Conscious Shopping in the Crown Town

Mark Englander heats his home with corn. His hot showers come courtesy of solar power. His toilet flushes — like the whoosh of an airplane lavatory — with less water than the standard low-flow commode. When he drives, he leaves in his wake not the stench of exhaust but the aroma of food, via his specially outfitted Mercedes that runs on cooking oil.

Englander, a one-time mayoral candidate (in the 1970s; he lost handily to John Belk) and owner of Charlotte Energy Systems, might just be a model of socially conscious living in Charlotte. (With a weakness or two — he does smoke an occasional cigarette. But they’re Native Spirits, not Marlboros, for what that’s worth.) He cuts his energy use, opens his store for meetings to the (generally liberal/progressive) groups he believes in and stays abreast of what’s happening in the community. “Always,” he emphasizes.

But Charlotte generally isn’t associated with living in what might be described as a socially conscious manner — a manner linked with liberal politics but of interest to all folks concerned with reducing dependence on oil, consumption of natural resources and preserving decently paying American jobs. This is a car-oriented city, where consumption is a sign of status and “green” living is viewed with suspicion by (anecdotal evidence only) a substantial portion of the population. Mayor Pat McCrory isn’t about to ban bottled water in an effort to reduce landfill waste, as San Francisco’s mayor recently decreed.

Nevertheless, Charlotte does have a social conscience, says Marc Friedland, owner of Talley’s Green Grocery, one of Charlotte’s oldest natural food stores, “but it’s under the blanket of corporate indifference.”

Friedland, a third-generation grocer who started Talley’s 16 years ago, says corporations are so dominant in Charlotte that independently owned businesses are endangered here more so than elsewhere. “There’s this kind of corporate indifference that comes with big business,” he says. “They put a lot of money into the city, but does that really translate into a social conscience in the community? It doesn’t usually.”

Does that mean most Charlotteans are doomed to lives of quiet desperation, augmented by consumption whenever possible? Of course not. It’s quite possible to buy local goods and services without fearing you’re sentencing some eight-year-old in Bangladesh to 18-hour days behind a loom. Here are a few tips that help you do more (albeit, in some cases, not much) than just switching to fluorescent light bulbs and turning up the thermostat a few degrees.

1. Add organic foods to your diet. Even Harris Teeter offers a limited variety of organic meats and produce these days. You’re not just saying “no” to pesticides; you’re taking steps to preserve your health. “If you can’t understand the words on the ingredient label, it’s probably not good for you,” says Friedland.

Are they more expensive? Yes, usually. But demand may help drive down prices. And if you cut out some processed foods, you might just be able to shuffle some cash around. “Can you put a price tag on your health?” Englander asks rhetorically. “You have to make priorities. We have people who shop here with food stamps. If you’re careful, you can get by and have a much healthier diet without throwing money away at this corporate extravaganza of non-nutrition.”

• Berrybrook Farm Natural Food, 1257 East Blvd., 704-334-6528, www.berrybrookfarm.com

• Earth Fare, 12235 N. Community House Road, 704-926-1201, www.earthfare.com

• Home Economist, 5410 E. Independence Blvd., 704-536-4663, 2707 South Blvd., 704-522-8123; 261 Griffith St., Davidson, 704-892-6191, www.hemarket.com

• Talley’s Green Grocery, 1408-C East Blvd., 704-334-9200, www.talleys.com

2. Shop for cruelty-free clothing and goods, even when it comes to big purchases like diamonds (not exactly a weekly buy, but one with sociological implications in any case). Learn about finding conflict-free diamonds at The Conflict-Free Diamond Council.

Anyone can shop consciously online, but some local stores are making a modem less necessary. The most well-known of sweatshop-free goods locally may be American Apparel, the notorious purveyor of T-shirts and other knits. Its politics are so relentlessly odd that liberals don’t know what to think — and no one else seems to care. Its founder, Dov Charney, has been sued for sexual harassment. He’s also been accused of resisting unionization attempts at his Los Angeles factory, where workers are paid much higher wages and receive benefits unheard of in most textile shops.

Friendly staffers at the tidy Camden Avenue store declined to talk about their company’s socially conscious ethic and said they had been told in a conference call the prior day not to talk to media. Regardless, at least you can shop there under the belief that you’re not keeping a child in Bangladesh in a factory 18 hours a day. And, of course, everyone needs some gold lamé leggings and a tight unitard.

3. Recycle. You know those red boxes you see outside other people’s houses once a week? Use ’em. If you live in an apartment complex, unfortunately, you may be out of luck — but you can take your recyclables to several drop-off points throughout the area.

Full Service Centers:

• North Mecklenburg Recycling Center and Yard Waste, 12300 N. Statesville Road

• West Mecklenburg Recycling Center, 8440 Byrum Drive

• Hickory Grove Recycling Center and Yard Waste, 8007 Pence Road

• Foxhole Recycling Center and Yard Waste, 17131 Lancaster Hwy.

Self Service Centers:

• Park Road Park, 5300 Closeburn Road

• Uptown Recycling Center, 11th St. between Tryon and College

• McAlpine Creek Park Recycling Center, 8711 Monroe Road

• Rozzelles Ferry Road Recycling Center, 5800 Rozzelles Ferry Road

• William R. Davie Park, 4635 Pineville Matthews Road

• Blythe Landing, 15901 Highway 73, Huntersville

• Davidson Recycle Center, Jackson St., Davidson

• Reedy Creek Park, 2900 Rocky River Road

• Renaissance Park, 4635 Tyvola Road

4. Shop secondhand. The nature of consumption is that it’s often easier to just buy a new coffee maker than it is to repair the old one. But yard sales, Craigslist, thrift stores and resale shops offer quality secondhand goods and the thrill (or, at least, mild pleasure) of the hunt. Craigslist, the online classifieds site, is the free competitor and albatross of traditional revenue-generating classifieds spots (like, ahem, Creative Loafing). Buy secondhand and you’re cutting down on landfill waste and, in many instances, generating revenue for charity.

