Wow Amanda, I really admire you for doing this. It has weighed heavily on my mind lately too. I don't want to support anyone or entity that supports the current administration. Yet, I find myself in this awful position of being chronically ill. I can't shop physically anymore. So Amazon is so convenient. But my convenience, costs others.
So it is helpful to find articles like yours, that give alternatives. For now, I am in this situation, with everything... where I feel in a weird limbo. I don't want to eat meat anymore because I can't stand the cruelty, but I am also relying right now on prepared meals because I can't stand long enough to cook and have not found any good vegetarian meals, and Yes, I have tried a couple services now. Healthcare wise, I am looking at more alternative solutions because western medicine has greatly failed me. But again, insurance doesn't pay and I live on disability, and worry even that will be taken away now. Consumer-wise, I have relied on Walmart and Amazon because they deliver. It's so darn convenient and quick. I feel inside, ok you can live with less. But when I gotta feed my cats and dogs, Amazon is so easy! Have you found any pet stores that are greener or friendlier? Chewy? Don't answer that, I can do my own research, but if you do know, post them on your Benable. <3
The point of that rambling paragraph above, was that I feel this shift. A shift in many of us, that we know things need to change, and the only way for things to change if for each one of us to change. Amazon and Walmart know we have come to rely on them so they CAN treat their employees badly. And boy, did Walmart treat my mom badly up til the day she passed, after she worked the for a decade. That's another story. The only way for any company to change, is for us to not put up with it.
I am looking for ways to stop eating meat, stop shopping at big box stores, start using alternative and natural ways to heal. It's a process. If i try to just stop everything at once, I fail so Im in this learning curve of finding "new ways" to do things. I guess that is better than nothing but again, I will end this how I started this message, I really admire you doing this!
Above anything, I want you to know that I think we must each meet this challenge as we can. A solution that may work for one person may not be right for another, and it is so important we all remember to be kind to ourselves during this exceptionally awful time.
Thank you for commenting so openly and honestly here. I have been wanting to add more to my list and "Pets" are definitely on my mind. It is a little hard for some businesses to find information and then to interpret it, especially if I can't find another source that weighs in on the subject. Cost, too, makes this a challenge. I *will* be prioritizing this and share what I can find soon. : )
Some businesses have clearly changed their wording to dance around the subject, complicating interpreting things further. It's upsetting, to be sure, but I can't say I blame them. It is a scary and volatile time, and so I understand the desire by some to "lay low." That being said, I can see why when a business like Target, which seemed for so long to tout their inclusiveness and then performed a complete turnaround, has gained the ire of so many.
Boycotting, too, is tricky. One concern that worries me deeply is who will actually be harmed by this boycott. Amazon *just* surpassed Walmart for the first time in their last quarterly report. The two make considerably more money than Target. I feel like Target made a cowardly choice, but I also feel like they aren't nearly on the level of evil of the other two. I don't *think* this could ruin Target, but the fact that a relatively large alternative to the other two could be taken out makes me even more scared for choice in the future...
I have been hesitant to formally add Meijer to the list, but I do think they may be a better alternative if they are in your area. I'm not sure about their delivery options, but I know they have groceries and lots of pet items. They label their page "Inclusion and Belonging," which is obviously in the "dance" category I mentioned earlier. I do know that they are at least supportive of workers with disabilities and have been awarded for their inclusion of these employees numerous times.
I will be sure to let you know when I update the lists.
Also, I am like you: I want to plunge into everything all at once. lol You mention more "green" options. I will have a list coming for this soon, too.
A few places you might want to look at in the meantime are Grove Collaborative, Thrive Market, Imperfect Foods, and Misfits Market. I need to sift through some reviews on the last two, as I feel like I've read varying opinions. Thrive Market is subscription based, and I found their website to be CRAZY full of ads. Grove Collaborative is one I plan to use for sure. :) They don't have groceries, but you might find some other essentials there.
I love Grove too. My daughter has a subscription to them and I get all my cleaning stuff through her. And just did my first order though Hungry Root for meals which is a "healthy eating" kind of prepared meal app.
Anyways, Just know we all appreciate you taking the time to make these lists. I know it takes a lot of time and research and sifting through sometimes conflicting information to do so and it will change over time. But we all appreciate you doing this!
Cool! Do you have any of their products you recommend? I haven’t shopped there yet but it’s been on my radar for awhile. I’m not sure if you have to have a subscription anymore. When I first looked, I found that aspect overwhelming and just kind of moved on! :)
Thank you for saying that about the research. I do really enjoy it! This one is tedious, and I feel like it’s important, so I’m trying really hard to get it right.
I have a lot of Meyers Fall and Christmas scented soaps for handwashing lol! I just love the smell. But sometimes I get oversensitive to smells and their aloe and olive oil hand soap is really light on scent but still smells good. For dish soap, spray cleaners I have the "snow drop" scent. And then they have one that i just started using to get the "stain" from mineral deposits off my frig, like when i use the water dispenser on the frig, and it drips and leaves a "mineral stain" they have a vinegar gel that gets rid of that. (I live in a mining town and our water has a lot of limestone in it so it turns everything white.) So those are the ones I have been using. Let me know if you try it and get any favorites!
