Shopping Green With Tweens

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Got a tween who loves to shop?  Is it possible to teach them to do it green?  That’s the question The Green Parent posed to Trendy Diva, a self-professed tween diva and uber-shopper, and her mom, a self-professed greenie and shop-o-phobe.  Here’s what that mom and tween eco-duo have to say about shopping green:

Trendy Diva’s Mom: I personally don’t get into shopping, it’s not my thing. But, when I have to I’ll shop as green as possible. Shopping online is the way to go for me. It’s easier, less hassle and no crowds. However, I second guess the method of shipping and question the carbon footprint of my order. I prefer only shopping places that offer organic, fair trade or natural products. I don’t purchase a lot of clothing but when I do, I want quality and to ensure I’m not putting chemical laden clothing by my skin. Food shopping is easy…fruit stands, health food store and various local stores that carry organic foods who don’t look at us weird when we pull out our reusable totes to bag our goods in. Now, my daughter is another story…she loves to shop. I’ve finally gotten her to think about her purchases before she goes running to the cash register.

Trendy Diva: Shopping is a must. I love to shop in the mall, and different stores. I could live at the mall except for there aren’t a lot of stores who sell eco friendly clothing or stuff I need.  I go there wanting a lot of things and next end up thinking about the items before buying them and end up not getting much of anything. My mom has educated me so much that I want to buy some things and next don’t. When it comes to clothes, I want what’s in and sometimes I find that at Plato’s Closet. They have a site at www.platoscloset.com where you can take your clothes in and get money or buy clothes there too. It’s like an upscale consignment store. So, that helps when shopping green for clothes. I get what I can there and other times I do have to shop the mainstream stores considering

there’s not a lot of fashionable organic clothing for folks who are small like me.  Food shopping is my mom’s thing but we do it together and I love Clif Kid Twisted Fruit and their organic Z Bars. She allows me to construct my own choices and these are two of my favorites. Having been brought up green and natural I want to keep making smart choices that help the earth and me as well.

Trendy Diva’s Tips on Green Shopping:

• Reuse or repurpose what you can. Shop consignment stores, thrift shops for clothes, household items. It’s better for the environment and your pocketbook to buy reused than new.
• Buy local when possible. composes less of a carbon foot print and helps local businesses.
• Buy organic when possible. No pesticide on your body is good thing in clothing. No pesticides in your body via foods are good too. Pesticides help nobody nor the environment.
• Buy what you need. You don’t have to have 20 pairs of shoes (really…you don’t).
• Remember that every item you purchase came from somewhere and will end up somewhere, prepare certain the path it took and will take is an environmentally friendly one.

Tara Burner is an eco friendly multiple business owner for by 18 years.  Tara conducts business and her

personal life totally green and enjoys helping others do the same. Affordable Mineral Makeup^TM was started by Tara to fill a need for chemical free, natural mineral makeup. All of her businesses are green related, you can stop by http://www.TaraBurner.com to view more about Tara and all she does.

Trendy Diva is the young nearly teenage daughter of Tara Burner. She’s a diva, she’s trendy and she’s green. Trendy Diva loves fashion, makeup, jewelry and helping the environment. She blogs to show others that you can be a diva as well as eco friendly at http://www.TrendyDivaTalk.com.

Do you have a teen or teen who loves to go green?  I’d love to take in from you!  Drop me a line with you favorite stories/tips/or comments on shopping green with tweens and teens.

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