Doug. Weiss
Balsam Moon
We consider sustainable living to be a commitment to a comprehensive sustainable lifestyle. Of course, any lifestyle change is a conscious process of choices and one learns to live sustainably one choice at a time. Therefore, a sustainable life is a goal to work toward even though we may never achieve a completely sustainable life.
One of the first principles of a sustainable lifestyle is identifying needs vs. wants. Needs are things that are necessary for us to live. Needs include healthy food, clean water, housing, transportation, energy and social interactions. Wants are things that we desire but are not essential to our lives. Wants are strongly ingrained and not easily changed. In our consumer-based society shopping often becomes a pastime for us and we buy because we “can’t pass up a bargain” or to cheer ourselves up, or because we don’t want to miss the latest new gadget or trend. However, deciding to live more sustainable leads one to intentionally choose what to consume and the single greatest impact we can have on the environment is by reducing our consumption.
A second principle involves considering quality vs. convenience. Our society is designed for convenience. As an example, fast-food restaurants and prepackaged / ready-to-eat foods tend to be staples of the American diet. Maybe you remember your mother or grandmother making that apple pie from their backyard apples or homemade bread and the pride they took in preparing it. Or perhaps you still have something a relative made and gave you. A sustainable lifestyle includes taking time to find and value quality products that last leading to less waste from cheap, disposable goods.
A third principle involves simplifying our lives. Simplifying involves keeping those things and activities that are useful and supportive, and removing things that drag us down and fail to add value to our life. It is not easy to change old habits or even dare think that we might be able to lead a less cluttered, less stress-filled life. However, more and more folks of all ages in our community are choosing to do so and if you ask them I dare say that they will tell you it was well worth the effort to get there.
A fourth principle is evaluating how we spend our money. It speaks volumes in our consumer society. Every purchase we make has an impact on other people’s lives and upon the environment. Some of the people involved in a single product we purchase include: the grower/ producer, the manufacturer, the distributer, the seller, and those who deal with the waste. We are unaware of who most of these people are and whether they are earning a fair wage or suffering under some unjust system. What we choose to buy does have tremendous influence. As an example, public demand for organic foods has not only dramatically changed the spectrum of foods offered in grocery stores but has changed farming practices, food regulations, and even changed agricultural curricula in universities all in less than 20 years.
A fifth principle is learning to do things for ourselves. Self-sufficiency is a trait that many of our parents and grandparents possessed that subsequent generations have largely lost. Some of us can remember parents and grandparents repairing the lawn mower or building furniture, mending clothing, making jam, canning produce, and doing repairs around the house. Alternatively, we are frequently told by advertisers that we lead busy lives and don’t have time to do these things. “It broke – throw it out, buy new.” However, as we slow down a bit, we can begin to find purpose and pleasure in performing some of these simple tasks and find we can save money as well. And if we feel unable to tackle these tasks ourselves, ask a neighbor and learn from them. And YouTube is a great resource to learn just about anything from eager “teachers”
These are a few of the principles that represent the underpinnings of a sustainable lifestyle that we have found immensely fulfilling and rewarding.
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