Shopping in support of a green revolution
Anthony Pagliarini
junior
Looking for that organic futon? I know I am. And after all, what could be more inviting than curling up underneath a homespun wool blanket in hemp pajamas, sipping on a cup of anti-embargo Cuban coffee and resting assured that neither man nor sheep nor tree was harmed by our (excessive) consumerism? Perhaps, even, we could all gather `round the solar lamp with our Ben and Jerry's and pick through the pages of Peter Singer like the Dead Poets' Society. (AARP need not apply.)
Ahhh, the ecstasy of organic capitalism. What's that? The thought of cloth diapers and chamomile lip gloss doesn't fill your restless heart? Not even the soft welcome of recycled shoes? Well then, perhaps I am speaking to the wrong crowd. I thought, however, I heard a rain stick in the background; an Enya CD perhaps?
OK, OK, if that's not your cup of fair labor tea. So let's get down to business, good business. I think that this'll get your attention: I'll show you where you can find clothing that's made without the cruelties of sweatshop labor. (No, silly, not the bookstore.)
I'll also take you to stores whose shelves or internet sites overflow with natural bath products, organic cloths, charity-friendly art, electronics- , chemical- and pesticide-free produce and a whole host of other "Mmm-Mmm" granola good products! Books to beer, juice to java, it's all there.
What is it? The "National Green Pages — a directory of products and services for people and the planet." Yes, throw out the yellow pages (saving of course the Papa Johns' number, as if you didn't know it by heart) and send out for your copy of the Green.
In an effort that exceeds some 200 pages of bite-size listings, Co-op America, a group based out of the belly of the beast, Washington, D.C., has made an impressive effort to raise consumer consciousness, praise smart businesses and espouse what they dream of as a healthier, more intelligent capitalism.
One can find everything from financial services and landscapers to plastic lumber yards. Odds are, if you need it, there's somebody, somewhere, most likely in California, who can help you do it without having to deny your creed, kill the earth or hire an abused Vietnamese teenager.
No, they aren't chicken crusaders or tree huggers, if that sort of thing turns you off. There is no one certain philosophy or motivation behind their effort, save, of course, that of adjusting our buying habits and keeping their non-profit afloat in the process.
If nothing else, they deserve a looking over. Aristotle said, "I love to walk through the marketplace and see all of the things that I can do without." If, however, you're really hankering for that certain something, go visit them at www.coopamerica.org and check out their different links.
It'll help you to be better informed about the many issues that surround their effort. One can, for example, at www.responsibleshopper.org, enter the name of any company and see what exactly they have been praised and criticized for. The listings are still a little young, but one can no doubt investigate some Notre Dame staples: JCrew, Nike, Gap, et cetera.
Go see for yourself. When you're all done you can even order yourself a copy of the Green Pages to share with your friends. In the meantime, however, watch for my D.C. Seminar friends and me in our new threads from "Knowsweat" and "Sew Natural." (Word even has it that coordinator Olejnik's briefs are animal-friendly.)
Purging into the depths of the human soul, St. Augustine once wrote that "our heart is restless until it rests in you [Lord]." But, hey, just so long as that Starbucks double latte keeps you "awake," you ought not participate too much in evil.
Who knows, it may change some day, but so long as we bear the weight of western capitalism we should be more conscious and supportive of those certain few whose motives are more socially and environmentally sound. We are after all, "keepers" and "stewards," even when buying toilet paper.
No doubt, it is difficult. Hemp chocolate bars are not exactly a dime a dozen. Even the most dogged can reach their ends, rope sandals or not. Rest in knowing, however, that when you are weary you may find repose on the magical comfort of my organic futon.
Anthony Pagliarini
junior
Dillon Hall
April 3, 2001
All Viewpoint Stories for Thursday, April 12, 2001
