The commitment I am making to myself is something I have wanted to do for a while but was too scared/lazy to take that final “leap”. I commit and promise to shop second hand whether that be at thrift stores, garage sales, friends, etc.. The items that I have widdled down to begin my sustainable shopping are clothing, household items (ex. decor, kitchenware), as well as anything to contribute to my personal hobbies (ex. crafts, books, outdoor activities).
The inspiration for this commitment came from the thought process I had one day about where our clothes come from and where do they go. If big corporations do not sell clothing pieces or individuals follow the fast fashion trends many clothes just go to waste ending their life in a landfill. There are so many clothes out there in the world to last us a very long time if individuals donate or sell what they do not enjoy or wear anymore to others I believe we would have enough to live sustainably. Through this commitment, I wanted to bring attention and awareness to the lifestyle that consumerism is constantly portraying. The lifestyle that is more stuff equals more happiness especially if that stuff is new. There needs to be more awareness of the cycle many fall into of work, consume, reproduce, and repeat. Robin Kimmerer wrote in Maple Nation: A Citizenship Guide, “They deserve you and me speaking up on their behalf. To quote our town councilwoman,’show up at the damn meeting'” (p.174). I connected my commitment to this sentence because many are not aware of the effects of consumerism or that they have fallen to its power. We need to raise awareness of the effects of fast fashion and the high levels of consumerism, we need to show up to the damn meetings by taking that final “leap” into action.
Message of My Art
The cloud of consumerism hovering over the importance of true self-happiness by raining down the ideals of society on us all the time no matter where we look. The words that are written on the woman read; Second-hand shopping, repurpose, minimalistic, simply less, calm, donate, rethinking consumerism, uncluttered, intention and where are our clothes from? These words are how I feel when thinking of my leap into action and what I want to achieve from it, not letting consumerism power me any longer.
