but if you have to buy something...

**This post has been updated/modified**

On "Black Friday" or rather, "Buy Nothing Day" we were visiting family in the Washington, DC area...and we bought something. Gasp.

We went to the Museum of the Native Indian and picked up a couple of these fair trade ocarinas from the museum store, since they happen to be on my stepdaughter's holiday wish list (so we saved some shipping miles). We then had lunch at this local independent restaurant. We walked for what felt like an eternity until we found something that was not a huge faceless restaurant chain. The atmosphere, staff and food were awesome.

The whole point of Buy Nothing Day, if nothing else, is to make you stop and think before you buy (if you even need to buy at all). The intent is not to ruin the economy and put people out of work but to make consumers, retailers and producers take a moment to realize that we exploit fellow human beings and our earth through the choices we make.

And it would be nice to come to a point where that didn't happen anymore.

...consider buying used first...to use up the junk we've already produced...check out used book stores, consignment shops, craigslist or some local online reusable materials exchange...

and if you have to buy new and can't make it yourself...consider some of these options (to name a few) and keep an eye out for fair trade, organic, natural, safe, recycled, reused/reclaimed, zero waste, local, sustainable items:

SustainLane Directory
Happy Hippie Eco-Friendly Retail Directory
eConscious Market
plucky tree
global exchange
speesees
Eco Toy Town

If you find more, let me know. And keep in mind, not all things "green" and "natural" are created equal. Read the About Us sections, contact the companies directly, find out what's in the product, how it was made, who made it, and what to do with it when you're done with it.

Here's a quick email that I send to many companies if I can't find answers on their website or am unsatisfied with the info they provide:

Hello,

Just wondering where your products are made, if they are fair trade, environmentally-friendly and non-toxic?

Thanks,
Teresa

I generally don't accept their first response and always have more questions, which usually starts an interesting discussion. Try it.