ABSTRACT
More and more people of every political stripe are realizing that the fruits of the hyper-commercialized society offer short-term personal pleasure and long-term cultural crisis. Lifestyle changes are more than merely personal choices. Despite the encompassing presence of commercialism and consumerism, every individual can do something to escape from their influences and make his or her community a better place to live. Americans are clearly hooked on consuming. According to one 1987 survey, 93 percent of teenage girls deemed shopping their favorite pastime. The word "frugal" is rarely heard these days—it sounds so frumpy and archaic. The commercial world makes it tough for Americans to lead environmentally sensitive lives because it vigorously promotes wasteful lifestyles. The mass media are ablaze with the glitzy lifestyles of showbusiness celebrities, and broadcasters run hundreds of times more product advertisements than public service messages.
