ETHICAL LYFTĮÑG PRO TIPS!!
when i was lïftįng a ton i found myself getting really materialistic and borderline wasteful. like, i would always think, why use what i have when i could get more for free? i don't need this, but since i get can it so easily, why not? etc etc etc. i ended up with a lot of stuff i didn't really want or use. that's no good because it clutters ur space and it's just wasteful!
that being said, if you are a compulsive lįftèr (like me!!) or just have a tendency to lįft things you later realize you don't want/need, here are some tips to lįft while also making ur community better:
1. donate donate donate!! books can go to libraries, schools (if appropriate), book exchanges, etc. clothes and household items can go to thrift stores, charity stores, and the like. i'm not sure if this works for makeup and personal care products though since a lot of donation places don't accept those, but maybe if they're sealed?
2. on the same idea as the first tip, when you have the urge to go lįftïng but don't need anything, it can be fun to lįft specific items with the intention of donating them. this especially helps if ur a compulsive lįftèr or klèptø. basically just have an idea of what ur community needs: is there any clothing drives going on? canned food drives? toy drives for kids during holidays? for example, my town has a gloves/hats/scarves drive for people who can't afford to keep warm during winter. last year i stølè a bunch of gloves and hats and stuff to donate. it felt really great because i got to lįft and it was for a good cause, it's a win win. also shoutout to that video of the ppl who stølè loaves of bread and jars of jam and packaged snacks and handed out meals to the homeless (literally goals).
3. if you have the means, use some of the spare spending money you racked up by lįftïng to buy things at local small businesses or thrift/charity shops. this of course applies more to people who lįft as a hobby or because of compulsions, not out of necessity. basically just use what resources you have on your community, not corporations
4. gifts! this is a really obvious one that goes for anything, not just lįftèd stuff. gift your loved ones things you think they'd use more than you do. capitalism has made us believe that gifts must be brand new bought things but honestly that's just dumb and wasteful, gift people things you have around if you think they'd want them, gift people things you've loved so they can love them too, it's really quite cute once you think about it. and of course, gifts need no occasion.
5. think before you łįft. easier said than done but at least try!! consider: do i have something similar to this already, or something that serves the same purpose? will i actually use this item or be happy i have it? is there any way i can make or repurpose something instead of getting something new? lįftèrs should practice minimalism and mindful consumption too! just because you're not giving corporations money, doesn't mean you aren't using resources by lįftïng in excess.
And above all, LĮFT FROM CHAIN STORES AND CORPORATIONS. PERIOD. This is like the lifters' golden rule. Lįftïng is partly about getting free stuff, but mostly about going against corporate capitalism and the fucked up governments/economies fueled by corporate greed. If you lįft from local and small businesses you are directly hurting people who are just trying to make a living---karma will come for you, and Karma Does Not Play Nice.
