Just like sticking to a diet, not buying any new consumer goods is partially about avoiding temptation.
I get my mail at a post office box, so that eliminates much of the junk and catalogs that come by way of paper, but there are those insidious coupons and deals and sales — most of a limited time only — that pop up in my inbox, just taunting me to get out my credit card.
The other day, I went about trying to “unsubscribe” from every single one of these lists. Some of them took right away. Some required more effort, as they sent follow-up emails and surveys. “We don’t want to lose you,” one note said. “Tell us why you’re leaving.”
I don’t need guilt from my email spammers, okay.
Just take me off your stinkin’ list. It’s none of your business why . . .Note: for some reason the “read more” on this blog is not working, click on the blue title to read more! As a writer, I was tempted to make up some cockamamie story to fill in next to the “other” response. But then I thought about it and the real reason — because I’ve signed on for a one-year compact, with an option to extend for basically the rest of my life, of not creating any demand for newly manufactured goods in hopes of having less impact on the environment — would have sounded strange enough.
Hot tip: If you own any stock in Amazon or Barnes & Noble, you might want to get out now before it tanks.
Thanks for your questions, I’ll try and answer them:
Q: “Are you doing worm composting? I’ve always wanted to try that.”
A: Yes, we are doing worm composting and I plan to blog about that soon, with photos. It’s a shame you don’t have smell-o-vision, but I’ll do my best to describe. To the left is a picture from the web of the composter we have.
Q: “Is alcohol permitted in The Compact?”
A: Officially, I have no idea. I say as long as the container is glass or aluminum and recyclable, why not? To me, this falls under the food category. At some point this year, I will investigate local microbrews and any local wineries within a couple hundred miles of Vero Beach. If anyone knows of any good ones, please pass them along. The best possible option would be homemade wine and I’ll also be attempting that. I hope to get our grape vines in the ground by the first of March, spoke to the supplier and he said the vines are all dormant right now and I would be best to wait to order them to allow the nursery to bear the risk of loss from frost.
Thanks also for the nasty notes about what a few readers see as my unnatural left-leaning politics and unpatriotic behavior for not buying more junk from China that was probably produced using Middle East petroleum. I have thick skin and a hearty sense of humor.
Next time, those of you who are just hoping this all blows up in my face will get your reward . . . my topic will be battling the elements.
