Originally published January 8 2010
Take Notice of the Sustainability Factor and Fight Back Against the Disposable Economy
by Aaron Turpen
(NaturalNews) In a 3-part series, titled Take Notice of the Sustainability Factor and the Disposable Economy of the World, the sorry state of our consumerist cultures was outlined. Inside the next two generations, we will likely face massive shortages of critical resources and starvation on a scale the world has not seen.
After publishing those articles here on NaturalNews, we received several questions from readers ranging from despair at the hopelessness of it all to questions of how we can resolve this problem. More than a few wanted to know why it was thought that government should not be the answer to this issue and why governments aren`t capable of dealing with environmental issues overall.
The largest reason that governments cannot deal with questions of environmental change is because most of the changes that must take place are cultural. You cannot force culture on people and all governments, whether democracies or empires, are only able to deal in force.
No, the changes required to move our societies towards sustainability are complete alterations of our consumerist paradigm. Wealth, abundance, and prosperity need to be redefined.
We all know that happiness does not come from owning the latest gadget or having a bigger house than the neighbors. True happiness comes from health, well-being, and the knowledge that you and your loved ones are prosperous in your endeavors.
There are things you can do, individually, to inspire others around you to take steps towards a cleaner, more sustainable lifestyle. When enough of us are doing this, our pocketbooks will be the voting bloc that changes how corporations and governments conduct themselves.
1 - Use Less, Waste Less, Have More
The vast majority of the energy consumed by individuals is through electricity and heating gas or oils. Lower these numbers as much as possible. Turn down the thermostat, drive fewer miles, compost your garbage, recycle, use a clothesline, etc. These are the things you always see being promoted as steps towards greening your lifestyle. Take those steps.
2 - Buy Less, Own Less, Be Abundant
Focus not on products that you want or think you should have and instead focus on products that you truly need. Also, ask how long will that product you`re purchasing really last? Focus on what you need, not what you think you need, and buy products that are built to last, not made to be thrown out. Spend your money wisely: spend more on things that matter and none on things that don`t.
3 - Talk More, Help More, Be More
Turn off the electricity/intelligence-sucking television and spend time with friends, family, and neighbors. How many neighbors around your home can you name by name? What`s their favorite food? Do they have pets? How old are their children? If you can`t answer all of these questions about everyone who lives around you, you don`t have neighbors--you have strangers who live nearby. Talk to them, help them with their projects and fill their needs, and they`ll fill yours too. Have a community.
Spend time as a community together; working, shopping, trading, laughing, and being involved make all of us happier. It also makes for a better environment both mentally and physically.
People, who work for companies that can potentially pollute, won`t allow that to happen when they know the faces of their neighbors who will be affected by that pollution. Local governments are more likely to think about their constituents when they shake their hands at church, ballgames, and community events.
Working together, as a community, we can make big changes and those changes need to be made sooner rather than later.
Resources:
Take Notice of the Sustainability Factor and the Disposable Economy of the World Parts 1, 2, and 3
The Sustainability Factor: What Sustainability Means and Why You Need to Know by Aaron Turpen
Finding Happiness the Natural Way by Charmaine D. Mercado, NaturalNews
Compassion and Responsibility by Michael Fondi, Campaign for Liberty
About the author
Aaron Turpen is a professional writer living in Wyoming in the USA. His blogs cover organic/sustainable living and environmental considerations (AaronsEnvironMental.com) and the science debunking mainstream medical and proving alternatives (HiddenHealthScience.com).
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