Scott over at MoneyBloggerPodcast has posted his interview with Rachel Kesel, founder of The Compact. What’s “The Compact” you ask? Well, according to their website:
We are a group of individuals committed to a 12-month flight from the consumer grid (calendar year 2007).
The Compact has several aims (more or less prioritized below):
- To go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of disposable consumer culture and to support local businesses, farms, etc. — a step that, we hope, inherits the revolutionary impulse of the Mayflower Compact.
- To reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er).
- To simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact)
We’ve agreed to follow two principles (see exceptions etc. on our blog).
#1 Don’t buy new products of any kind (from stores, web sites, etc.)
#2 Borrow, barter, or buy used.
I’m not knocking it, but I don’t think this is a group I could ever be a part of. But, to each his/her own. I understand about over-commercialization and I think we do need to take a step back and relax. However, I don’t see how “not buying new products” accomplishes this. Also, borrowing and bartering would not simplify my life.
