5 Things I Will Only Buy Used (and 5 I Will Not)

There are now things I have discovered are so much smarter to buy used that I will never (ever) buy them new again. Here is my top 5 list:

1. Clothes
• Jeans are a hard thing to find used but with enough perseverance you can find anything at a thrift store and as most fashions are revivals of previous looks you can even be more authentic! + Halloween Costumes! 
2. Sheets
• So much cheaper to find sheets used. I recently upgraded to a California King bed that I inherited in a move and I was a little worried about finding sheets for this gargantuan. Lucky me I got the last set at St. Vincent de Paul's! 
3. Books
• Why would I ever want to buy a book again? I visit the library and second hand book stores for my literary needs. Where I thought it would be difficult was in University but I've usually wound up sharing a textbook with a few other people to avoid buying my own. 
4. Dishes

• Vintage and antique dishware can be found for pennies compared to newer items. You can often get a full set of dish't in perfect condition for less then the cost of a plate at the retail store. And super cute too! 
5. Designers
• Consignment! When I lived in Toronto my friends and I would save up for our yearly trip to the outlet malls in Niagara Falls. Not any more now that I have discovered the miracle that is consignment stores.  Not only do I find beautiful pieces, they are also wayyy less expensive then even the outlet prices will ever be. Take that big industry!

We all have our lines that we just wont cross, here is a list of mine when shopping at the thrift store and how I have become creative in finding alternatives

1. Pillows
• I still have not been able to get over the idea of buying used pillows that someone else has drueled into at night before you. Still what is a locavore to do? I have managed to inherit the pillows I currently have but it leaves me searching for a more sustainable solution to newer ones.
2. Shoes
• Ok, I will buy shoes like  high heals or flats used but maybe not walking shoes or Birkenstock's that have been worn in enough to remember their previous owner's steps... 
3. Underwear

• I will not buy underwear second hand and as a consequence am running very low on my supply. Instead I had these beauties hand made by my dear friend at Wolfe & Hardy Co. It may cost a bit more, but totally worth it in the long run. 
4. Makeup
• Used makeup just dosn't seem sanitary...On a recent trip I found this local homemade makeup company and I love the stuff I picked up! Check it out if you are in Seattle- Atomic Cosmetics
5. Hair Brush
• Dido with hair accessories 

Happy hunting, 

Melanie XX

"Everything I buy is vintage and smells funny. Maybe that's why I don't have a boyfriend." -Lucy Liu (and probably me too) 

How Locavores Will Save The Planet

This is my entry for the World Environment Day Blogging competition #wedblog2015, share to help me win!

When I go out for food I skip the grocery stores with aisles full of plastic and artificial additives and opt for the Farmer's Market.  When I need new pants I head away from the billboard ads and lit up store fronts and head towards the thrift stores in search of the perfect pair.  And when I need to get somewhere I bike passed the gas stations and truck stops and pedal my way to self sufficiency.  Why would I do that? Because I am a Locavore.

A Locavore is a person who lives and acts by consciously supporting the local economy, building community and being healthy all along the way.  We are the people who read labels to find out where things come from, ask questions about how products and foods are made, and choose local before any other alternative.  Being a Locavore is a sustainable choice for one to make that helps reduce our impact on the environment instead of mainstream consumer lifestyles that abuse it.  While western culture has shifted to a 'don't ask don't tell' model of buying products and food with no idea to how it was produced or where it came from, Locavores take the time to investigate these questions and make more ethical purchasing decisions.

Right now, I am nearly eight months into a year long Locavore project where I have not purchased anything from out side of my province.  I buy clothes from the thrift store, food from the farmer's market, and bike to get around.  By making these switches I have reduced my dependency on fossil fuels and subsequently my footprint.  Products that are bought and sold locally reduce transportation impacts associated with global supply chains. Also, by shopping only from local business I am ensuring that the money I spend goes towards families and neighbours instead of corporations. We also promote the economy by offering jobs and supporting community projects.  By eating locally sourced foods I am reconnecting with my roots and learning about what is native to my bioregion.  My food does not come pre-packaged, doesn't contain ingredients I can't pronounce, and is always fresh.

