Low Impact in my bedroom and closets

Day two of Low Impact Week. I've taken a good look at what's in my bedroom and my closets.

Most of the furniture is solid wood and was either handed down or purchased at a thrift store. There are, however, two cheap bookshelves made from composite wood products that need to leave just as soon as I downsize the book collection sometime over the summer.

I'll be freecycling the extra television and still working VHS player in the bedroom. I never use it, but I note that the VHS player is plugged in and draining power -- ack! And here is an incandescent light bulb that I somehow overlooked when I replaced them with compact fluorescent bulbs. Low Impact Week is a wake-up call in a very personal, pay attention to what you are doing sort of way.

In the closets are too many pieces of clothing, not that I am some kind of "dedicated follower of fashion." The important thing to consider when buying fabric items, clothing and bedding, towels, etc -- is can you be sure that the cloth came from pesticide free sources, that it was woven by people who were paid fairly for their labor, and that it is something that will not wear out immediately, both physically and in terms of wanting to wear it in public.

When in doubt, thrift shop! Check the labels for fabric content and country of origin and look at what you have in your hands. Does it look like someone put some effort into the creation of the fabric? Do you really want to wear something made in China? At least at the thrift store, you are not putting money directly into the hands of the people who made suspect products. And you are recycling and keeping things out of the landfills.

When you do feel moved to shop for new clothes, look online for low impact items. How about organic hemp shirts, pants and shoes? I buy tee shirts from GoodHemp.com. I bought a pair of Blackspot shoes from Adbusters. Now if they'd only make some sandals and a decent flexible hightop more suitable for athletics and other forms of performance such as dance and theatre.

But back to my closets -- they are in need of a thorough weeding out of things that no longer fit, suit or are useful to me. That shirt with the grease stain that will never come out -- it can be cut into usable bits and recycled. These pants with the grass stains can be cut up for rags. And everything else I don't need goes to the Goodwill. And, in the spirit of Low Impact Week, this trip I'll make sure to bring back much less than what I am taking to donate!

Next post for Low Impact Week -- the kitchen.