(Site note: We’re on the road for the holiday. One half is headed to Butte, Montana, and the other half to Indianola, Washington. We’ll return posting Friday morning. In the meantime, look for the DTE Turkey on these pages. Happy Thanksgiving!) "There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed." - Ghandi As a little kid, Thanksgiving meant three simple things: Hanging out with cousins you didn't get to see regularly, sitting at the kids table and knowing that leftover turkey in a sandwich would be lunch for about a week. Oh, the good old days. As a perceptive adult, and a conscious consumer, Thanksgiving regretfully has taken on a whole new meaning. The week leading up to the big meal now breeds more cynicism than excitement. And sadly, it's not even the week before anymore; it's the whole month of November. The month where Thanksgiving becomes secondary to the corporate mega-event that is Christmas shopping. Thanksgiving is being burdened with a bad reputation simply by association with Christmas shopping, turning festive Americans into worrisome scrooges. It's an all out turf war with Christmas wanting to have its cake and eat it too. Thanksgiving has become the opening act you must sit through before the headlining act takes the stage. Mall Santa's are lining up for duty earlier this year than ever before (Santa at Riverfront Mall has been stationed since last week). City Christmas tree displays are erected before Halloween cavities have had time to set in. And worst of all, Wal-Mart jumpstarted the post-Thanksgiving shopping insanity three weeks before the official Black Friday. Now, consumers across America rush through Thanksgiving dinner so they can make it home and get a little bit of sleep before lining up at the mall at 3 a.m. Pumpkin pie, forget about it, doorbuster deals are just as sweet. Corporate America has taken Thanksgiving hostage and though more American’s are displaying a frugal side than anytime in recent memory, there is a “cha ching” sounding somewhere. In the midst of our broken economy, Black Friday may just lead us back to Black Thursday and sadly, through countless first-hand accounts of credit troubles and spending more than you have, plastic will soon be flinging out of wallets faster than you can rattle off your 4-digit pin. The Christmas overdose that is sure to ensue is one more example, one of many, of America out of control; an America that thinks green, just the wrong kind of green. So how is this concerning for the environment you ask? The entire "consumerism will save the world" mentality that exists is creating a complete greenwash of ideas that are creating more of a problem than they perceive to solve. Buying an $80 dollar shirt because it's made from eco-material in theory is better but it's beside the point. This is what is meant by greenwashing. Bill Clinton said it best, "The totality of consumption is what the problem is, the totality of impact on the earth. And that's why we speak so much of conservation being the key rather than better consumption. Using less stuff rather than manufacturing things in a better way. So cut back and power down and use less of the materials of the earth." There isn't a way to buy our way out of energy consumption or buy our way into environmental consciousness. What it takes is being aware of your consumer actions. And what better time than during the mecca of consumerism, Christmas. Take the time to watch the following video called "Greensumption." It is one of the smartest looks at America and its "shop to save the planet" mentality. And think about your consumer habits this holiday season. Make this the year you stick to a budget, purchase good quality, sustainable goods, and support local businesses. Oh and don’t forget to use the DTE magazine or DTE shopping bag as wrapping paper alternatives.

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