For a long time I've considered trying to live a more eco-friendly life, which includes avoiding all-out consumerism. Now in our on place and in conjunction with the boy, we will try to live with a little more awareness. Today's article in the NYT's
just reminded me of what we can do as urban dwellers, existing in our current, capitalist, consumer-oriented and globalised world. Everyone has to make their own choice as to what they can do and what they can give up. Like a diet and exercise, the key to me, is sustaining sustainability.
For us (the boy and me), we try not to use the car, taking public transport when possible or walking / scootering. We also try to minimise our shower times so as to reduce the amount of water we use. Same goes for washing dishes, brushing our teeth etc. We also actively recycle, not use heating extravagantly or air conditioning at all, and try to buy second hand when possible. None of these are amazing things and the steps still allow us to live our lives.
In terms of the 100 mile/250 mile radius rule, I don't know if I could give up spices honestly (though I could give up toilet paper) or eating out - food is central to my universe while things like shoes or toothpaste aren't. The image of the mason jar filled with veggies and cheese really freaked me out. While I'd like to eat more seasonally than I currently do, a life without ginger, garlic, chilli, cumin, onion and coriander seems very dismal.
I could not give up world travel for example. And so while airplane usage is one of the worst damagers of the environment, as a direct product of the airline industry and its role in globalisation, this particular point vexes me. I mean, my lifestyle growing up and moving around, which really allowed me all sorts of fabulous experiences, was thanks to the airlines. And the airlines - or the airplane - have allowed people like me to migrate with ease. On the other hand, I know that airplanes are such fuel guzzlers and I totally say yeah to the EU's carbon tax on airlines. So, while hyper-consumerism, which I find so prevalent in the US (and sadly more and more in India), very clearly leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I'm torn about how I feel about air travel - which to me is a world uniter (more than the UN). [Granted, we could see the world on a kontiki like raft but that isn't really viable for people with families spread around the globe and the passenger ships of today seem to be about offering las vegas like experiences on the sea - not that I'm dissing Vegas or all-you-can-eat midnight buffets.]
I can give up television and my cell phone - I've done both at different times of my life for months on end, without missing either. I could feasibly give up meat, though it would be a struggle. But, could I give up my computer or the internet? I think I'd be lost, but maybe like life sans TV, I'd easily adapt, manage, re-read old books and letters, write more by hand etc etc. So how sustainable can I be?
In the coming months, the boy and I (at my urging I suspect) are going to review our practices and see what else we can do...
For us (the boy and me), we try not to use the car, taking public transport when possible or walking / scootering. We also try to minimise our shower times so as to reduce the amount of water we use. Same goes for washing dishes, brushing our teeth etc. We also actively recycle, not use heating extravagantly or air conditioning at all, and try to buy second hand when possible. None of these are amazing things and the steps still allow us to live our lives.
In terms of the 100 mile/250 mile radius rule, I don't know if I could give up spices honestly (though I could give up toilet paper) or eating out - food is central to my universe while things like shoes or toothpaste aren't. The image of the mason jar filled with veggies and cheese really freaked me out. While I'd like to eat more seasonally than I currently do, a life without ginger, garlic, chilli, cumin, onion and coriander seems very dismal.
I could not give up world travel for example. And so while airplane usage is one of the worst damagers of the environment, as a direct product of the airline industry and its role in globalisation, this particular point vexes me. I mean, my lifestyle growing up and moving around, which really allowed me all sorts of fabulous experiences, was thanks to the airlines. And the airlines - or the airplane - have allowed people like me to migrate with ease. On the other hand, I know that airplanes are such fuel guzzlers and I totally say yeah to the EU's carbon tax on airlines. So, while hyper-consumerism, which I find so prevalent in the US (and sadly more and more in India), very clearly leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I'm torn about how I feel about air travel - which to me is a world uniter (more than the UN). [Granted, we could see the world on a kontiki like raft but that isn't really viable for people with families spread around the globe and the passenger ships of today seem to be about offering las vegas like experiences on the sea - not that I'm dissing Vegas or all-you-can-eat midnight buffets.]
I can give up television and my cell phone - I've done both at different times of my life for months on end, without missing either. I could feasibly give up meat, though it would be a struggle. But, could I give up my computer or the internet? I think I'd be lost, but maybe like life sans TV, I'd easily adapt, manage, re-read old books and letters, write more by hand etc etc. So how sustainable can I be?
In the coming months, the boy and I (at my urging I suspect) are going to review our practices and see what else we can do...
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