7 Easy Ways to be Green in High School
We get it. For many high school students, being green isn’t the top priority. Particularly in today’s day and age, there’s so much stress for your average high schooler that the state of the planet isn’t on the top of the list. Grades, college, social commitments, extracurricular activities, bullying and surviving the internet era fill up a great deal of brain space for an average high schooler, and rightfully so. But you may [...]
The Good and Bad of “Emerging Markets” Departments
It wasn’t that long ago that we here at Postconsumers by and large didn’t even know what an emerging market was. Then we read an interesting story (we’ve summarized it below as an example) and were suddenly fascinated by them. Part of us wanted to quit all of our current commitments and try to get a job working for an emerging markets department. You’d get to travel the world and potentially improve the [...]
You Are Where You Shop? Defining Yourself by Brands Is Never a Good Idea
We’re sure that you’ve heard the phrase “You are what you eat,” but what about the phrase “You are where you shop?” In our current society of addictive consumerism, they may both be equally true – and that’s before we even begin a discussion of the consumerism of food! In today’s society, “You are where you shop” isn’t just a way to identify yourself, it’s a way to identify others. As much as [...]
What’s the Difference Between Anti-Consumerism and Postconsumerism?
We’re about to discuss a hot-button topic that has been known to lead to what can be politely called “heated debate” in the past. Do we have your attention and are you excited? We approach this topic with both excitement about further educating on postconsumerism and also some trepidation because the subject of whether anti-consumerism and postconsumerism can reach different audiences has been known to turn away from civilized conversation in the past. [...]
The Disposable Nature of Addictive Consumerism
There are many ways in which the institution of consumerism has changed the way we view “stuff” and our relationship with it (though we even cringe a bit at the use of the word relationship in this context). There aren’t very many instances where this change is for the good, but there is a scale of exactly how bad these changes are or aren’t. One of the most significantly bad changes, in our [...]
Favorite Irish Sayings and Quotes: Don’t Buy What You Do Not Need
“If you buy what you don’t need you might have to sell what you do.” Why We Love This Irish Quote: We probably don’t need to say much to explain why we love this one. We’d even recommend that you write it on a piece of paper and put it on your refrigerator for a daily reminder. More St. Patrick's Day Resources See All of Our Favorite Irish Quotes Learn About the Hidden [...]
Favorite Irish Sayings and Quotes: The Big Potato
“You must take the little potato with the big potato.” Why We Love This Irish Quote: We admit it, we’re not actually entirely sure that we even know what this means. But we know that it features potatoes and that little potatoes are adorable. More St. Patrick's Day Resources See All of Our Favorite Irish Quotes Learn About the Hidden Consumerism of St. Patrick's Day Get More Inspirations Like This: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Pinterest | Google+ | Medium Photo [...]
Favorite Irish Sayings and Quotes: A Cold Pint
“Here's to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold pint and another one!” Why We Love This Irish Quote: This is one of our favorite Irish toasts because it captures the essence of the Satisfaction of Enough. You’ll notice nobody’s saying “Here’s to a new car and a bigger TV!” All of the things wrapped up in [...]
The Hidden Consumerism of Camping and Outdoor Activities
Here at Postconsumers, we’ve talked about the eco-benefits of camping quite a bit in our Eco-Travel section of the site. And we certainly stand by our statements that camping is a great way to travel, relax and get some vacation enjoyment while also being (presumably) kind to the planet. However, much like many of the topics we’ve addressed in our “Hidden Consumerism” series, even things with strong intentions and sometimes strong good can [...]
Favorite Irish Sayings and Quotes: Laughter and Sleep
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures.” Why We Love This Irish Quote: This one, of course, we love as an antidote to the idea of “retail therapy.” Buying a new bag or shoes is never, ever going to cure what ails you. But finding ways to bring more laughter and peaceful sleep into your life certainly will. The Irish are wise on this one (and many other [...]
