Living in a Post-Material World
It's about getting more enjoyment out of life, while accumulating less stuff (and stress, too!).
Everything has an environmental footprint when it's manufactured, so buying less is one of the best ways to reduce your impact. And it saves you money!
Not A Sacrifice – An Investment
In addition to its environmental friendliness, reducing your consumption is probably in line with the other values you hold dear.
Think Big, Start Small
Here are some simple, practical ideas to get you started in your reduced consumer lifestyle:
- Give practical gifts or gifts of service - a local organic food basket, a massage, tickets to a show, or a donation in someone’s name can mean so much more.
- Don’t buy it, borrow or rent it – Oregon libraries have lots of resources, your neighbors may have lots of garden tools, and vehicles can be easily rented or shared.
- Reduce the amount of packaging you bring into your house, and recycle whenever you can.
- Ignore the Joneses. It's more important to define your own happiness than keep up with their commercialism.
For More Information
- Check out American Public Radio's excellent series called "Consumed" on Morning Edition and Weekend Edition, or on the web at http://sustainability.publicradio.org/consumed/
- Find out what impact your consuming habits have on the earth's resources by taking the "Consumer Consequences" Quiz!
- Consider taking a Voluntary Simplicity course offered by the Northwest Earth Institute.
- Participate in Buy Nothing Day
- The Simple Living Network
- The Center for the New American Dream
- Your Money or Your Life, by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez
But What Will I Do With All My Extra Money?
We respectfully submit this idea: support the causes you care about -- like safeguarding a clean and healthy Oregon: become a member of OEC, or make an additional contribution.
By donating to the Oregon Environmental Council you will not only help find solutions to global warming, you'll also help us protect the health of Oregon children through programs like Tiny Footprints and Eco-Healthy Childcare. Your support enables us do all that, promote a sustainable economy and sustainable farms, and keep our rivers clean. What a deal!
