Conscious Consumerism is a lifestyle, not an excursion.

Over the coming weeks, you will be bombarded with many shopping requests. You will be asked to buy nothing or recycle. We live in a heavily consumeristic society where purchases more often rule us than not. Multiple sources sites (National Retail Federation, eCommerce News), Retailers make 30%+ of their annual revenue over the next six weeks.
 
Consumer spending is 69% of the staggering $23.2 trillion U.S. economy. If you commit to conscious choice, thank you. However, your intentions and righteous action… make no difference. Those choices are not a rounding error of spending in the local economy, let alone the national one. I'm not saying you shouldn’t make conscious choices, but know that a single purchase or drive to a pick-it-yourself farm will not make the difference you hope.
 
It's a numbers game.
 
What can you do? More importantly, what should we all be working towards?
 
Disagree, but don't be disagreeable. The first step is to lower the social barrier to sustainability and support local shopping. For example, refusing to eat with friends who do not purchase 100% sustainable groceries makes you insufferable over time. As a vegetarian, I often face the inevitable eye rolls, "but you eat fish…" or "Hey, there are left-over leaves at the bottom of my calamari" comments. I don't compromise, but I do not force my choices on others. Local shops and stores have a lower environmental impact. 
 
Routinely support your farmer's markets, dine at restaurants that work with local farms, and shop at regional stores and fairs.
 
Make it a lifestyle versus an excursion.
 
If you consciously commit to shopping, please consider using #ShopLocal and #ShopSmall. If you shop online, consider marketplaces that enable small businesses.
 
Finally, if you decline to shop big box retailers or online e-commerce sites, I have another data point for you to consider. Their workers are possibly your friends, family, or neighbors. Perhaps the Retailer can survive shutting down a poorly performing store. How about your neighbors?
 
Choice sets in motion events known and unknown. I want you to know that you have the satisfaction of knowing that you were aware of the intentions you set forward.
 
Make ones you are proud to have as memories.