Nearly everyone I know tends to run short on time and/or money. Some have an abundance of one and are short on the other, but very few of us feel that we truly have enough of both. And so when we make a decision about giving to a cause, it … Continue reading →

Being an ethically-minded consumer can involve many concerns. We’ve rounded up the best iPhone and Android apps to help you shop smarter, whether you’re looking for cruelty-free, environmentally friendly, socially just, or vegan and vegetarian products. Our Blue Okra trophy adorns our choice of a few of our favorites. To … Continue reading →

For decades, psychologists have been chronicling Americans’ decreasing self-esteem and increasing rates of depression. Tori DeAngelis says in her article, Consumerism and its discontents, subtitled “Materialistic values… are linked to lower life satisfaction”, that, “the least materialistic people report the most life satisfaction.” And, apparently, “Those who doubt themselves buy … Continue reading →

We’re obsessed with happiness. It’s the topic of endless discussions, economic studies, psychology experiments and philosophical treatises. Amazon returns 104,645 results for books on “happiness”. The failure of consumerism, a.k.a. “retail therapy”, to scratch that itch is also a hot topic. We know – almost instinctively – that buying stuff … Continue reading →

Is economic growth killing the planet? In her new book “Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist”, Kate Raworth describes how, by plastering that question on the front of a building, “rebel economics students commandeered the street in front of the Boston Sheraton to greet the … Continue reading →