Material Innovations

Part of Sagmeister's illustrated list.

Based on Stefan Sagmeister’s list

1. I become a better observer of my environment when I take the time to walk or ride my bike.

2. I eat more creatively when I buy what is local, seasonal, and organic.

3. Buying food with minimal or no packaging always means choosing a healthier (in all senses) option.

4. I am incredibly privileged to be able to choose the way I want to live—and I am responsible to make thoughtful, considered choices every day.

5. People still like me even if I don’t shower every day (and it saves water).

6. Buying clothes from the Goodwill bins improves my sewing skills.

7. Shopping at my local, family-owned grocery store—though often more expensive—means that I am greeted with familiarity whenever I go there.

8. Material pleasures are nice but they don’t own me or fulfill me; simple living is rewarding. And simple.

9. Thinking about the world beyond myself puts my life in perspective, and makes me a better citizen of the globe.

10. Designing my own life with intent can affect others’ behavior as well.

Because food politics are important and interesting to me, and one major choice that I feel I can control, I decided it would be entertaining to look at some products in my kitchen to see if I could trace their individual journeys. Despite my best efforts to stay local, many of my staples have traveled a long ways.

Here’s what I found:

COFFEE: Bolivia–CA–OR

BALSAMIC VINEGAR: Italy–CA–OR

TONGOL TUNA: Thailand–NJ–OR

SALT: Pakistan–South Africa–CA–OR

COCOA POWDER: Peru–CA–OR

SO: just by looking at a few simple cooking products, I realize that my purchasing power is directly affecting the livelihoods of people on 5 different continents! I am not exactly sure what to do with all this information yet, but it certainly makes me more aware that my daily choices are constantly reaching a global scale.