Gosh this one hits home. We use Amazon for so much stuff because it’s cheap and convenient. But it comes with such a high cost when you think about the people that work for them, the planet, and environment. (Besides the obvious giving money to someone who doesn’t need any more than they already have.) I’ve been thinking about this one a lot lately and how to replace it. Thank you for sharing, Amanda.
It is so darn convenient. And a lot of times it is cheaper for us than other places, especially because we have free shipping with Prime. I am going to continue to research alternatives. There are many, of course, but the trick is also finding that sweet spot of lots of offerings we want and then the balance with cost. It takes a lot of time to investigate, which is time most people don’t have, and I think that’s how they continue to thrive for so long!
It's terrifying when you realise how much data these huge tech giants are taking for granted. And they're making it so easy for us to give away.
Regarding any good practices or principles that a company might or might not have rarely falls into consideration, either. And it's because they don't want you to think about it.
Getting rid of them is a difficult process, but really rewarding!
Thanks for reading and commenting, @Leonard Neamtu. I agree. They don’t want us to think about how much their ingraining themselves into our lives, and they certainly don’t want us to think of their other practices. Are there any certain places you have given up?
I mostly try to avoid any “big” stores, and try to focus more on quality rather than quantity. This has basically allowed me to own much less and buy less often. But it comes with a certain responsibility of taking care of said things. Privacy wise, my recommendation is to replace services that are usually free, and where you pay with your data. Proton Mail is a great alternative to Google Mail, for example. Moving to Firefox (with adBlock) instead of Chrome is another easy step.
Awesome! Thank you. It’s a lot of work, but it sounds like you have a good handle on it. I’m going to baby step, and hopefully I’ll get there eventually.
Absolutely. I think when we are in touch with the natural world especially, this aspect of modern life seems to become more pronounced. I guess it could be a chicken and egg question: are those more interested in these types of questions and contemplations drawn to nature, or does connection and interaction with the earth lead to this type of observation? And I can't even begin to imagine what Thoreau would say about the world today! I am not sure we want to know.
Wow Amanda, I really admire you for doing this. It has weighed heavily on my mind lately too. I don't want to support anyone or entity that supports the current administration. Yet, I find myself in this awful position of being chronically ill. I can't shop physically anymore. So Amazon is so convenient. But my convenience, costs others.
So it is helpful to find articles like yours, that give alternatives. For now, I am in this situation, with everything... where I feel in a weird limbo. I don't want to eat meat anymore because I can't stand the cruelty, but I am also relying right now on prepared meals because I can't stand long enough to cook and have not found any good vegetarian meals, and Yes, I have tried a couple services now. Healthcare wise, I am looking at more alternative solutions because western medicine has greatly failed me. But again, insurance doesn't pay and I live on disability, and worry even that will be taken away now. Consumer-wise, I have relied on Walmart and Amazon because they deliver. It's so darn convenient and quick. I feel inside, ok you can live with less. But when I gotta feed my cats and dogs, Amazon is so easy! Have you found any pet stores that are greener or friendlier? Chewy? Don't answer that, I can do my own research, but if you do know, post them on your Benable. <3
The point of that rambling paragraph above, was that I feel this shift. A shift in many of us, that we know things need to change, and the only way for things to change if for each one of us to change. Amazon and Walmart know we have come to rely on them so they CAN treat their employees badly. And boy, did Walmart treat my mom badly up til the day she passed, after she worked the for a decade. That's another story. The only way for any company to change, is for us to not put up with it.
I am looking for ways to stop eating meat, stop shopping at big box stores, start using alternative and natural ways to heal. It's a process. If i try to just stop everything at once, I fail so Im in this learning curve of finding "new ways" to do things. I guess that is better than nothing but again, I will end this how I started this message, I really admire you doing this!
Hi, Lisa.
Above anything, I want you to know that I think we must each meet this challenge as we can. A solution that may work for one person may not be right for another, and it is so important we all remember to be kind to ourselves during this exceptionally awful time.
Thank you for commenting so openly and honestly here. I have been wanting to add more to my list and "Pets" are definitely on my mind. It is a little hard for some businesses to find information and then to interpret it, especially if I can't find another source that weighs in on the subject. Cost, too, makes this a challenge. I *will* be prioritizing this and share what I can find soon. : )
Some businesses have clearly changed their wording to dance around the subject, complicating interpreting things further. It's upsetting, to be sure, but I can't say I blame them. It is a scary and volatile time, and so I understand the desire by some to "lay low." That being said, I can see why when a business like Target, which seemed for so long to tout their inclusiveness and then performed a complete turnaround, has gained the ire of so many.
