The Compact

If you haven't yet heard of The Compact, you may want to check into it. It was started by a group of people in San Francisco whose aims were:

1) to go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of U.S. consumer culture, to resist global corporatism, and to support local businesses, farms, etc. -- a step, we hope, inherits the revolutionary impulse of the Mayflower Compact

2) to reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er)

3) to simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact)

The main rules are:

First principle - don't buy new products of any kind (from stores, web sites, etc.)

Second principle - borrow or buy used.

A few exceptions - using the "fair and reasonable person" standard -- i.e., you'll know in your heart when you're rationalizing a violation:

• food, drink, and necessary medicine (no elective treatments like Viagra or Botox)
• necessary cleaning products, but not equipment (don't go out and buy the Dyson Animal, for example).
• socks and underwear (utilitarian--non-couture or ornamental)

Some articles about The Compact:

• SF Gate: Out of the Retail Rat Race
• USA Today: Idea of Simple Life Takes Hold
• SF Chronicle: SF anti-consumerism group 'staggered by response'
  

Some resources to help with compacting:

• Freecycle
• Craig's List
• Cheapcycle
  
• Bookcrossing.com
• Paperbackswap.com
• Of course, local thrift shops, classified ads, etc

Thank you to Jenny for providing most of the material for this post!