Cheap Vs. Green

While I want to do what I can to be environmentally conscious, my cheap and frugal side often vies with this desire.  Buying organic and locally made products can often be a bit more pricey than going with the cheap WalMart crap.  So I must say, I love it when my split personalities agree and I can feel like I am getting a good deal while keeping the earth in mind.  Since WalMart had been the only place in our small city that sold fabric, my sister and I found ourselves falling back on their supply (particularly those tempting remnant rolls...) when we were in need of specific colors.  We go through quite a bit of fabric in making things for newleafhandmade and despite sort of hating WalMart for it's all-pervasiveness and various evils, it was nice to know that we could find what we needed, if the need arose.  So it was with a bit of dismay that we watched the fabric section close down and the fabrics slowly disappear off the shelves, in favour of precut pieces, most of it upholstery fabric.  And yet, it is sort of good for me too, knowing I have to rely that more strongly on finding fabrics at the second-hand stores in town.  This way I'm using almost totally post-consumer fabric in my creations and it is costing so much less than it would to buy new.  The only problem is you kind of have to buy ahead, since what you find today could be gone tomorrow when you actually need it.  I can't always find exactly what I want while I'm thrifting, so I've also been searching the Etsy supply shops -I like ordering from these people, knowing that they probably get that same rush of happiness, finding a sale notification in their inbox.  And I also love how Etsy sellers are so reasonable with their shipping costs, more often charging the actual shipping cost unlike some of the big online fabric stores.  Ah, Etsy....
-Maria