Beatles/Proclaimers mash up (Sgt Pepper/Sunshine...

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Your daily source of inspiration for creative reuse and mindful consumption.

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[Background on, & press coverage of, Unconsumption can be found here and here.]

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.

Unconsumption is an invisible badge.

Unconsumption means the accomplishment of properly recycling your old cellphone, rather than the guilt of letting it sit in a drawer.

Unconsumption means the thrill of finding a new use for something that you were about to throw away.

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.

Unconsumption is free.

CONTRIBUTORS:

Founder & Editor: Rob Walker, journalist, Savannah, GA

Editorial & Community Manager: Molly Block, marketing and business development geek, Houston, TX

Brian W. Jones, designer & writer, Göteborg, Sweden

Kashvi Kumar, Environmental Studies and Economics major at New York University

Deirdre Nelson, ever threading artist, Glasgow, Scotland

Shanna Trenholm, writer. catalyst. force of nature. San Diego, CA

* * *

Alumnus & Unconsumption logo creator: Clifton Burt, graphic designer, Portland, OR

Further information about Unconsumption can be found here.

6:32 am - Thu, Jun 2, 2011: 125 notes

High-Res

Beatles/Proclaimers mash up (Sgt Pepper/Sunshine on Leith)

“Cassette doilies are part of a series of random classic album pieces, all the cassettes are bought in second hand shops, found or given and the patterns were found free online and date from the 1920’s to the 1970’s. I’m a 2nd hand shop rummager and the things I’m always drawn to are pieces of crochet lace, books, vinyl and cassettes. This piece of work is made as a response to the feelings I get when I see a piece of work that’s taken many hours and has now been discarded or an album thats been listened to over and over again and now replaced with newer technology, or an old library book stamped many times and now on a thrift shop shelf. I think about the many times that object was handled during its making/listening/reading and about the thoughts and the feelings, hopes and aspirations experienced during that time by the anonymous owner/maker.”

Via Jennifer Cantwell; @j3ncantwell on Twitter.