- Introduction:
- When Lightning Strikes: Remembering Why Simple Living Is Important
- Don't Buy It!
- User Support CyberAngel Appeal
- New Resources: Highlights Of The Latest Additions To Our Resource Directory
- 10 Things You Don't Need When You Have A Baby: Organically Inclined
- Slow Money, Manure & Prudence: GreenMoney Journal
- Tea Towel Salad Dressing: The Non-Consumer Advocate
- Trash Watch: Cleaning Our Neighborhoods Of Corporate Litter
- Gems Of The Discussion Forums: Fuel Prices Spark Much Discussion
- Simple Living In A Nutshell: Frugal For Life
- YAWNs: Young & Wealthy But Normal
I was working in my garden on a Sunday afternoon in early June. It was an overcast day and it had started to rain lightly. I was determined to finish planting my tomatoes. I put up a big umbrella and sat down on an overturned bucket, I was happily working away when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of lightning across the field above the local organic dairy. I thought, "WOW! That was close!" I got up and walked the 15 paces to the front porch of my greenhouse when all of a sudden everything became eerily quiet.
Now, I have lived in the Midwest in the past and been through a couple of tornadoes. I know that feeling when "something is coming." As such, I hit the deck getting as low to the ground as possible. Before I had a chance to think I experienced the most intense flash and instantaneous thunderclap of lightning I have ever witnessed.
Not 50 feet away a thunderbolt struck the tallest tree in my neighbors' back yard. The bolt shot straight down the tree ripping a strip of bark from top to bottom and throwing the resulting debris across the yard. At the bottom of the tree was a small electrical box linking the house with the barn. The box exploded sending shrapnel flying in all directions. I felt the electricity surge through my body. I had become an energized bunny! I just remembered why I have such a great respect for nature. It is a force beyond our control. We are not in charge here!
Since I first went to summer camp as a child, I have had a great sense of respect and appreciation for the natural world. It is the source of all things required to sustain life. That is why I live in the remote mountain community of Trout Lake, Washington. That is why my favorite activities are gardening and spending time wandering in the forest or sitting by the river. I know that learning to live more in harmony with the earth and its life was one of many inspirations for The Simple Living Network. (Of course there are other inspirations — building community, spiritual growth, having more time for the things that are important, having less stuff to deal with, etc.)
One of the many reasons I believe that we must simplify and get back in touch with the natural world is that doing so will help us understand why it is important to reverse and repair the damage we have done to the natural systems that support life. The industrial revolution and cheap oil derailed humankind. Now things are changing. We have taxed the earth to its limits. Unless we change our ways, living on this planet will soon become very difficult if not impossible. The air, water and soil will be polluted beyond repair. Oil will be gone. The resources that go into making the goods of consumerism will be depleted.
It is no longer cool to be a consumer. The American Dream of more, bigger and better does not cut it any more. It is time to wake up from the dream and realize that it has been a nightmare. Consumerism has removed us from our direct connection to nature. It is too complex, unhealthy, destructive and downright irresponsible.
I am not telling you anything new. Unless you have been living under a rock, you know the earth is in trouble. However; the problems often seem overwhelming and leave us wondering, "what can one person do?"
Well, as the old riddle goes, "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer, "One bite at a time."
It is time for individuals to do what corporations and government cannot. We must take the reins, learn new and relearn old ways of doing things. It is time to get serious about simplifying our lives. If each of us does just a few things, every day, always vigilant and learning to use much less stuff (the natural resources of the earth), there is hope, but we must act fast.
Simple living as a lifestyle choice is not about depriving ourselves of a few necessities and creature comforts. Simplifying is about examining every aspect of life, deciding what is important and responsible, and then discarding the rest. It is about having enough and no more. As Duane Elgin, author of Voluntary Simplicity puts it, simple living is "living in a way that is outwardly simple and inwardly rich."
Lightning is striking all around us. Experience a thunderbolt of recognition.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."— Gandhi
On February 1st The Simple Living Network launched its Don't Buy It! campaign — a nonviolent protest against the tax rebates the IRS is sending many Americans. The campaign has been quite a hit and has become the most viewed section of our web site ever.
If you haven't visited the Don't Buy It! pages and reviewed the many suggestions for how you can put your rebate to work for positive, real change, please do! Join the thousands of others who are choosing not to spend their tax rebate in ways that support consumption as a solution, deficit spending, predatory lending, outsourced jobs, unaffordable health care, tax cuts for the wealthy, or war over oil and religious ideology.
