Dismounting New in 2009

After reading the book "Hot, Flat and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman last Fall, I was compelled to do more than recycling to be "green." I learned of this group out of San Francisco called "The Compact Group" while reading Sunset Magazine. As I understand it this group was formed very informally over dinner one evening a few years back, on a pledge that they would not buy new for a year (excluding groceries, toiletries, etc). I didn't join the Compact Group, but rather just adopted their basic principles for the next year. It's been a revelation on a number of fronts. Mainly, the awareness of how much time I was spending doing "i'm bored shopping"...I now invest that same time into reading, working out, and investing more time in people I care about...it's been a good shift for me. January was fairly easy. I'm finding February to be more of a challenge...spotting that cute pair of shoes, coat or top...I must avoid even driving by Anthropology for fear of being sucked in against my weakened will. I'll stick with it though. I like pursuing things that teach me something new. Challenge my perspective...good stuff.