(I accidentally hit enter before I had written anything on my last post. Sorry!)
My sisters and I used to love going to the Discovery Channel store in the mall. We were not the Claire's or Macy's type and our matching brown eyes were instantly drawn to the bright globes, the stuffed giraffes, and the lightning orbs. I had never heard of the Nature Company but upon reading "Looking for Nature at the Mall" by Jennifer Price, I was instantly reminded of my own experiences, raking sand in the mini zen garden and staring in awe at the sparkling geodes on the shelves. Jennifer Price examines my, and many other consumers reactions to stores like the Nature Company and attempts to determine if commercializing nature is a way of celebrating it, or just a waste of resources and an attempt to capitalize on human's thirst for the natural.
While I recognize that the Nature Company sells mostly trivial, kitschy gifts that offer little educational value, and I realize that while the Nature Company does offer something different from most of the stores in the mall, its main purpose is to make money, overall, the Nature Company brings something new to the table and is a nice relief from the monotony of the traditional commercialism of the mall. The Nature Company, and stores like it, sell informative books, nature documentaries, and interactive games and toys that serve not only to entertain kids but to educate them as well, instilling an awareness of nature that they most likely will not get from a Tickle-Me-Elmo. And while the idea of consumerism may seem contradictory to the natural, the Nature Company does make efforts to foster responsible, informed consumerism: "You can put a quarter in the Rainforest Meter and sen your money off to a good cause. You can buy a book about tropical deforestation. The company makes serious, extensive efforts to be a place where one can consume responsibly and well." By bringing a commercialized version of nature into the unnatural world of the mall, shoppers are reminded of their love and appreciation of nature and although a mug with a picture of an ostrich printed on it may not serve as a significant symbol of our connection to nature, it does serve as a reminder that nature exists in our homes and in the mall. Although the Nature Company is clearly not a perfect portrayal of how humans should interact with nature (capitalizing off of the elusive dream of nature, using its resources in the process), I think it is safe to say we leave the Nature Company with a stronger awareness of the planet and a little more informed than we would leave a Bath and Body Works.
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Merany: I love the way you weave in your anecdotal experience. It makes the post more compelling, and I think most of us can relate to your reasoning. For me, the crucial considerations for consumption are "Where did this come from?" and "Where is it going?" I own plenty of nature-themed items, from documentaries to calendars to books and stuffed animals, but I have to wonder, if all of us own a bit of nature, what is happening to the nature out there, that gets turned into commodities and then ejected back out into the environment when we're "done" with them.
ReplyDeleteI'd also be curious to hear if anyone had an extremely confused or alienated experience reading the pieces for tomorrow, i.e. you were shocked by the idea of finding any nature at the mall, or unfamiliar with Sea World theme parks.
And also on top of finding nature just at the outdoor supply stores, many stores are offering eco-friendly products at their checkout counters to promote their 'social responsibility' to the environment. Even clothing stores such as Urban Outfitters or Forever 21 have tons of "green-products" from wallets to lip glosses. So even though they are not directly selling tools and products to explore or learn about nature, they are making tons of profit to follow the new 'green' trend in marketing and merchandising. This profitability of organic t-shirts and recycled wallets -- how much of it does it really go back into nature?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the idea that the Nature Company does a good job reminding us of nature in our daily lives. If customers can leave the mall changing one aspect of their lives for the good of nature, the store has definitely accomplished something that few others can match. I think what some people do is try to put stores like the Nature Company up on a pedestal, and expect more from them than the typical mall establishment. The fact is the Nature Company is a business like any other, who must pay rent, meet payroll, and reward shareholders. The product is what truly sets the Nature Company apart, and while I can understand how some may see the idea of the Nature Company as hypocritical, I feel they should be given credit for their environmental efforts and for turning shoppers back towards nature. The Nature Company serves as an excellent example of the fusion of environmentalism and corporate America, hoping to make money off of our seemingly innate need for anything connecting us back to the outdoors.
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