JB: Great story, and I love LL Bean for exactly that reason! What haven't we touched on yet, David?
DB: We are working to support two movements that I think are very important - composting and line drying. Both involve a modest amount of additional effort by individuals, but save money and are better for the environment. We offer a number of different compost containers - and I expect that composting will become as commonplace as recycling in the future.
There is no reason that fruit and vegetable scraps should be carted to landfill and piled high with other garbage. It should go back into the soil, ideally in our own backyards. Similarly, we waste a great deal of energy drying clothes when most will dry just fine hanging on a line or a rack, using zero electricity. We offer a couple of products related to line drying and hope to have more in the future.
Finally, just as the "slow food" movement has gained momentum and people care more about where their food comes from and how it is prepared, I believe we will see growing support for "slow money". This is where individuals know where their money is invested, preferably with someone they know locally and with a long-term horizon. This is how UncommonGoods has been run and I believe it has served us, and our community, well.
Agreed! Thanks so much for talking with me, David. It was fun; I love what you do.
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