If you've ever thought about what it would be like to cast aside all your consumerism for a year and not buy anything, now you can do it by osmosis through Judith Levine's book: Not buying it. My year without shopping.

I had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Levine give a keynote address last weekend at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair in Custer Wisconsin. Surrounded by "greenies", most of whom no doubt see themselves as non-materialistic, it was refreshing to hear Ms. Levine inventory all the shopping opportunities that make the Energy Fair possible. From wind turbines to sun ovens to solar-powered hat-mounted fans and goat milk soap even an event dedicated to conservation and sustainable living is not without plenty of consumerism.

As marketers, brand-builders and product shills there should be plenty we can learn from Ms. Levine's experiment without enduring the pain of forgoing our "necessary" luxuries.

- Jeff