One solution I found that helped with my guilt and my budget was taking part in a local clothing swap. It was awesome because I could get rid of my stuff (bingo!) and then dig through other people’s stuff to find treasures that were new to me. Plus I met some new friends while there. All around, a fantastically green event!

I’m a “reformed shopper” who loves a good bargain and a new gadget, though. What’s helped me have less of an environmental impact is hitting thrift stores, garage sales, craigslist and the local freecycle list, for things I want but am in no hurry to get. I’m still getting neat stuff, but it’s not new retail stuff that’s going to encourage some corporation to boost its manufacturing. And it’s cheaper than retail.

I think of it as “extreme shopping.” After several years of doing this for recreation, I find browsing retail stores boring because I don’t have to look hard enough for “treasures.”