• Assistance League of Charlotte, 3600 S. Tryon St., 704-525-5000

• Goodwill, various locations

• Habitat for Humanity Re-store, 1133 N. Wendover Road, 704-716-7044; 3326 Wilkinson Blvd., 704-295-4495

• Junior League Wearhouse, 1412 East 4th St., 704-377-1854

• Plato’s Closet, 9630 University City Blvd., 704-717-2972. Other locations. (Part of a large chain.)

• Salvation Army, various locations

• Value Village, 2917 Freedom Drive and various other locations, www.carolinavaluevillage.com

5. Buy “green” home furnishings. So you’ve scoured the Salvation Army with no luck. If you can’t find the furniture you need or want at Goodwill, how about trying an environmentally friendly store? Anthea Designs in NoDa, for instance, tries to incorporate clients’ existing furniture in its interior designs. The firm also shies away from products that contain harmful chemicals.

• Anthea Designs, 3100 N. Davidson St., 704-375-0088, www.antheadesigns.com

6. Maintain your home through environmentally friendly methods. The grocers listed (see No. 1) offer cleaning products that contain fewer chemicals. You don’t have to buy 10 different types of cleaner just to clean your two-bedroom apartment. If you’re lazy (or busy, whatever) you can also find eco-friendly cleaning and lawn services that use veggie- and fruit-based cleaning products.

Englander at Charlotte Energy Solutions sells a battery-operated lawnmower for $399. It’s not nearly as loud as a regular mower. But you can pay someone to care for your grass without sacrificing green concerns; Michelle Pine of Organic Systems, a gardening service, says more people are using environmentally friendly lawn care services. “I think more people are conscious about the effects of chemicals,” Pine says.

7. Check out alternative energy sources. Englander’s corn stoves require a big investment — they range from $1,100 to $3,500 — but pay off quickly. Englander, for instance, heats his 2,500-square-foot house with a corn stove. Whereas he would’ve spent about $300 a month for heat during the cold months, he now pays between $60 and $80 a month for corn from a local farmer. “It’s fuel that doesn’t come from the Middle East and electricity that doesn’t come from strip mining,” says Englander, whose store, tucked in the Cherry neighborhood just east of downtown, is chock-full of cost-saving energy products. “You can control your costs so you actually stay warm during the winter, rather than turning your thermostat to a point where you’re cold, but not too cold.”

8. Support local merchants. Whether you want to buy cantaloupe, sip coffee or dine on a nice meal, it pays to buy locally. You can be a glutton without compromising standards.

Farmers markets let you buy locally grown produce, which supports smaller, independent farms, often with a hefty savings.

• Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, 1801 Yorkmont Road, 704-357-1269

• Center City Green Market, 7th St., between College and Brevard

• North Mecklenburg Farmers Market, 700 N. Tryon St., 704-336-2561

Some independently owned restaurants, like Thomas Street Tavern, buy products, including organic ones, from local vendors. Udipi Pure Vegetarian Cuisine is, well, purely vegetarian — a rarity in Charlotte. Salute Ristorante & Wine Bar isn’t the cheapest meal (entrees run between $15 and $30) but you can impress a date with its hormone-free meat and non-farm raised seafood.

Want fair trade coffee? Try Julia’s. The coffee shop — an outpost of the Habitat for Humanity Re-store on Wendover Road — sells fair trade coffee (which comes from growers who pay workers fair wages and provide decent working conditions) from El Salvador. Named for Habitat’s Charlotte founder Julia Maulden, Julia’s give all proceeds to charity. The store also offers used books and customers get free Internet access. What more could you want with your caffeine fix? Pura-Vida Worldly Art — a gallery and coffee shop in Plaza-Midwood that carries clothing, jewelry, and hand-crafted art from around the globe — also sells fair trade coffee.

• Julia’s Coffee, 1133 N. Wendover Road, 704-295-4585, www.juliascoffee.org

• Pura-Vida Worldly Art, 1521 Central Ave., www.puravidaart.com

9. Remember your pet. The recent large-scale pet food recall kindled interest among many cat and dog owners, who suddenly wondered just what’s in the food they’re feeding their animals. Even some uber-mainstream supermarket chains have started carrying a few of the better-quality brands, but smaller stores have carried premium food for years. “It woke people’s eyes up,” says Diana Daffin, owner of Pawtique Holistic Pet Shoppe, which opened in the spring. “I’ve had a lot of people convert to high-quality food.” Many stores carry cat litter made from recycled materials, as well as organic cleaning supplies. “Pets are down low to the ground, and whatever chemicals you’re putting into the floor, it’s getting into the pets.”

10. Make a commitment. “Let’s put it this way,” says Friedland. “If somebody wants to have a social conscience, they can have one. There are ways to do that. And those things take sacrifice, but that’s what a social conscience is — it means I’m willing to make some sacrifices in order to do something good for the community. A social conscience is something you can’t put a price tag on.”

This article appears in Jul 4-10, 2007.