Coolaworld: Shopping Can't Save Us
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 03.30.08
Having written only yesterday about how we hoped the green living show LondonAware08 would be more than just another chance to consume ‘ethically’, we thought we’d check out some of the exhibitors. Unfortunately the first one we came across, Coolaworld, doesn’t exactly fill us with excitement. Breathlessly exclaiming that users can “shop and save the planet”, Coolaworld is basically an online shopping service that allows you to build credits that are donated to cool projects.
Don’t get us wrong – if people are going to shop, then we are all for taking some of that revenue and channeling it to worthwhile planet saving activities. We ourselves sometimes have to tread a fine line between supporting cool green companies and encouraging unnecessary consumerism. It’s just that when the language starts edging towards the idea that the more you shop, the better the planet will be, we start to get scared. It may be time to ask, once again, what would Jesus buy?
::Coolaworld::via LondonAware08::
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Eco-Pop-Up Shop for Christmas
- Top 7 Green Categories of 7 Green Lists of 7 Green Things
- Better Green Labels Needed to Clear Up Consumer Confusion
- The Shop of (Design) Delight Pops Up
I totally agree with what you've sad. Our Bay area start up, trade2save (blog trade2savetheplanet) says: sure, we can't stop you from wanting to buy all the coolest stuff like consumer electronics, but you can buy greener by seeing if you can get it pre-owned. This is the point Thandie Newton was trying to make concerning fashion last week. Imagine if no one bought pre-owned cars - the US would be rush yard!
If you always tried buying pre-owned instead of new - say an iPhone for example and always traded your stuff in for someone else to use, we'd make a huge dent on e-waste and CO2 emissions, plus save huge amount of cash too.
trade2save is launching at the end of June. We'll trade in consumer electronics, computing, games, movies and cellphones.
Every graded pre-owned product you buy will come with a warranty and your encouraged to trade in your stuff for cash or store credit to save more money - and even more CO2!
I totally agree with what you've sad. Our Bay area start up, trade2save (blog trade2savetheplanet) says: sure, we can't stop you from wanting to buy all the coolest stuff like consumer electronics, but you can buy greener by seeing if you can get it pre-owned. This is the point Thandie Newton was trying to make concerning fashion last week. Imagine if no one bought pre-owned cars - the US would be rush yard!
If you always tried buying pre-owned instead of new - say an iPhone for example and always traded your stuff in for someone else to use, we'd make a huge dent on e-waste and CO2 emissions, plus save huge amount of cash too.
trade2save is launching at the end of June. We'll trade in consumer electronics, computing, games, movies and cellphones.
Every graded pre-owned product you buy comes with a warranty and you encouraged to trade in your stuff for cash or store credit to save more money - and even more CO2!
Although I can see where you are coming from in my opinion Coolaworld is not pushing people to shop more but in fact taking positive steps to help people give something back from an otherwise totally consumerist act.
Perhaps by collecting specific credits that help projects in underprivileged situations people might actually evaluate how much they are shopping?
Sometimes working with the international brands that have such a large effect on the planet can have more effective benefits than working against them.
------
Author's comment:
Thanks for the comment Louise. I agree that channeling money from purchases of major brands into good causes is, ina nd of itself, a good thing. I guess my objection was to the implication that your purchases can 'save the planet', as opposed to 'do some good' or 'create some change'. I just think any company offering a product or service that makes the claim of 'saving the planet one cup of coffee, one dishwasher, one ticket to the movies, one whatever at a time', as we so often here, is pushing the boundaries of credibility.
Oh how easy it is to sit on our back sides and put the world right....
These Cool people are bloody brave and I think also intelligent. Look they have us all talk about what they are doing...
And you know what - I kind of like what they are doing. they know you and I better than we do.
They know that us, our parents, and their parents have shopped. They know that our children will shop. We as humans depend on shopping as much as we depend on Oxygen.
So why not turn this around so that as shop we get someone elses money to pay towards a few good causes.
You know I also think the play with the caption "Shop and save the planet" is also pretty accurate - Why? because the day there is no shopping we are all up in heavens or hells or what ever it is that you beleive in. and although as a true hippy I LOVE the planet, I think it would be misrable place with no one to talk to.