is made of and take it a step further by giving thought to how will it be discarded once we no longer need it. will it biodegrade or will it forever stay in our landfills?

do we really need to purchase cheap plastic patio chairs, or can we use something else instead? do we really need plastic jig-a-ma-bobs that plug into electrical sockets to make our house smell better? is it really necessary to seal electronics in those clear hard plastic encasements that are so hard to open? (i fear that i'll surely cut my hand wide open one day).

consider buying second hand items such as clothes, dishes, and accessories so that less of these will need to be produced, thereby reducing production, thereby reducing pollution, and so on. with so many "things" already in the world, do we really need to manufacture MORE? how about doing with less?

be less of a consumer.