Do As I Say, Not As I Used To Do

Often, I post on social media about things that I think can help improve the world.

...anti-plastic, anti-GMO, anti-fur, anti-pipeline...pro-ethical treatment for animals, pro-environment, ethical-this, ethical-that.

I realize I can seem hypocritical. After all, photos of me on social media show me wearing leather motorcycle gear, fur-trimmed ski gear, various plastic items, etc. I still eat meat (albeit, humane raised and organic)

I bought my ski jacket because it was on sale. It had fur trim on the hood. I wondered what kind of fur it was but not with any serious concern. It was on sale, after all.

A few years later I read about a boycott on Canada Goose coats because they use coyote fur for trim. Perhaps real fur is helpful added warmth if you are wearing the coat while racing your dog sled on the iditarod, but for your average city commuter, it was only a fashion accessory...and unnecessary. Given the number of Canada Goose coats sold, the number of coyotes killed is rather frightful.

...so I posted my anger, urging my friends to ask Canada Goose to use artificial fur trim instead of coyote fur, and boycott them until they stop using real fur.

Then I noticed the photo of myself in my ski jacket with the fur trim. After some reading, I realized it was, indeed, coyote fur.

Do I throw out the jacket? It won't bring back the coyote that died to make the trim. Luckily the fur trim could be zipped off for cleaning. I contemplated whether to leave it on to remind me the importance of advocating against fur. I left it on for one year and felt guilty every time I wore the jacket. Then I decided to remove it.

I still have my leather motorcycle jacket and chaps. I was a bit of a leather junkie for a few years and have a number of blazers and jackets and purses. I'm not getting rid of them all. I have plastic storage containers. Keeping them. Sheepskin slippers. Keeping them.

BUT...

I have my eyes open. I am a more informed consumer. As my fur/leather/plastic items wear out I will replace them with non-fur/leather/plastic items. I will continue to shout out for ethical ventures and against harmful ones. Clearly, my behavior is changing because someone voiced these things to me, so maybe my words will cause a change in someone else.

I still have the coyote trim from my coat in a drawer somewhere. I'm trying to decide what to do with it. I thought about doing some respectful ceremony. I thought about using it in some kind of anti-fur way (whatever that looks like). I might just keep it to keep my feeling of guilt alive enough to continue to advocate for change.