Simplify, simplify, simplify!
A recent post on Variable Interest has me thinking of the vast consumer interest in the “green movement”. I strongly believe in living with as little impact on the planet as possible and sometimes this means renovating, changing light bulbs, buying a new dishwasher, or trading in that SUV so your carbon footprint is smaller. But sometimes we just need to buy LESS, use LESS, need LESS.
I’ve begun minding my purchases more. I don’t buy gifts for people that they may not need, I read most magazines/newspapers online, and I take good care of my clothes so I don’t have to buy more. And when I do buy, I try my best to buy conscientiously.
I have a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share that gives me locally, organically grown vegetables every week. I purchase vegan purses and buy only Energy Star appliances. But I’m no saint. There are times when take-out is easier than eating in and times when I drive to work instead of bike. But I like to think that the changes I am making are small steps toward a gentler way of living.
If we can take the phrase from Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” and transfer that to green living, it might look like this: “Buy only what you need. Use only what you must. Rely on yourself more and machines less.”
Those words will heal the planet.
Hi! I like your blog concept, and look forward to reading more.
re Your post here, “buy LESS, use LESS, need LESS” is very important. Just looking around one’s house you can make a list of things you could do without. Not that all purchasing is bad, it’s that it’s your own money, and our own resources and waste. We’re taught to consume, even if we don’t know why.
torbjornrive said this on June 25, 2008 at 4 pm |