Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Bargain Prices

Writing When Rivers Burned: The Earth Day Story transformed my thinking in a number of ways.
I recently found a sweater on sale--great styling at a bargain price.
But after the initial joy of purchasing it, I got to thinking. The sweater didn't cost me much, but how much did it cost the environment?
It cost vegetation in feeding the sheep for its wool. It cost petroleum in manufacturing the synthetic component of the yarn. It cost energy in spinning the yarn. Someone had to sew it. What were conditions like in that factory? Then it was shipped here from China, unloaded at the docks, and sent through the mail to me.
Did I really need a sweater that cost so much?

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