It’s so hard not to be sucked into the vortex of consumption that is the Christmas holidays. Every year I vow: minimal gifts, handmade or locally produced, organic/earth-friendly products, things useful or beautiful to the soul. And every year I get tired, busy, and desperate and I buy whatever crap that I can find. Usually it’s purchased from a big-box, corporate store, made out of mysterious and likely toxic materials, packaged in unnecessary layers of plastic, and costs far too much. This year I’m travelling down the familiar road of excess so it’s a good time to revisit the evils of consumer culture.

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonord is an invaluable reminder this time of year of why it’s important to get off the consumption train, and should be required reading before anyone goes to the mall. Try not to scream when you hear about the philosophy of “perceived obsolescence.” (Thanks to Redneck Mother for the reference.)

No Impact Man is a testament to the fact that is possible to mindfully cease to be a consumer. If you haven’t read about the dramatic year-long experiment in living low impact (which just ended), start at the beginning because it’s very inspirational.

And, if you need a less guilt-inducing reason to consume less, how about motivation of the cute and fuzzy variety? Daily Coyote is a breathtakingly beautiful blog and if you don’t feel moved to protect the earth and all its creatures after reading it, check to make sure your soul’s intact. (Again, I recommend scrolling to the beginning and following the story straight through.)

How do you keep your green vows during the holidays?