I rarely look beyond what something “is” to what it actually costs.

I don’t mean that I’m not aware of the price tags….I know what something “costs”….and, usually, I’m shopping at places where all the t-shirts are $1.25, anyway…so even then, I don’t really keep track of what the original “cost” was.

Why would it matter to me? I turn away when the sign says that t-shirts are $2.50.

“Cost”….that’s kind of a weird concept, anyway.

Things cost what people are willing to pay….and if the marketing is really good, we’re hoodwinked into paying more than something is worth, sometimes.

That’s the money side of cost.

That’s the easy side to pay attention to.

We pay attention to things as deeply as they affect us financially.

Why should we go any deeper than that?

This video is about changes in clothing….changes in design and changes in how clothing is produced…..and an awareness of what our choices “cost”.

It’s about an awareness of the damage that traditional clothing production does to the environment.

Watch for the section with the person talking about clothing being dyed in China….and why she stopped enjoying watermelon that she was buying locally there.

Research why Patagonia went to using organic cotton.

It was more than just a marketing concept.

How we produce the things we wear….or the things that eventually make their way to the $1.25 t-shirt rack….really has a damaging effect on the environment.

Check out the lady growing “fabric” with bacteria and yeast cells.

“Bio-engineered clothing”.

That’s pretty wild.

We can go beyond what we know now.

And, as far as the “what people are willing to pay” thought goes, I guess that maybe we’re willing to pay as much for what we understand….as for what we don’t have to know about.

A “blood diamond” is beautiful…who needs to know about what it cost to dig it out of the dirt?

Who needs to know about the damage that producing anything costs?

Knowing any of that stuff makes it hard to be a joyful consumer.

Thinking about “damage” is a real buzzkill.

Go to the mall and look around.

I’m amazed at the stuff that they can pile into a “small corner” of my world.

There is a lot of stuff vying for my attention at the mall.

Now, go to the thrift stores and look at the huge amount of stuff that’s at the other end of the consumption chain.

By the time clothing makes it way to the thrift stores, it’s usually lost its lustre for the original purchaser.

It’s something that’s a couple of steps from being in the landfill.

Look at the amazing volume of stuff that is being sold at the other end of the process.

That’s pretty bizarre that we’re surrounded by so much stuff.

I’m a sucker for books.

I worked in a retail book store.

I love books.

But, except for what the book “is”….what’s inside the book….the information it contains….a book is really kind of worthless….unless someone decides that it’s “collectible”….and then it’s worth what people are convinced they should pay.

Check out the book sections at the thrift stores.

And….like clothing….it’s the tail end of the process….one step from the landfill.

That’s pretty amazing.

We have a lot of stuff in this world….and we’re making more of all of it….every day.

Where are we going to put any of it?

Our closet is too small as it is.