If I’m Gonna Talk the Talk…

I talk (and write) a lot about sustainability, transparency and triple bottom line (economic viability, social impact and environmental responsibility), so I figure it’s time for me to be forthcoming about some of the ways I am implementing these concepts in my own life.

Many of the tactics I adopt are simple. Over the past two years for example, I have:

• downsized my car (from a light truck to sedan) which improved my fuel economy by +10mpg
• carpooled whenever possible
• installed compact fluorescent lighbulbs throughout my house
• constructed a clothes line
• planted an organic garden
• adopted the practice of composting
• encouraged my kids to watch the Story of Stuff, which actually dissuaded them from a few purchases.

I truly enjoy these things, but my favorite enviro-eco activity is probably my semi-annual trek to the thrift store. Yep, that’s right…I’ve been wearing second-hand clothes.

This picture shows yesterday’s purchase: 2 sport coats and 7 dress shirts. The brands include Evan-Picone, Bandini, Chaps, Van Heusen, Pierre Cardin, Arrow and Adams Row. How much would this have cost at a department store? Let’s consider Macy’s, where blazers run from $34.99 to $234.99 each. That would land me somewhere between $70 and $470.

Then there are the shirts which I could reasonably price from $29.99 to $49.99 each. Here we’re talking about $210 to $350, so the total purchase could easily have added up somewhere between $280 and $820. I’m not trying to be a cheapskate here; I typically care much more about quality than price. And I spend a lot of time meeting highly successful business people, so I do care about the image that I present in a professional setting.

These clothes are “A” quality and I know that nobody would even suspect that they weren’t brand new. I won’t kid you: clearly I like saving money. But that’s not my primary motivation here. I enjoy the thrift store because I find great bargains while recycling and supporting the local economy. That’s a win-win-win in my book. Add in the fact that I get to role model conscientious behavior for my kids and even enjoy taking them shopping here, and I end up putting it on my list of favorite things to do (within reason).

By the way, how much do you think I paid for all of those clothes? How much would you pay?

Would you believe $50? That’s the regular rate, but yesterday was 1/2 off everything for family day so I got the whole lot for $25. Yay me!