Consuming Excess

Consumption. Consumption. Over Consumption.

Why is their such a love affair with stuff? Stuff we need, stuff we want, stuff we can't function without. Most of us buy everything from a chain store, a large box store full of enough surplus to fill all our homes with the necessities of life. We buy a pretty little packages and inexpensive plastic wonders. We aren't really sure where it was made, who or what made it, or sometimes even what it is made of. We bring them home in plastic bags and remove their plastic covers and sell it a season later at a garage sale for pennies. The high of finding a good deal, a sale, the excitement that comes from something new, is undeniable. People love to shop. People work hard to achieve to money to purchase things that they feel will improve their life or validate their existence. But does it really? What happens when the high wears off and we have a smaller bank account, and just one more thing to put away? Excess is what happens, it encompasses us all in a vicious blind consumption battle.

We are tired of buying things that we have no relationship with. We are disgusted by the amount of packaging that is used to entice. We are sad that most things that we buy will not withstand time and just add to our worlds waste. We are tired of buying food that has been made with giant machines, tired of eating things that have ingredients that belong in a chemistry lab and not our bodies. We want to know where things come from, who made or grew them. We want to become active consumers with responsible purchases, and informed products. We want to re-form our relationship with possessions.

We are beginning with some small changes and hopefully we will learn and grow and become better protectors of our world, all while sustaining and improving our quality of life. We don't want to go without, or deprive ourselves of the joys in life and wonderful modern accomplishments. We want to live richly and healthy and most importantly take responsibility for the world that we consume in.

This is our handmade journey.