Locavores create less waste, have a smaller carbon footprint, and are overall more ethical consumers.  If our population continues to rise we will soon have more consumers than ever before.  If more of us were able to begin thinking about consumption and take the steps to improve our behaviours, then it may be possible for us to share this planet.  All around, the Locavore 'diet' or lifestyle is about reconnecting with nature and discovering how people lived years ago that effected their planet less then we do now.  If we continue to consume without thought to our repercussions then the temperatures will continue to rise, forests will continue to disappear, and mutated crops will continue to grow.  All of this will lead to a bleak future for subsequent generations if we continue on the path of blind consumption.

It may seem daunting to give up that half-fat mocha and designer purse for the sake of someone else's survival, but it is entirely possible to live well and be apart of the global economy and live within our means. At the end of the day it will be those little changes in consumer behaviours that will go a long way in changing the world.

Have a lovely day,

Melanie


"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

VanCity Living

I have reached the Mecca folks! This week Angela and I hopped a ride down to the city and while she is off with her family I am couch hopping my friends places and exploring the greater Vancouver area. I'll be honest I was a little worried about being amongst my old friends, fast food and shopping but the local vibe is truly alive and well in the city. Instead of hitting whatever restaurant I happen upon I am investigating the alternative world of local eateries and uncovering new treasures at the many thrift stores the city has to offer.

I feel as if all I want to do is eat and I hardly think there are enough meals in the day to get to every local eatery in the city. So far I have died and gone to heaven finding my new favourite spot in the world-Forage. Their motto is the same as mine "the more local the better", serving fresh locally sourced food and drink with delicious results. Their menu is also surprisingly quite affordable which I hope will allow as many people as possible to experience how tasty local truly is. Even though I wanted to try everything I settled for the spiced honey cheese pan bread, warm kale salad and squash perogies shared with my partner in crime for the evening Franco, can you say yum! Even my cocktail was local making the entire evening a dream come true.

Thrift shopping in Prince George is...somewhat limited and it takes real effort to unearth the goods at our few stores we have. Especially since we decided to deduct Value Village from our portfolio as it is a for-profit thrift chain but unfortunately also the best thrift store in PG. Coming to the city I have gone a little nuts, I had to get another suit case nuts and have shopped everywhere from White Rock to Ladner to Main St Vancouver. Also Consignment, have you ever heard of anything more wonderful! I took thrift shopping to a whole new level shopping designers, check out my new shoes!!! I never thought I would find something so beautiful and used too! 

I have 2 days left here in the city before heading up to Hope for Christmas, any suggestions? 

Happy holidays,

Melanie

"The greatest luxury is being free" - Manolo Blanhik 

I need new pants!

Can someone please help us make a decision so I can buy new pants!

Eating locally has had its benefits for me in so many ways and has now manifested into my shrinking waist line. Which leads me to my current internal back and forth about where I can go to buy new clothing. Typically I would have hit the mall, riffling through the sales rack's at the back of stores for something cheap and cheerful. That convenience has now been removed while I attempt to live as locally as possible and I must seek alternatives to find new cloths. Here in Prince George that means used clothing. I am left with good old clothing swaps, Kijiji and a plethora of thrift stores as my friendly alternative to purchasing new goods. But even when I look at thrift stores I find issue with them. My favourite (featured in the photo's) in town has been Value Village because their selection is like no other, but did you know that Value Village is a for profit thrift store and worth $1.5 billion a year? That doesn't fit in with our local model but where do we draw the line. Salvation Army is also a chain store but is a non-for-profit like St. Vincent de Paul and many other charity thrift stores, should those count as local if they are charitable even though they are chains?

Why I buy second hand:
Buying used is good for your wallet saving you tons on the retail value of most clothing. Like a gorgeous tweed Michael Kors jacket I bought at Value Village for $25 that normally retails for $300.  It is also good for the planet to purchase second hand as it not only reduces the waste of that garment but also means less cloths need to be produced because of it. Not to mention most thrift stores donate portions of sales towards charities like St. Vincent de Paul in Prince George. My last and guiltless reason would be that I don't feel guilty about having too many cloths when I know they cost me less and went towards a good cause, this means you can have a more diverse closet and a higher turn over of your wardrobe.

So now I put it out there, best thrift shop suggestions?

Happy hunting,

Melanie

"I shop at thrift shops probably five times a week." -Macklemore