I’ve officially been a member of The Compact for a little over a year now, since January 1st 2009.
Without a doubt, my two biggest influences during that time were reading The Non-Consumer Advocate daily, and viewing The Story of Stuff.
Katy Wolk-Stanley writes the daily blog The Non-Consumer Advocate, which was a lifesaver for me during the early months. Not only did Katy make it look realistic to live a Compact-y lifestyle, she actually made it look fun. I visit her blog nearly every day, for tips and advice, inspiration, and laughs. She’s a great writer and she walks the walk. Her blog quickly became my favorite and although I now read several blogs, it’s still my favorite.
The Story of Stuff was the other thing that really made me serious about committing to a non-consumer lifestyle. It takes so many issues I’ve been thinking about over the years, and weaves them together into a concise relationship and narrative. For me, just one viewing turned me into a more conscious consumer and made me determined to be on the proactive and positive side of the equation. It’s so eye-opening and inspiring, and it spells it all out in such a simple way. I highly recommend it for anyone on the non-consumer/conscious consumer/sustainable/green path. In an instant I switched from a mindset of giving things up to feeling empowered and no longer at the mercy of advertising and the desire for yet another consumer item.
Are you on a non-consumer journey? What are your influences? Have you experienced an “ah-ha” moment? Please leave your thoughts, ideas, and questions in the Comments section.
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