Trying to do better by the world.
Trying to reduce waste through various methods. Order only as much food as necessary. Avoid wasteful nonsense such as disposable razors and bottled water. Use things until they break. Try to mend things before replacing them outright. Buy higher-quality products that last longer to begin with.
Voting with the wallet: patronizing businesses which exhibit greater social and environmental responsibility. These businesses often have higher price tags because it costs real money to avoid things like exploiting workers living in poverty... especially workers in developing countries. Luckily the household coffers suffice to support this endeavor. Not everyone's do.
Another bugbear: plastic bags. Especially here. Japan has a tradition of meticulous wrapping techniques for gifts and merchandise called 風呂敷 (furoshiki). That, however, entailed reusable cloth. Marry that tradition with a modern culture of disposable packaging, and rampant, unrepentant baggery ensues. Double bags. Bags in bags. Bag upon wretched bag. Oh, the baggery.
To combat this, one may carry a reusable エコバッグ (eco bag) to use in lieu of the endless plastic bags. However, fastidious and over-eager clerks encounter difficulty when asked to forego the bags. Duty compels them. Protocol compels them. Red tape compels them... to tape. They tape everyfuckingthing. A large purchase of multiple, small items leads to store tape on each and every item. This leads to cobwebs on clothes, irked glances from patrons in line, and unintended growth of a long white beard.
Would it kill you to just put the shit in the bag, please? Pretty please?
