By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

Do you ever feel torn between the many demands that are placed on you as a socially conscious young professional? I find that many people my age are locked in a continuous cycle, searching for brands, stores and organizations that meet the many values we hold so dear. Is it more important to buy local, organic, sustainably sourced or fair trade? If you have tirelessly sought to shop with social change in mind, I have some easy and fun solutions that will hopefully ease the stress of weeding through endless product lines to find the ones that fit your lifestyle.

Shop small

With warmer weather approaching, now is the time to get out and explore farmers markets and clusters of local shops. Without having to do a lot of research and run from store to store, you can find items that are locally and organically sourced, provide local jobs and are manufactured or grown with fair labor practices in mind. I have yet to find a farmers market that I don’t like, but I do admit that I play favorites. Not only can I get awesome produce at the Cherry Creek farmers market, but it’s close to some of my favorite shops. Revampt, in Cherry Creek North, sells beautiful repurposed goods, including unique dog collars and leashes made from recycled neckties (yes, my terrier sports one and looks quite dapper). Though the next two stores are not local, I can always count on them to carry great gifts and everyday items. Ten Thousand Villages, conveniently located near Revampt, offers lots of social enterprise, fair trade and upcycled items ranging from the everyday necessities like tea to the globally inspired and ornate like hand-crafted jewelry. Finally, I can’t go to Cherry Creek Mall without making a stop at Lush. Many of you who know me already know it’s not just a guilty pleasure, it’s an obsession—their eco-friendly, cruelty-free products are addictive. I highly recommend picking up a jar of Charity Pot lotion—Lush donates 100% of the profits back to charities around the globe.

Take your totes everywhere

Whether you’re out shopping, picking up goodies from the library, or giving a gift, be sure you’re using a reusable bag. Using these as much as possible prevents environmental damage incurred from throwing away plastic and when given as a gift instead of wrapping paper, prevent you from having to track down ethically-sourced, environmentally-sound bags (and they can be used again later by the recipient). Many stores now carry chic reusable totes that work perfectly for gift giving. Plus, I have found that the best way to share my socially conscious beliefs with friends and family is to make it fun and easy for them. I enjoy bonding with people over the totes I have that show off my favorite causes, organizations and 5Ks, and I have found that many people truly enjoy receiving socially conscious gifts that come with a reusable bag (it feels almost like a bonus gift).

Swap unused/unwanted items

Have you ever bought makeup that wasn’t the right shade? Or received a sweater that didn’t fit , but didn’t come with a gift receipt? Take the shame out of regifting (yes, I said it), by having a party where people can swap unused items. This is a great excuse for a get together with some of those great Pinterest snack recipes you have yet to try and perhaps some wine or beer that gives back to the community (which—admit it—we all love as young professionals). Why am I advocating for a swap party in a blog about being a socially conscious consumer? I’ll tell you: repurposing items you have no intention of using eliminates waste, diminishes the demand for creating new products that use lots of energy and resources to produce, and of course saves you the time of having to research products and companies because the product has already been purchased.  Put another way, if you don’t regift, your unused gift will likely end up in a landfill. Why not let someone else get some use out of it?

How do you make being a socially conscious consumer less stressful and more fun? Share your thoughts with me and other Nonprofit Street readers in the comments section below.