4-18-09

An ad that I saw in a magazine.

I think it's silly that they're rewarding people for being green with a shopping spree. I do understand that much of what is on eBay is used and they are encouraging people to reuse/recycle. However, they are also encouraging people to continue to consume. A $5,000 shopping spree is pure capitalistic consumption, which I feel is the number one thing at odds with living sustainably.

Companies are using incentives like this to make it seem like they support eco-friendly living, but through my eyes there are many companies that are simply jumping on the bandwagon to get your sales. It's hard to know which ones are really supporting green living and which ones are joining the fad.

Sales, however, are absolutely necessary for our economy to survive. This process is also how change is going to happen. And not everyone, everywhere, can go entirely green (I haven't, and I'm sitting here ranting about it). I simply feel that it's important to us to realize how companies are going about it and what their motives are. Profits will always be their first objective here in America. As a consumer, we need to educate ourselves and know what we are supporting.