If you’re anything like me, your bank account leaks money from subscriptions and online purchases. In our digital age, it’s far easier to buy things on the internet than to go out and shop. Even so, shipping and subscription fees make shopping online expensive. Many Trinity students struggle to make ends meet, but by shopping sustainably, students can procure luxuries and necessities on the cheap. If one takes the time to look, many sustainable alternatives near Trinity’s campus appear.
Half-Price Books and local retailers like Nine Lives Books feature book buyback programs that help alleviate paper waste and sell books for remarkably low prices. The past two semesters I bought all of my school books on Half-Price’s website instead of through Trinity’s bookstore. The shipping was quick, and I ended up spending less than $50 for around ten books. There is no way to guarantee that the books you need will be available at such stores, but trying could never hurt and could save you a great deal of money.
While farmers markets do tend to sit on the more expensive side depending on the product, they provide some of the best, most sustainable food, often locally sourced. The Pearl, ten minutes away by bike, holds a farmers market every Saturday. One weekend I purchased an excellent craft ginger beer that comes in a massive liter bottle. The price was high, but they had brewed it fresh, and it tasted better than anything I’ve bought from a large chain. While I spent more, the ginger beer I bought from the farmers market far surpassed the quantity and quality of mass produced ginger beer. Many such vendors show up at The Pearl every week. Some have even won awards for their products.
The Pearl also boasts a makers market on Sundays where local craftspeople sell their goods, similar to Trinity’s own art markets. The makers market has one vital advantage — crafts don’t disappear after use. High-quality products from an experienced craftsperson can last decades longer than factory-made goods.
Thrifting provides another great option for students looking to minimize waste and protect their wallet. Most know thrift stores for their low prices, but they also protect the natural world from clothing waste. Thrifting makes your outfits more unique too, since thrifted garments often cannot be found through typical retailers. Boysville Thrift off Olmos Dr. carries a massive selection of secondhand clothes. Several thrift stores lie on that same strip, most notably a Buffalo Exchange, so any interested students should check it out. Other great options nearby include Thrift @ The Warehouse and Texas Thrift.
Vintage stores can class up your fashion game even more, though since their items are generally rarer or at least high-quality, they do run a bit more expensive than thrift stores. Even so, vintage items last longer than most thrifted ones since manufacturers prioritized making clothes last.
Vintage stores have large collections of decorations, furniture and old technology, which can spruce up a room or provide materials for art and design projects. The accessories in vintage stores in particular make great gifts. In my personal search for a unique style, I have found nowhere better than a good vintage store. Some nearby vintage stores include Rag Parlor Vintage, Real Retro and Dropout Vintage.
While many may claim that higher prices equals higher quality, sustainable options prove this is not the case. A handbag from a market may be more expensive than one bought cheap on Amazon, but it will last just as long as one from a high-end luxury label for a fraction of the price. Vintage and thrift stores use the power of depreciation to sell even high-end products at low prices.
Many of today’s problems feel too big to tackle alone, but sustainable shopping gives the individual the power to do something meaningful. Even if we cannot fix problems like climate change on our own, we can form communities like those at local bookstores and farmers markets to mitigate problems through sustainable practices.
