townie time

sustainability's in style

[townietime]

When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments. Here was a machine of precision and balance for the convenience of man. And (unlike subsequent inventions for man's convenience) the more he used it, the fitter his body became. Here, for once, was a product of man's brain that was entirely beneficial to those who used it, and of no harm or irritation to others. Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle.

-Elizabeth West

[tis-the-gift]

[townietime]

"Reduce, Refuse, Rejigger"

So says Dave Bruno, founder and advocate of the 100 Thing Challenge, which is more or less self-explanatory.  The challenge is to reduce by disposing and donating until only 100 items remain in your possession, to refuse by denying yourself future purchases or by exchanging an old possession for a new one, and to rejigger your priorities.  Now that all of those pesky things are out of sight and (hopefully) out of mind, where will your energy and focus go?

100 things. What will you choose?

[townietime]

Tim Kasser on Voluntary Simplicity

     In "Ecological Challenges, Materialistic Values, and Social Change" (2011), ecopsychologist Dr. Tim Kasser states: “Not only do people who voluntarily simplify their lives tend to be happier, they also tend to be more socially responsible and make better environmental stewards.  In sum,” he goes on to say, “it is the case that a strong focus on materialistic values is negatively correlated with happiness, as actual wealth and possessions tend to have null or perhaps very small positive associations with happiness in economically developed countries.”

     Helpfully, Kasser also reveals to us when we are at our most materialistic and, therefore, most likely to purchase (or even to steal) impulsively, and the answer is very common-sense: We are most materialistic when we feel that our safety and security is less than certain.  Next time you’re feeling insecure, ask yourself why. Is your situation real or imagined?  What actions can you take—as opposed to purchases you can make—to remedy that situation?

[townietime]

"Life Edited" - Three Rules from Graham Hill

When writer, designer, and environmentalist, Graham Hill, was invited to a 2011 TED conference to give a talk entitled “Less Stuff, More Happiness,” here is what he had to say to his audience:

1) Edit ruthlessly.

This rule is all about consuming and keeping what you consume with awareness of your own needs and only your deepest desires. Throw out (or, better yet, recycle or donate) what you no longer need nor use.  When shopping, look for quality over quantity.  Look for what you will use 99% of the time, as opposed to 1% of the time you own it.

2) Think small.

Save yourself some space (and money) by keeping your purchases fun-size and easily store-able.  Digitize by storing paperwork, books, and movies on your computer, Kindle, or other electronic device.

3) Make multifunctional.

The idea here is combinations. Combine appliances, combine furniture, combine everything. Take a microwave and a stove, and voila— you have a microwave with burners on top, all in one neat little purchase and one neat little space. This concept can apply to anything. You get the idea.

[townietime]

Questioning Consumerism

     A few years ago, I wrote the following for a self-published newsletter that I was never gutsy enough to disseminate:

For all the praise offered by most citizens of the developed world to the concept of living beneath one’s means, and even to asceticism, we struggle incredibly with bringing that simplicity into our own lives by weeding out our excesses and refusing future ones. Why?  The question continues to beg for a satisfactory answer. Is our consumer culture, made worse by the rampant advertising found in today’s media, to blame?  Has advertisement successfully encouraged us to equate identity and worth - our own and that of others - with material possessions?  Are we at fault for lacking the sense and strength to fight our own hedonistic impulses while immersed in a hedonistic society?  How many of us would truly trade a life with stuff for a life with enough?

     Despite the cobwebs they have accumulated in the dusty recesses of my mind, upon my recent re-reading of them, these questions still struck me as relevant.  And they have, in part, inspired the advent of this blog.  Here you will find stories of my struggle to live a simpler life for the sake of the planet and my fellow human beings, as well as the information and anecdotes I unearth along the way.