Together we can change this stupid economy!
The Community Services on this web site — this Newsletter, the Discussion Forums, our Study Groups Database, SimpleRadio and the rest — would not exist without your support.
Because The Simple Living Network is a small, home based business that operates without government, industry or foundation support, advertising revenue, or subscription fees of any kind, we rely on user support to continue offering our services.
If you enjoy and use this web site, we ask for your voluntary financial support — any amount large or small will help!
Our goal for 2008 is $20,000. The year is now half over and, as you can see, we still have a long way to go. These funds will cover important upcoming expenses. Keeping up with the technology required to operate this web site is expensive! Old software is beginning to expire. We need to replace old equipment because it cannot keep up with the speed requirements and storage space of this growing web site. Bandwidth charges are increasing due to the growing number of folks, just like you, using this site. (I could go on....)
Please do your part! Even a small gift, (just a few dollars from your tax rebate,) will make a huge difference!
Thank you to those of you who have become CyberAngels over the years. Without you, this web site would not exist.
We hope you enjoy this edition of our Newsletter!
Dave Wampler
Founder
The Simple Living Network
Copyright © The Simple Living Network. All Rights Reserved.
Resources To Simplify Your Life & Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
- Blessed Unrest: How The Largest Social Movement In History Is Restoring Grace, Justice, & Beauty To The World
- Hold On To Your Kids: Why Parents Need To Matter More Than Peers
- Recycled Crafts Box: Sock Puppets, Cardboard Castles, Bottle Bugs & 37 More Earth-Friendly Projects & Activities You Can Create!
- Rise Up Singing: The Group Singing Songbook — 15th Anniversary Edition
- The Self-Sufficient Life & How To live It: The Complete Back-To-Basics Guide
- Simple Living With Wanda Urbanska — Season 4 DVD — Highly Recommended!
- What Would Jesus Buy? — DVD — Highly Recommended!
New Cookbooks
- Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables
- Feeding The Whole Family: Recipes For Babies, Young Children & Their Parents
- In Defense Of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
- Keeping The Harvest: Discover The Homegrown Goodness Of Putting Up Your Own Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs
- Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition & The Diet Dictocrats — Highly Recommended!
- The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History Of Four Meals
- Preserving Food Without Freezing Or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage & Lactic Fermentation
- The Raw Revolution Diet: Feast, Lose Weight, Gain Energy, Feel Younger
- Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage Of Fruits & Vegetables
- Serving Up The Harvest: Celebrating The Goodness Of Fresh Vegetables
- Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition & Craft Of Live-Culture Foods
New Gardening Titles
- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year Of Food Life
DVD — Highly Recommended! - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year Of Food Life
Book — Highly Recommended! - Don't Throw it, Grow It! 68 Windowsill Plants From Kitchen Scraps
- Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food In Hard Times
- King Corn: You Are What You Eat — DVD Highly Recommended!
- The Real Dirt On Farmer John — DVD
New To Alternatives For Simple Living
- The 11th Hour: Turn Mankind's Darkest Hour Into Its Finest DVD — Highly Recommended!
- Cause For Hope: Humanity At The Crossroads
- Living Faith: How Faith Inspires Social Justice
- Soul Sunday: A Family's Guide To Exploring Faith & Teaching Tolerance
- Starting Simple: Conversations About The Way We Live
- We Belong To The Land: The Story Of A Palestinian Israeli Who Lives For Peace & Reconciliation
- What Would Jesus Buy? — DVD — Highly Recommended!
- Whose Birthday Is It Anyway 2008 Edition
- Winning Our Energy Independence: An Energy Insider Shows How
Copyright © 2008
When I became pregnant with my first child, I had been babysitting for a wealthy family for quite some time. They had every gadget you could possibly imagine for raising a child. They also had every glossy magazine available detailing every shiny new gadget I would "need" in order to have my baby. I was 20 years old and a little overwhelmed by the finery. How would I ever afford it all? I soon learned that yard sales were the best places to find all of the gadgets I would need. Between the sales and the baby shower, I was outfitted. I had every gadget a mother could possibly need to take care of her baby. It wasn't until baby number two arrived a little over a year later that I realized that I needed very few of those gadgets — and had a yard sale myself to get rid of the clutter that was overtaking my apartment.
