Resources & Important Stuff

But first! A word on the possible dangers of non-profits:

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This is an NGO (former collective) that has a tonnn of resources on harm reduction, both made by them, and lists of further resources. And it covers almost all subjects, from sex work to STD prevention to safe injection/drug use.

awesome person with more than one awesome podcast! (and some books! I wanna read them..)

Site started by Brad Lancaster (rainwater harvester & author) about his neighborhood's efforts and progress.
"Since 1996 we’ve collaborated with our neighbors to plant over 1,700 native food-and-medicine bearing native trees and thousands of multi-use native understory plants. And we’ve collaborated to plant over a million gallons of stormwater annually in the neighborhood’s public rights-of-ways..."

"a science-based conservation organization, working with diverse partners...[By] utilizing applied research, engaging in advocacy, providing educational resources, addressing policy implications, and building community, we endeavor to make meaningful long-term conservation a reality."

perhaps my favorite little venue for 'weird' or small artists that I've been to, and they have a monthy open-mic (they currently don't have a place so scratch that for now.. T_T)

awesome alert! They have a tonn of zines, almost all of which are handmade/printed by local artists. They also have other things like patches, calendars, etc. Really a very soul-quenching spot, and it's coupled with the Palabras Bookstore, which is equally great!! They both do lots of community work as well and help in hosting events.

Zine / "micropoetry" publisher (never gotten anything but seems cool!)

a map of farms, farmer's markets, etc. near you!

A deeply loved and appreciated volunteer Indigenous group working w/ environmental orgs & community advocates to stop nuclear colonialism in the Southwest. The mining is disastrous for the earth and her people. "Clean nuclear energy" my butt!! Łeetsoh Dooda.

"Information for Creating a Navajo Nation Safe from Radioactive Contamination"

"RMP is a collaborative project of NEIS (Illinois), SANS (New York), and DNN (New Mexico) that began in 2014. RMP is designed to help address the rampant and growing danger of radiation contamination throughout the United States and Canada by empowering people living in contaminated and frontline communities to be able to accurately measure radiation levels in and around where they live."

Local Indigenous Jewelry and education about nuclear mining and its history on the reservations.

general things I've learned:
1. Buying things brand new is almost always unethical. Whether it's Temu or something considered "not as evil" like Target, the products both came from the same horrible processes, manufactured by the same exploited people in the same countries plagued by the same toxic corporations. Every new thing manufactured and sold required injustice, whether it's child labor, deadly conditions, environmental decimation, or a 60-hour work week in a bleak factory doing things you hate.

2. We have been trained to buy incredibly more things than we need, and to love doing so. Addiction is incredibly powerful, and it is constantly weaponized against the people. Try to go a month without buying anything you don't need, and reflect on how and why it makes you feel!

3. The vast majority of "ethical" or "sustainable" brands are greenwashing. For example: buying a B-Corp Certified, Zero Waste, Organic Bamboo Hair Brush is so much more pointless than just finding and using one of the hundreds of pre-loved hairbrushes near you.

4. The best (and often most cherished) things are salvaged (repurposed, dumpster, junkyard, hand-me-down, etc.) or pre-owned (locally is always better too)

5. Trusting, loving, or "being loyal" to a brand is dumb

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Used stuff for local pickup (& technically also shipping) from people near you!
I use OfferUp for nearly everything secondhand besides thrift stores :P (they've made some annoying changes & have ads but it still works great for me)

Pre-owned further/shipping stuff (has a wider range and thus more variety).
NOTE: always set your eBay searches to "Condition: Used" to avoid just getting brand-new sweatshop items as your search results (again, annoying company).

Generally for local bigger purchases like vehicles & furniture OR things posted by older people (because that's the main user-base nowadays).

second-hand refurbished electronics; never bought from them but seems cool? Hopefully it's ethically refurbished idk!