Stevie Joe's Sustainable Christmas

So, old Stevie Joe has been pondering his options for this year's round of Christmas shopping.  What with the economy being in the crapper and all, I'm trying to be careful with my selections.  I've been thinking about how to make our economy more sustainable since it seems that this whole notion of buying and using more and more stuff ain't gonna last for long.  I mean, how long can we keep shipping bottled water halfway around the world?

During my in-depth research on the matter, I came across a little project that the folks at Patagonia clothing are doing.  It entails examining the economic and environmental impacts of some of their products.  It turns out that the polyester shirt made in Thailand might use less electricity, create less waste, and be a better overall use of resources than an organic wool shirt made in the US (or something like that).  In any case, the answers aren't always as clear cut as we might imagine.

Patagonia has a big section on their website devoted to this project.  They call it The Footprint Chronicles.  There are detailed videos and slideshows illustrating each step of a given item's manufacture.  Trust old Stevie Joe when he tells you that you can spend a great deal of time looking at all this stuff.  Maybe the price you pay for their merchandise is worth it after all.

Sustain is not just a sign of a good guitar,

Stevie Joe Parker