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Do May’s Green Thing. Stick with what you've got.
That touch screen phone in pink titanium. The sweatshirt that anyone who's anyone is wearing. The laptop that's a whole 3mm thinner than the last one.
We're all guilty of buying things we crave but don't really need. And so this month, Green Thing asks you to Stick With What You Got.
Buying too much stuff puts an insane strain on the environment. It's a waste of the raw materials used to make them as well as the fossil fuels used to produce and transport them. And with peer pressure and ad pressure telling us we're inadequate until we get the latest thing, it puts a strain on our happiness too.
So let's stick not twist. Let's value what we have. The laptop you've got may not fit into an envelope – but it won't be accidently posted either.
PS every time you Stick With What You've Got, remember to come back and tell us so we can add up all the CO2 that you and the Green Thing community has saved.
Things to help you stick with what you've got
Hidden persuaders? Hidden and dirty. Take a look at the low-down tricks that admen try try try to make you buy buy buy.
New phone, new chin, new nose. Why do we always want something better? This non-stop explanation has a beginning but no end, a bit like consumer desire.
If you really can't resist a Macbook Air, you can offset your guilt and buy the special Green Thing edition. Or at least you can try to.
Call it a gallery of conscientious non-consumerism, call it a web page with some pictures. Click, upload your pledge and stick to it.
Do you constantly crave the latest or are you happy with what you got? Answer seven questions about life, love and stuff in the great Green Thing Stick Or Twist Self-Assessment test...
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What others have said...
New pair of shoes? Nah, the old ones don't have holes in them yet!
I keep using my Sony MD Walkman MZN505 (bought in 2002) and have NOT upgraded to an MP3 player even though I can afford to. "Money is no licence to irresponsibility". - Rajib GanChaudhuri.
I too bought a 2nd hand bike! Here in Sydney, we're going to buy two bikes for staff members to use for short to visit clients
I sold my car and bought a second hand bike at a car boot sale. I'm feeling very smug and am looking forward to thinner legs for summer! x
sticking with my 1st generation iPod too, Pippin!
Sticking with my 1st generation iPod
I'm sticking with the hand-me downs: boyfriends old mobile, and old laptop that used to sit in someone's office once and my own old analog camera from 8 years or so ago. I'd love to have a Digital Camera and a new laptop with loads more storage space in it but apart from trying to do the green thing I also can't really afford it. Meeh.
vintage mp3 = super vintage tunes!
i'm sticking with my old vw camper 'cos it's sooo cool
Macbook - nice one.
Hi rawling, try hitting the buy button and all shall become clear ;-)
Seriously? I had no idea that there IS a macshmac or whatever, and now that I know, the option of buying it from/through you, seems iffy. Did I miss anything? Like a major sarcasm or sth?
I'm sticking with my Nokia 6100 (circa 2002) because all I need a phone for is texting and phoning. It does both quite nicely thank you very much.
I'm sticking with my first generation iPod because it's a hefty classic.
I'm sticking with my 2CV cos it's the coolest car (specially now it's sunny)