The need for “retail therapy” is something that we try to beat out of ourselves in a bid to be less of a consumer and more of a recycler. The problem is, we are still hard-wired to go out and shop when things get a little hairy to “feel better”. Is there a way to indulge this part of our nature and stay green?

The answer is yes, as long as you don’t mind taking your impulse buys online. There are a number of digital products that you can purchase that will still give you the consumerist high that you are craving without the packaging, gas to get to the store, and that pesky need to put on clothes. Here are a couple of spots to check out:

iTunes
Well, you knew this was going there. But really; can you honestly find that song that you rocked out to in a 1990’s industrial/punk club online without enlisting the help of a horde of your geek friends? No, but you can find it on iTunes. For next to nothing. Nitzer Ebb, anyone?

iTunes also lets you purchase movies and TV Shows.

Pogo Games
If you ask anyone over the age of 60, the internet revolution is here, and it is called Pogo Games. While most of its offerings are free, for a subscription fee, you get access to premium games. A few minutes spent here and you’ll wonder why they even bothered to invent the Playstation 3. Or maybe not. But your Dad will love it.

eBooks
Whether you are getting them from Amazon, eBooks.com, or any one of the many outlets for digital reads online, eBooks are a great impulse buy. eBook readers aren’t that cheap at the moment, but they’ll get there in a few years.

Maybe, just maybe if we take this need to buy to digital goods, it may keep us from buying real world goods and ending up on the next episode of “Hoarders”.