Buy less stuff

Plus: The Supreme Court, "March for Israel," and more   Tuesday, November 14, 2023: Hi all — Here’s what we’re talking about today: UP FIRST: Buy less stuff CATCH UP: The Supreme Court’s new ethics code — Rachel DuRose, [Future Perfect]( fellow   UP FIRST Buy less stuff Lorena Spurio for Vox A five-story guide on “how and why to stop shopping for more than you need — or even want.” The lowdown: Today, goods [cost a lot more money](, are actually of [worse]( quality, [damage the environment](, and create [further inequality]( in their production. A team of Vox editors and reporters [asked what we should do about all that](. The answer: “Buy less stuff.” Here are a few of the stories from the package: - It’s time to break up with fast fashion. Clothing carries two costs, writes Future Perfect’s deputy editor [Izzie Ramirez](. There’s the cost the buyer pays, and the one that includes the negative effects on the planet and the workers who made it. A “misinformation machine” has swept these moral and ethical issues under the rug, but they shouldn’t be ignored any longer. Read more from former interim Sentences writer Izzie [here](. - How to fix your stuff. Fixing things (rather than buying new things) saves money, teaches you about your stuff, and reduces your waste. While repairs may feel intimidating at first, there’s a plethora of resources on how to fix just about everything. Read more from Vox senior reporter [Allie Volpe]( [here](. - The lie of “deinfluencing.” No, the age of the influencers is not over. The influencer economy is still very much thriving, and the social media leaders who use hashtags like “deinfluencing” are simply changing their selling tactics. Read more from Vox senior correspondent [Rebecca Jennings]( [here](. The stakes: Vox senior editor [Alanna Okun]( told us all about the package: How did you decide what stories to include? For this specific package, we did want there to be an emphasis on what you can do personally right now, in your own life, alongside the context that so many of these problems are bigger than any one individual can hope to solve. We wanted readers to come away feeling less powerless than they maybe did before. What kind of advice can readers expect to learn from the package? We’re not here to tell you that you have to do something or else you’re a bad person. What we do aim to do, though, is provide readers with the information and frameworks they need to make their own decisions. What influence do you hope this package has on people's shopping habits? To think twice before making a purchase — even if you decide to do it anyway! [Check out all the stories here.](   CATCH UP The Supreme Court’s new ethics code Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images On Monday, the Supreme Court [adopted]( a publicly available code of ethics for the first time. The eight-page code was signed by all nine justices. - The code follows a series of controversies. Reporting has raised questions about the ethical integrity of a number of justices, including Justice Clarence Thomas’s penchant for accepting gifts, travel, and unusual financial arrangements from prominent GOP donors. [NBC]( - The code doesn’t contain any major new regulations. For example, the code is “vague” about when a justice must recuse themselves due to potential conflicts of interest. Still, it overall encourages them to step aside if such conflicts exist (which is certainly not a new practice). [Politico]( - But the guidelines fall short of what many envisioned. The many exceptions and the lack of enforcement mechanisms make it too broad to truly create change, argue some. "With 53 uses of the word 'should' and only 6 of the word 'must,' the court's new 'code of ethics' reads a lot more like a friendly suggestion than a binding, enforceable guideline,” said the progressive group Take Back the Court in a statement. [NPR](   VERBATIM 🗣️ “We are sure that all kind of infections will be transmitted… Today we had a little bit of rain. ... It was really horrible, nobody could even open a window, or just walk around the corridors with a really bad smell. … Burying 120 bodies needs a lot of equipment, it can’t be by hand efforts and by single person efforts. It will take hours and hours to be able to bury all these bodies.” — Dr. Ahmed El Mokhallalati, a surgeon inside Al Shifa Hospital, told Reuters of the risk posed from the decomposing bodies to those still alive in the besieged hospital (the largest in Gaza). [Reuters](   AROUND THE WEB - The situation at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza continues to worsen. At the hospital (which is under siege by Israeli forces), three babies have died, and the trapped staff are preparing a mass grave for the 40 patients who have died in recent days. [Reuters]( - Two massive protests are expected today in Washington, DC. The "March for Israel” (which its organizers say is a march against antisemitism and for the release of hostages taken by Hamas) and the "Here to Work" protest (which advocates for immigration reform) are expected to draw over 60,000 people combined. [ABC]( - This coming weekend, Las Vegas will host its first Formula One Grand Prix. While the highly anticipated racing event is bringing many visitors to the city, the Vegas they’re experiencing is different than one might expect, with iconic views (such as the Bellagio fountains) blocked by the temporary structures created for the race. [AP](    [Learn more about RevenueStripe...](   MORE READS FROM VOX [The problem isn’t inflation. It’s prices.]( [Explaining “Twin Flames,” the subject of Netflix’s disturbing new documentary]( [Biden gives center stage to the climate report Trump tried to bury]( [How to think through allegations of genocide in Gaza]( [Today’s crossword](   ONE LAST THING Enjoying the Sentences newsletter? Forward it to a friend; they can [sign up for it right here](. As always, we want to know what you think. We recently changed the format of this newsletter. Any questions, comments, or ideas? Write us at newsletter@vox.com or just reply to this email.    [Learn more about RevenueStripe...](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( [unsubscribe](param=sentences). If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved.