npr: felixsalmon: You know those cardboard...

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Consumption is a word used to describe acts of acquisition – generally, the acquisition of things, in exchange for money.

Unconsumption is a word used to describe everything that happens after an act of acquisition.

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Unconsumption means the pleasure of using a service like Freecycle (or Craigslist, Goodwill, or Salvation Army) to find a new home for the functioning DVD player you just replaced, rather than throwing it in the garbage.

Unconsumption means enjoying the things you own to the fullest – not just at the moment of acquisition.

Unconsumption means the pleasure of using a pair of sneakers until they are truly worn out – as opposed to the nagging feeling of defeat when they simply go out of style.

Unconsumption means feeling good about the simple act of turning off the lights when you leave the room.

Unconsumption is not about the rejection of things, or the demonization of things. It’s not a bunch of rules.

Unconsumption is an idea, a set of behaviors, a way of thinking about consumption itself from a new perspective.

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Further information about Unconsumption can be found here.

Original by Felix

3:15 pm - Mon, Oct 1, 2012: 465 notes

npr:

felixsalmon:

You know those cardboard coffee sleeves you get for free at Starbucks? Well back in 1840 or so, they didn’t exist. Instead, they used things called Zarfs, into which they would place their hot coffee containers. Here’s one. It’s coming up at Christie’s, with an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000. That’s a bit more than “free”, of course. And it’s only 2.5” high, so you’re not going to be able to get much coffee in there. But still, imagine taking this into your local coffee shop, and explaining that if you really cared about your coffee, you’d use a zarf.

“Grande extra-hot pumpkin spice latte in a zarf, please.” — rachel

A rather elaborate example of reuse (circa 1840), but still.
We’ve mentioned here what I’d say is a contemporary take on this: the “coffee cuff,” a wooden sleeve made from “architectural veneer offcuts,” that can be worn as a bracelet.

npr:

felixsalmon:

You know those cardboard coffee sleeves you get for free at Starbucks? Well back in 1840 or so, they didn’t exist. Instead, they used things called Zarfs, into which they would place their hot coffee containers. Here’s one. It’s coming up at Christie’s, with an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000. That’s a bit more than “free”, of course. And it’s only 2.5” high, so you’re not going to be able to get much coffee in there. But still, imagine taking this into your local coffee shop, and explaining that if you really cared about your coffee, you’d use a zarf.

“Grande extra-hot pumpkin spice latte in a zarf, please.” — rachel

A rather elaborate example of reuse (circa 1840), but still.

We’ve mentioned here what I’d say is a contemporary take on this: the “coffee cuff,” a wooden sleeve made from “architectural veneer offcuts,” that can be worn as a bracelet.