Just a few of the negative synonyms for the word consume. Before you point out that the word companies use to describe people that buy stuff is consumer, remember what the suffix -er does when it is added to the end of a verb, it “form(s) nouns which refer to people or things that do that particular activity.” At least according to the Cambridge Dictionary. Since consume is a verb, my logic is correct as far as the English language is logical… Well, it at least follows grammar rules.

Anyway, I just got back from a meeting where WWF along with other smart people from forward-looking companies were making changes in their products to be more sustainable. YAY! That is great. Now we need more companies and people to do the same, but that’s another story. As companies, they obviously make products and sell them. As large companies they make a lot of products and sell a lot of them. And since selling their products to make money is basically why a company exists, they are educated about who buys their products. So far so good, until they labeled these people as consumers.

Wow, well, I guess that’s me because I buy laundry detergent and soft drinks and drive a car. So now I’m one who annihilates and ruins things. How sad! And demoralizing and… Hold up, all this time I thought I was doing the right things by recycling, trying to help people, and using science to regrow stronger trees. But alas, I am no more than another nameless heathen that exists to destroy. So who am I? Well, according to what must be well known segments of the population, we the destroying people are:

• 15% LOHAS – people willing to make tradeoffs to buy things that are ecologically better (green)
• 75% Mainstream – people who won’t make tradeoffs in price or performance to buy something that is ecologically better, or ‘more green’
• 10% Nevergreen – a longue-in-cheek term for people who actively avoid environmentally responsible products.

The NMI pros have more detailed segments, but that is not my point. All of this analysis of customers is fine but it should be done with caution. While more scientific than hearsay and conjecture, the results should be used as guidelines, not scientific rules. On that note, even Einstein was not always right. Furthermore, if WWF is right and we (royal we meaning the ‘producers’ of the world) will need to grow as much food and fiber in the next 40 years as we did in the last 8,000 years, we’re in such a tough spot these labels don’t really matter that much. Want to be scared? Read their 2010 Living Planet Report. Now look in the mirror. Aren’t we ALL consumers? Aren’t we ALL producers? So why keep using lazy jargon that continues to drive a wedge between business and non-business people? Don’t take this wrong, I have a ton of respect for the WBCSD, the work they do, and the companies that are members. I wish more people and companies would make changes to be more sustainable like this crowd does. So hats off to you for trying to make positive change in the face of so many others who are not. What I’m pointing out is a culture that separates people and pits one group against another – the sellers and the buyers. Or the producers and the consumers. The for-profit and the non-profit. The 1% and the other 99%. The good and the bad. It is all counterproductive and silly. There’s much to be done to make this one world a better place.

So stop using the generic term ‘consumer’. I bet many others feel this way when they are labeled a ‘consumer’:

“I’m insulted”  You are as much, or maybe more, of a ‘consumer’ than I am. Even if I am the most super wasteful person but I believe that I am doing the right thing and I honestly try to do the right thing, then you calling me a consumer (a.k.a. destroyer) is appalling and arrogant of you. And if you really want to make a good impression and sell me stuff, don’t assume I’m O.K. with that ridiculous label.

“Inaccurate” – So you don’t consume anything I suppose? We ALL consume things, but we don’t all destroy and squander. It is a broad and imprecise term. Yep, I looked up the definition of accurate, and I’m right. Accurate is precise, careful, or meticulous. Calling me a ‘consumer’ is none of those things.

“Lazy” – What else should I call it if smart people use a term that is insulting and inaccurate by definition? Just because something is a commonly used term doesn’t mean it’s right. Jargon is a tricky thing. It works among your peers but it can get you into a lot of trouble in a wider group.

In the end, we are all people. You, me, everyone that consumes or produces. We should be in it together to try and save this tiny planet. So please, don’t call me a consumer – I’d prefer you call me a customer if you respect me. If you don’t respect me then stop pulling punches and hiding behind a crappy term -  just say I’m a destroyer.

Better yet, you can call me Adam.

All Of The Lights from Hadaya Turner on Vimeo.

Don’t watch if you get epileptic seizures. Otherwise, crank it and full screen this bitch.

1. Bei Fen – Good backup of your complete WordPress installation. You can choose only the files, or have it include your WordPress database. Plus, it makes unguessable archives of the whole thing and puts it into a folder on your server.  Get it? You just set up an FTP script to download your whole folder every so often and you’ve got a history of your site plus database. Totally mandatory since there is no 100% guarantee that the following plugins will save you from the most malicious attacks.
2. Update Notifier – I’m busy.  Are you busy? This plugin emails you when updates are available for your WordPress installation. To stay ahead of most of the automated attack robots all you have to do is keep you WP core and plugins up to date. But I’m busy, so this reminds me to take the 5 minutes to update everything.
3. Akismet – If you are experienced with WP you might wonder why I don’t have this listed as #1. It is because most of my sites don’t allow comments or open registration. forestsunlimited.net is an exception and for that site Akismet is a godsend. It is a great idea. You get an API, you log in to their server, and it keeps track of all the jerks hammering WP sites and then distributes the blacklist results. It is super easy to set up and everyone should have this installed.
4. WordPress Firewall 2 – A great plugin that blocks a whole bunch of malicious crap. Of course, sometimes it blocks you too, so remember to turn it off when you do anything heavy on the WP core. Changing files through Appearance > Editor is one place I usually remember how effective this plugin is… after a lot of choice words and many attempts to just update my stinking footer file!
5. Secure WordPress – It plugs some simple security leaks.  Nuff said.
6. Limit Login Attempts 1.5 – If someone is trying to get into your admin account by brute force, this plugin stops them dead.
7. Ultimate Security Check – This plugin scans your files and install configuration to give you a score on your site in terms of vulnerability. It is a good plugin for beginners or a a reminder of easily forgotten security leaks. Honestly, I usually install it, check its results, fix what I can, then uninstall it.

There are other, more time consuming ways to tighten up your WordPress site that I’ll post later. For now, feel free to comment if you have better security plugins.

Disco Rodeo in Raleigh is an interesting place. Perfect for Gregg Gillis to spaz out. You can get ALL DAY free at Illegal Art.

She & Him – Don’t Look Back from Merge Records on Vimeo.

There are a lot of misconceptions about organic foods.  Did you know that USDA certified organic food is legally allowed to have biotech material in it assuming certain criteria are met?  Or that there are a number of growth enhancing products that are allowed to be applied to organic crops.  Some have concentrated nitrogen, boron, copper sulfate… And so on.

My point is that people people should be given more information because it isn’t a black and white choice.  Organic is not always better than biotech and biotech is not always better than organic.  Polarizing statements make headlines, but the truth is we need every option out there so that someday, maybe, nobody will be hungry.  Maybe we can have biofuels for transportation instead of oil.  Maybe we can have enough fiber for building homes and shipping food.  I think we can!  Let’s get smarter.

Plus, I made a really sweet site for it!  I jumped on responsibleuse.org and built the whole thing except for a minimalistic template I started with.  Check out the pages, extensions aren’t necessary since there is a script that bounces it to the .shtml transparently.  That lets me use includes files and keep the pages more or less future proof.  That’s important because the Principles will be printed and available at amazon.com.

08/31/2010: Help, I’m Alive – Metric

Good find Matto.