I have always prided myself on being a frugal and thoughtful consumer, concerned about the ecological and ethical impacts of the products I buy. I pay that extra $10 a month to support green energy, use CFLs where I can, have low flow shower heads, bricks in the toilet tanks, buy earth and animal friendly cleaning products or make my own, wear my clothes until they're dead, line dry most often, use my dish and pasta water to water landscaping, shower every other day, have no ac, rarely use my gas in wall heater, bike or take public transport almost all of the time, drink tap water, buy local and organic foods to supplement those I grow in my garden, have reusable shopping bags, a reusable coffee cup, a reusable water bottle, save lidded plastic food packaging to store left overs of future meals and compost 100% of my food scraps.

....so what's with all this waste?

Recommended Stuff

These are all things I personally own or have tested. All products are recommended based on the following criteria:
  • Sustainability: Will this help me reduce waste? How far did this product travel to get to me? Is it made from sustainable materials?
  • Ethics: Who made this product? Were the workers paid and treated fairly?
  • Quality: What is the average lifespan of this product? Is it difficult to maintain? Can the item be repaired or does it require total replacement if damaged?
  • Price: Is this a product that most people could afford? (Generally, any single item over $30 seems expensive to me.)
I think of each dollar I spend is a vote of my values and an investment in my future.  If I don't support what a product or company represents, I don't buy it. While they may be hard to find, there are sustainable and ethical alternatives for every budget.

If you have recommendations, please leave them in the comments section and I will try to add them to the list.

Shopping Local:
Broguiere's Farm Fresh Dairy: local, fresh, glass bottles, amazing chocolate milk and egg nog
Farmers Markets: Old LA is small but cheaper than the rest. South Pasadena a good balance of selection and price. Santa Monica has the best selection, but is very pricey.
Figueroa Produce: local, organic, cheep, awesome
Jones Coffee Roasters: local roaster, sustainably and ethically farmed coffee
Nature Mart Bulk Bin: organic, natural foods and personal products, huge bulk selection
South Central Farmers CSA: local, organic fruits and veg, non-profit and cooperatively owned!

Eating and Drinking:
I Am Not a Paper Cup : Commuter Cup
SIGG: Personal Water Bottle

Personal Hygiene:
People Towel: Reusable Personal Hand Towel 
The Diva Cup: Reusable Menstrual Cup

Cleaning:

Garden:
Envirocycle Compost Bin: Best Rolling Composter EVER!

Entertainment:
LAmountains.com: Great spot to find info about Parks / Hikes and Outdoor Events around LA.
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