Save yourself the space and cash. Here is a list of 10 things you absolutely do not need in order to have a baby. There are many others, but this should get you started.
1. Baby lotion / baby cleanser — I've received a number of bottles of these items through the years and I must admit, they do smell pretty good. However, not only does your new baby not need to smell any better (they already smell really good), take a look at the list of what's in the bottle - no, no, it is not just baby goodness. Indeed, I can't pronounce 90 percent of what's in it. Buy a nice bar of natural soap from your local co-op if baby is really that dirty... but really, a little warm water will do just fine for baby's already very soft skin. Savings: $10 (plus refills)
2. Diaper genie — OK, well, you won't be using disposable diapers anyway, right? But if you did use disposables, this thing has got to be one of the most wasteful, ugly things on the planet. It produces what can only be described as a giant doody caterpillar when full and I have no idea what you do with it after that. Savings: $30 (plus refills)
3. Changing table — I had one of these too - for my oldest. But I soon learned that I changed 99 percent of his diapers on either the floor or the couch. Instead, make yourself up a little basket with the appropriate changing needs (diaper covers, diapers, washcloths, etc.) and keep it next to the sofa. Especially in those first weeks, you spend a lot of time on the couch as most of your time is spent nursing and changing diapers - and trying to catch a nap! Forget the table; someday you'll just stand there looking at it, trying to think of something else to turn it into - and then giving up and passing it along to someone else who really doesn't need it either. Savings: $100 (at least)
4. Disposable diapers — Do you have to ask? We'll get into cloth diapering a little later on in this article, but for now - I swear it's not that hard! Savings $20-$30 a week ($1500 a year for at least two years)
5. Baby wipes — Buy two dozen super-soft washcloths and either a small "Rubbermaid" style container or some Ziploc bags. Put six to ten well-wrung out wet washcloths into the container. Close it. Voila! Baby wipes. Just toss in the diaper pail when used. Bring a plastic grocery bag on trips with you for dirty cloth diapers and wipes. Savings: $5 a week. ($260 a year)
6. Nursing pillow — I swear, your favorite pillow from the couch works just as well. So does a rolled up towel or blanket in a pinch! Savings: $20-$50
7. Nursing bras — They're expensive and make you feel silly. The little clasps are a pain. Get sports bras (if you don't mind the uni-boob issue) or just plain jersey knit underwires from your favorite discount store. Saving: $20-$50 each
8. A "diaper" bag — If you must have all the pockets and little goodies, go ahead. But if you have a tote bag in the closet (LL Bean boat totes work great! found at a yard sale of course) from the library or anywhere else, then just use that. Want the changing pad? You can buy them separately or make one from one-inch foam cut to size from the fabric store and a quick pillowcase cover if you hate to sew! Save the $40-$80 for your first night out alone!
9. Hooded towel — Cute, but unnecessary. Need I say more? OK, if I must... really, your baby does not need animal ears on his towel to be cute. I swear, the kid will be cute enough. Just get a clean towel from the closet. He'll get dry either way. Savings: $10-$30
10. A vibrating infant seat — Silly and loud! If you think your baby is dying to vibrate in his infant seat (and you just want to put him down for a while), run the washing machine (full, of course) and put the seat on top of it. Just make sure you don't leave! He could vibrate right off the top! Fold some laundry (if you're feeling ambitious) or just read a book (a book? what's a book?). Savings: $35 or more...
There you go. Ten things you absolutely don't need when you have a baby. I promise.
About The Author
Michelle Kennedy Hogan is the mother of six and the editor of Organically Inclined, www.organicallyinclined.org. Her new book, "100 Ways to Save Money Right Now" is available in digital and print formats. She and her husband John homeschool their children, work from home and practice sustainable living on an organic farm in Vermont. Email her at editor@organicallyinclined.org.
Related Resources
Copyright © 2008. Reprinted here with special permission from GreenMoney Journal
We have, of late, begun to get religion about carbon in the atmosphere. We have begun to pour venture capital into clean tech, searching for ways to maintain our lifestyles and grow the economy, while dramatically reducing our ecological footprint. This vision of ecological footprint is in a great many respects a mechanical one, asking only: How can we design new machines that work more cleanly?
No one, it seems, is asking a corollary question: If we cannot create wealth without degrading soil fertility and draining the vitality out of local economies, how can we, no matter how clean our machines, hope to thrive or even survive?
