The opportunity for us humans to be in balance with our environment can be thrown out of whack by our perception of what ought to be. The imbalance happens everyday in our personal lives, our communities and in the world. The notion that more or bigger is better is causing environmental changes in just about everything we touch – and these changes are not always good! As individuals, we strive to amass larger amounts of stuff; as communities, we build larger and larger physical infrastructures while we consume more and more land in inefficient and energy-depleting ways; and as a world society, we value the growth of our economies over the health of our planet through irresponsible resource use. Who said the ideals of sustainable economic growth and responsible planet stewardship do not go hand in hand?

Here are some interesting questions to ask ourselves: Why is more better? Why is bigger better?  Why do we want all of this?

The challenge of changing our lifestyles and our consumption-styles is made more difficult if we don’t understand why we act the way we do in the first place.  Perhaps it is a quality versus quantity issue or, perhaps we are looking outside of ourselves for gratification and acceptance of who we are.  Do we accumulate more or consume more because we believe that having more of something, even at a lesser quality, is better? Do we measure our self-worth by how much we have instead of how we maintain ourselves and our environment?

Whatever the reason, even if unconscious, these actions have put us out of balance with our planet. We only need to look at our surroundings to see the affects.  Local climates are shifting, wildlife ends up foraging in our backyards to survive, and on the world stage, the very forests and bodies of water and ice that replenish our resources are being destroyed at an alarming rate.

It must be noted that a change has begun to take place, but is it enough?

What can we do as individuals, members of our communities and as citizens of our planet to shift this trend?

Each individual must begin to take full responsibility for the lifestyle and consumption-style we choose. Consumption begins with us and ends with us.  Have any of us or our children wondered what to do with ourselves with less cash available these days to spend at the mall?  If we are not going shopping, how are we spending our time? We are all aware that consumer purchasing is a large part of our economy, and we need stuff to survive. So perhaps responsible consumption is what’s called for now, instead of consumption for entertainment or to have something to do. Let’s call it consuming awareness. So when shopping, the first question may be: “Do I really need to purchase this?”  If the answer is yes, then perhaps the second question we ask ourselves is: “How can I reduce the environmental impact of what I do consume?”  Buy items with the least amount of packaging. Instead of buying a plastic water bottle everyday, or a cup of coffee or tea in a disposable container, purchase a reusable bottle or cup that can be refilled each day.  Let’s try to use more environmentally friendly detergents for our dishwashers, washing machines, hand soaps, and shower soaps to help save our communities, our wildlife, ourselves. The list of the things we can do is endless once we put our awareness and attention on first: figuring out where we are consuming without thinking; and second: reducing what we consume; reusing what we can; and recycling what’s left only when we have to (after all, as good as recycling is, it also takes resources and energy!)

Communities can band together to promote more environmentally-friendly activities which also create a social gatherings. Perhaps a plastic recycling day or a park clean-up day coupled with music played by local bands.  Encouraging the use of ride-sharing or public transportation for work, school or shopping not only saves resources, it allows us more time for social interaction and building community friendships and awareness. Create a community garden where folks pitch-in.  This will build community, teach our children where their food comes from, and provide a satisfying form of exercise.

As citizens of our planet, we must insist on making changes that will help assure that our world will still be here for our children’s’ children.  The notion of, “I won’t be here so it doesn’t matter to me” is irresponsible, and threatens the lives of our future family members.  The issues of global warming, extinction of resources and animal life and planetary distress are here now and need stern addressing.  Don’t buy into the idea that someone else will speak-up and take action. It is the responsibility of each one of us to do our part now.

As individuals, community members and world citizens, the quality and respect we have for ourselves is the same as the quality and respect we bring to everything we touch.  It is not the quantity of stuff we have in our lives that the future inhabitants of the world will remember, rather, they will remember us by the quality of the choices, actions and contributions we make.

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