Boycotting, too, is tricky. One concern that worries me deeply is who will actually be harmed by this boycott. Amazon *just* surpassed Walmart for the first time in their last quarterly report. The two make considerably more money than Target. I feel like Target made a cowardly choice, but I also feel like they aren't nearly on the level of evil of the other two. I don't *think* this could ruin Target, but the fact that a relatively large alternative to the other two could be taken out makes me even more scared for choice in the future...
I have been hesitant to formally add Meijer to the list, but I do think they may be a better alternative if they are in your area. I'm not sure about their delivery options, but I know they have groceries and lots of pet items. They label their page "Inclusion and Belonging," which is obviously in the "dance" category I mentioned earlier. I do know that they are at least supportive of workers with disabilities and have been awarded for their inclusion of these employees numerous times.
I will be sure to let you know when I update the lists.
Also, I am like you: I want to plunge into everything all at once. lol You mention more "green" options. I will have a list coming for this soon, too.
A few places you might want to look at in the meantime are Grove Collaborative, Thrive Market, Imperfect Foods, and Misfits Market. I need to sift through some reviews on the last two, as I feel like I've read varying opinions. Thrive Market is subscription based, and I found their website to be CRAZY full of ads. Grove Collaborative is one I plan to use for sure. :) They don't have groceries, but you might find some other essentials there.
I love Grove too. My daughter has a subscription to them and I get all my cleaning stuff through her. And just did my first order though Hungry Root for meals which is a "healthy eating" kind of prepared meal app.
Anyways, Just know we all appreciate you taking the time to make these lists. I know it takes a lot of time and research and sifting through sometimes conflicting information to do so and it will change over time. But we all appreciate you doing this!
Cool! Do you have any of their products you recommend? I haven’t shopped there yet but it’s been on my radar for awhile. I’m not sure if you have to have a subscription anymore. When I first looked, I found that aspect overwhelming and just kind of moved on! :)
Thank you for saying that about the research. I do really enjoy it! This one is tedious, and I feel like it’s important, so I’m trying really hard to get it right.
I have a lot of Meyers Fall and Christmas scented soaps for handwashing lol! I just love the smell. But sometimes I get oversensitive to smells and their aloe and olive oil hand soap is really light on scent but still smells good. For dish soap, spray cleaners I have the "snow drop" scent. And then they have one that i just started using to get the "stain" from mineral deposits off my frig, like when i use the water dispenser on the frig, and it drips and leaves a "mineral stain" they have a vinegar gel that gets rid of that. (I live in a mining town and our water has a lot of limestone in it so it turns everything white.) So those are the ones I have been using. Let me know if you try it and get any favorites!
Gosh this one hits home. We use Amazon for so much stuff because it’s cheap and convenient. But it comes with such a high cost when you think about the people that work for them, the planet, and environment. (Besides the obvious giving money to someone who doesn’t need any more than they already have.) I’ve been thinking about this one a lot lately and how to replace it. Thank you for sharing, Amanda.
It is so darn convenient. And a lot of times it is cheaper for us than other places, especially because we have free shipping with Prime. I am going to continue to research alternatives. There are many, of course, but the trick is also finding that sweet spot of lots of offerings we want and then the balance with cost. It takes a lot of time to investigate, which is time most people don’t have, and I think that’s how they continue to thrive for so long!
Great article, Amanda!
It's terrifying when you realise how much data these huge tech giants are taking for granted. And they're making it so easy for us to give away.
Regarding any good practices or principles that a company might or might not have rarely falls into consideration, either. And it's because they don't want you to think about it.
Getting rid of them is a difficult process, but really rewarding!
Thanks for reading and commenting, @Leonard Neamtu. I agree. They don’t want us to think about how much their ingraining themselves into our lives, and they certainly don’t want us to think of their other practices. Are there any certain places you have given up?
I mostly try to avoid any “big” stores, and try to focus more on quality rather than quantity. This has basically allowed me to own much less and buy less often. But it comes with a certain responsibility of taking care of said things. Privacy wise, my recommendation is to replace services that are usually free, and where you pay with your data. Proton Mail is a great alternative to Google Mail, for example. Moving to Firefox (with adBlock) instead of Chrome is another easy step.
Awesome! Thank you. It’s a lot of work, but it sounds like you have a good handle on it. I’m going to baby step, and hopefully I’ll get there eventually.
Glad I could help! I've been discussing this quite often lately, think I might write a small guide soon!
I will definitely keep an eye out for it. :D
a very interesting article.
Thank you. I am glad you found it of interest. :)
This speaks to me in every way. Convenience is so addictive. Thinking about this constantly.
Absolutely. I think when we are in touch with the natural world especially, this aspect of modern life seems to become more pronounced. I guess it could be a chicken and egg question: are those more interested in these types of questions and contemplations drawn to nature, or does connection and interaction with the earth lead to this type of observation? And I can't even begin to imagine what Thoreau would say about the world today! I am not sure we want to know.