Last August at the 25th Anniversary Gala for the Rocky Mountain Institute, eminent panelists tried to answer yet other questions posed by moderator Thomas Friedman: "If this is a win-win-win, if these new technologies and design solutions are so elegant and so profitable and so clean, what is holding them back? Where is the resistance to these innovations coming from?" To my surprise, since this was not a finance conference, the group discussion zeroed in on CEO compensation, shortsighted financial incentives and the structure of capital markets.
Inventor Dean Kamen opined from the dais:
Venture capitalists have great enthusiasm but short attention spans. We are stuck in a 19th century way of thinking that leads to large scale, centralized production and power generation. We don't have the mindset to really invest for the long-term in small-scale solutions that would improve life for billions of people.
Such questions and observations lead to the premise for a new kind of financial intermediation, going by the improbable name of slow money.
That premise is this: The problems we face with respect to soil fertility, biodiversity, food quality and local economies are not primarily problems of technology. They are problems of finance. In a financial system organized to optimize the efficient use of capital, we should not be surprised to end up with cheap food, millions of acres of GMO corn, billions of food miles, dying Main Streets, a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico and obesity epidemics side by side with persistent hunger.
Speed is a big part of the problem. We are harvesting from the soil in decades fertility that was created over millennia. We are extracting generations-worth of economic and cultural vitality from our communities. We are acting as if the biological and the agrarian can be indefinitely subjugated to the industrial and the urban without significant consequence. We are, as the colloquial saying puts it so eloquently, beginning to believe our own bullshit.
Which reminds me of a story...
About 15 years ago, I was turning a horse stall into my office. My first project was to shovel out the dried horse manure and shovel in sand, in advance of the construction of a wooden floor.
One day, reflecting on the transition from equine to intellectual, I realized, "How appropriate: from horseshit to bullshit."
No consideration of the disconnect between capital markets and the land is complete without at least one reference to manure.
•
If slow money is going to be effective, it is going to be in part due to inspiration derived from the celebratory, life-affirming, pleasure-inducing humanism of Slow Food.
Slow Food began as a protest against McDonalds. However, it quickly evolved from a single act of protest into an international NGO, due to the strength of a family of pro-biodiversity, pro-small farmer initiatives dedicated to restoring and preserving quality of life. Similarly, slow money seeks to support the creative power of entrepreneurship to build new commercial relationships that enhance quality of life for farmers, food consumers and their communities. In a world of monoculture and special interests, the emergence of for-profit social entrepreneurs, whose companies integrate private enterprise and public benefit, is particularly intriguing and worthy of support.
Just as is the case with Slow Food, slow money needs an approach that dares to be cultural, agricultural, economic, historical and biological. We will need to fight against over-specialization, putting the jargon of the specialist, the technician, the quant in its place. We will need to define new benchmarks, being unafraid to assert the importance of qualitative distinctions.
• •
"Money only knows one speed," the scion of one of America's wealthiest families once said during a public discussion. "Money only goes fast, faster, fastest. Try to slow it down, and you'll just end up with sloppy investing."
To which I say: If insanity is doing the same thing over and over again hoping for a different outcome, then it is insane to think that by continuing to create wealth via an extractive system, so that we will have more money to give away, we will be able to adequately address the urgency of the current global moment. Both unfettered fast money, and its twin, philanthropy, which has an odd non-speed all its own, create and depend upon broken social relationships. We must seek to build an economy in which healthy relationships remain integral to the wealth creation process.
Prudence —as in the Prudent Man— can no longer be defined completely by tens of billions of dollars of fast money pouring into high-tech venture deals. Such prudence is incomplete.
We must find new ways to steer capital to tens of thousands of independent enterprises that promote the health and diversity of communities and bioregions. For every $1 billion that zooms around the planet —or is it cyberspace?— looking for the highest return and lowest risk, and supporting globalization, consumerism and unlimited economic growth, we must invest $10 million or $100 million in enterprises that support what is going by many names: virtuous globalization, localization, local living economies, natural capitalism, restorative economics.
Reconnaissance with respect to this new prudence comes from author Michael Pollan in a recent New York Times Magazine article:
The story of Colony Collapse Disorder and the story of drug-resistant staph are also the same story: Both are parables about the precariousness of monocultures. Whenever we try to rearrange natural systems along the lines of a machine or a factory, whether by raising too many pigs in one place or too many almond trees, whatever we may gain i