Too Busy to Shop

Lots of deadlines. I have been too busy to shop. Yesterday, the urge seized me to visit Anthropologie. Fortunately, I only had five minutes to spare, literally. Not enough time to make it to the sales rack, all the way in the back of the store. I should be busy more often.

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Facts

‘Greenland Ice Melt Speeds Up‘, reads the headline in yesterday’s San Francisco Chronicle. According to the article, There was less sea ice in he Arctic on Friday than ever before on record, and the melting is continuing, the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported. . . “It is very strong evidence that we are starting to see an effect of greenhouse warming,” he (Mark Serreze, senior research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center) said. The puzzling thing, he said, is the melting is occurring faster than computer climate models have predicted.

The day before, I reconnected with Luc Hardy, one of my old classmates from Ecole Centrale, my engineering school back in France. Luc has been involved with the Sagax Revo Greenland Project. The goal of the July 2007 expedition was to assess the impact of global warming on wildlife and vegetation in Greenland. He told me scientists on the expedition have noticed a strange phenomenon over the last few years. Ladybugs have slowly made their way to Greenland, and are now a part of the ecosystem there.

More alarming facts, and the sinking reality that we are running out of time. Still, frivolity got the best of me yesterday. I ordered two pairs of earrings and a bracelet from Dominique Cohen for Target. And I took Catherine shopping for clothes at Anthropologie. I let myself become tempted by a cute dress, a pair of pants ,and a sweater. They were almost giving the stuff away. Part of me still doubts the clear connection between my spending behavior, and the mounting increase in greenhouse gases emissions. I still have not made mine the Reduce in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

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Mother, Shopping, Green

Charlotte came back from her one week vacation in Mexico with her dad. I was so happy to see her. She suggested we go to Urban Outfitters to shop. That was perfect, I needed to go there anyway to buy Ahna’s birthday present. While at the mall, we also decided to swing by Anthropologie. I was so good, I did not buy anything for myself. The truth is, I am shopped out, and there was really nothing I wanted in either place. Had I been tempted, I would have probably given in. On our way back, I thought about how far Santana Row is from Palo Alto, and how much gas we used driving both ways. Could we have found the same things closer? Probably not. Were our purchases essential? Definitely not. If I was a true green girl, at a minimum, I would have suggested to Charlotte that we take the train to the Urban Outfitters store in San Francisco. Better even, I could have suggested other ways to spend time together, or other more environmentally sound places to shop like vintage stores. Same with Ahna, I could have asked her to think more creatively about things to get for her birthday. As a mother, I hate to spoil the fun with my green ideas. It is a territory I do not feel comfortable exploring yet. Shopping (at the mall) with, and for my children, is such a part of who I am as a mother.

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$29.95

Catherine asked me to meet her and her girlfriends at Anthropologie. I jumped at her suggestion. It had been a while since she and I had done something fun together. Of course, I could not resist trying things on. I found this really cute green dress, with tassels along the hem. Perfect price, $29.95. I looked at the label: Made in India. For that price, I had to have it. Somebody else would buy it, if I didn’t. On my way home driving back, I thought of my earlier meeting with Christian, and our discussion about doing business projects together, to make the world better and greener. I spoke convincingly of the importance of promoting local goods. That is one of my pet peeves, as a green entrepreneur wannabe. Next time I have a business meeting to present my idea, maybe I will wear the cute green dress Made in India?

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