In an earlier posting I wrote; “Sustainable living is a series of lifestyle decisions that attempts to alter our day to day activities to be better stewards of God's gifts – both natural resources and our own individual resources.” We have attempted to go deeper into what it means to us to live a sustainable life. Sustainable living is not buying into a consumerism cycle with marketing labels; it is breaking the cycle of wants instead of needs. Large corporations make money on people’s perceptions of sustainable living while driving the destructive consumer mentality of wants versus needs. Our economy is based on supply and demand, but we look at ways to create a balance of supply and demand without creating unending demand. Attempting to strike a balance and encourage a sustainable demand we use the following guidelines:
1. We encourage a full return to quality. What you buy needs to last longer or serve its purpose for the entire lifecycle of the product. We cannot continue down a path that encourages or requires items to be purchased and viewed as temporary.
2. Be happy with what God gives you. Good stewardship of what you have is only half of the equation. Satisfaction with the resources that God gives you and relying on Him to provide is the other half.
3. It is only stuff. When we look at our needs versus wants and focus on intentional purchasing, we stop collecting stuff.
4. Skunk Test. Look at what you own now. Look at what you are trying to achieve- financial sustainability and a sustainable lifestyle. Now ask yourself this question about what you own- “If I had an opportunity to buy this item again, right now, would I do it?” If you answer no, it stinks and must be dealt with.
5. Beware of “Green marketing”. We looked suspiciously at everything we purchased. Was it truly sustainable?
1. Green
2. Bio
3. Eco-friendly
4. Sustainable
5. Environmentally friendly
6. Organic
7. Natural
8. Free range
9. Cage free
10. Free trade
11. Shade Grown
Sustainable living is a series of lifestyle decisions that attempts to alter our day to day activities to be stewards of God's gifts – both natural resources and our own individual resources. We attempt to reduce our carbon footprint, energy consumption and simplifying our food choices to be as local as possible. We aim to conduct our lives in manners that are consistent with our religious convictions and sustainability, in balance and respectful of humanity's symbiotic relationship with the Earth's natural ecology and cycles without assigning deity status along the way. We attempt to reduce our financial obligations to enable us freedom from borrowed money, becoming financially sustainable as well.
Sustainable living is not a political statement, nor do we blindly make decisions that benefit the environment while disregarding human needs. As Christians we are to be good stewards of God’s creation, not exploit or overindulge in what God provides- animals or vegetation. With that said, we strive to utilize 100% of what we harvest in one way or another. America holds a consumer mentality and as a result a thoughtless wasteful environment. We are working to counter that mentality.
What advice would your Grandparents give you, if they could, about running a household and providing for your family? Who is your inspiration or role model of ideal living?
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