Page 16 - Sonoma County Gazette January 2017

CHOICES cont’d from page 1
bring our unbleached organic fair trade reusable hemp bags to the grocery store, and we instead pay ten cents for a bag made out of the innards of a former forest.
So before we have this conversation, let’s shed the guilt of imperfection. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we will never fully realize our ideals. We can, however, aspire to those ideals. And importantly, we can recognize the power we hold in the money and the time that we spend. Once we make that leap, we can consciously turn personal decisions into political action.
Let’s start with money... Do you complain about the in uence
of Wall Street on politics, then head to the Bank of America ATM to withdraw your cash? If you missed the boat on the recession-era movement to bank local, now’s a great time to catch up. We have fantastic local banks and credit unions ready to help you with that transition.
Are you frustrated with national agricultural policy, but have a pantry and fridge full of Kraft macaroni and cheese, Nabisco Oreos, Honeymaid crackers, Claussen pickles, Jell-O packets, CornNut snacks, Capri Sun drinks, Boca Burgers, Oscar Meyer weiners, Crystal Light drinks, Knudsen sour cream, Kraft singles, A1 Steak Sauce and Grey Poupon mustard? (By the way, every single one of the brands I just listed is owned by one corporation: Kraft.)
If we want to see more diversi ed agriculture in Sonoma County, if we want to see American food produced on small family farms or by local businesses, we must vote with our wallets. If we want to shape the landscape of local agriculture, we must shop at a farmers market or join a local CSA program.
If we prefer small businesses to multinational corporations, we must take the time to source local mustards, dairy products, meats, pickles, crackers, and cookies, instead of purchasing the products listed above. (Replacements for the list above could include Annie’s macaroni and cheese, Ariel Crackers, Sonoma Brinery or Preston Farm pickles, Revive Kombucha, Salmon Creek Ranch ground beef, Clover sour cream, Kozlowski mustard, Valley Ford or Weirauch or Bohemian Creamery cheese, and more.)
Do you believe in fair wages and environmental regulations, but still head to big box stores to buy clothes? Yes, they’re cheap. Yes, they’re trendy. But if we believe strongly in workers’ rights and environmental protections, we might want to withdraw our support from an international industry that continues
to underpay garment workers and does not match California’s environmental regulatory standards.
The good news is that our county is full of fantastic thrift stores, as well
as local artisans who create unique and inspired clothing. (And to combine
the two concepts, Multiple Threads, which sells at several local farmers markets, actually repurposes old sweaters into beautiful new clothes.) There’s
a “collaborative consumption” economy gaining steam, and if you participate in neighborhood-based social media, you’ll likely hear about local clothing and toy swaps. Diehard internet shoppers can consider a creative company like ThredUp, based out of San Francisco, which o ers used clothing via a website with precise sizing information and the opportunity for returns. (And speaking of collaborative consumption, before buying tools or seeds, consider visiting the Santa Rosa Tool Library and Community Seed Exchange.)
Now, about that free time... Do you spend you evenings watching the news, or do you spend your evenings making news? Newspapers are always eager for human interest stories and political movement stories. If you hold a rally in support for a cause, it will make the local paper.
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