Learning to Live with Less

I recently watched "Human Footprint" on National Geographic. I had received an email from someone suggesting to watch this program. Funny, I had forgotten about the recommendation and a few days later I felt the urge to turn on the TV (which is very rare in my home). Synchronicity was in full effect as this program had just started and my TV was set on that channel. TOO COOL! I was meant to watch this!

This program was truly eye opening to what we are consuming and wasting. At one moment I felt like throwing up with disgust of wastefulness and another moment I felt happy that I did not fall into many of the wasteful patterns of the average American. This program has changed my life and the direction I am headed in.

If you have not seen this I highly recommend it! Imagine there was no trash service and you couldn't dump your things somewhere else and it stayed on your home over an entire lifetime. Is it OK to buy things and dump somewhere else so they are no longer in our face? Is trash service really doing us a service? Dumping our waste somewhere else is only enabling us to consume more that really isn't doing anyone a world of good.

How can I turn this around? I have to say going on a plant based diet has eliminated almost all my trash. I rarely need trash service. I don't eat things in a box or can, just stuff that usually grows out of the ground. I have decided that living with less and planting more gardens is a way that I can make a difference in this situation. I must take full responsiblity for all my actions and that includes what I am buying. Is it really for the good of the whole? I know food out of a can or box isn't good for me or the environment. I know I have been conditioned to think I need a new car every 2 years and a constantly updated wardrobe, but after seeing this program I can't help but feel I need to turn things around and do something good rather than contribute to the worlds pollution. I have MANY things I can do. Rather than feeling overwhelmed I will take one step at a time.

Now, I must admit I am even shocked I am saying these things. I have never been a huge environmentalist. I have always had a healthy respect for the earth, yet it seems that as I evolve so does my desire to do good. I desire to help people and the environment. My family laughs and calls me a hippie...hmmm....I dunno, I just feel like my wake up call became a bit more apparent.