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At this time of year, we in the Northern Hemisphere begin to increase
our time indoors, and thus are often confronted by massive amounts
of belongings (or “stuff”). Sadly, many people are trapped
in a cycle of acquisition and discarding. More times than not, such
behavior is based on desire rather than need, and in some ways can
be considered a disease or an addiction. Regardless of how we characterize
this behavior, the impact on the earth is significant and undesirable.
To this end, we sometimes encounter various formulae called the
“three R’s,” “four R’s,” or
even (in one case) “five R’s” (see Judith Getis’
“You Can Make a Difference: Help Protect the Earth,”
Wm. C. Brown, Publishers: Dubuque, IA; 1991; 88 pp.).
Here, I present what I believe is the first appearance of the seven
R’s synthesized into a single concept: 1) Reuse, 2) Reduce,
3) Reject, 4) Refuse, 5) Reward, 6) Recycle, and 7) Respect. I hope
that they help you simplify and streamline your life, and simultaneously
lower your impact on the Earth.
- Reuse: For better and for worse, my
entire life revolves around “Reuse.” From my wardrobe
to my home décor to gifts to entertainment and more, “Reuse”
has been my guiding principle. Whether we are talking about hand-me-downs,
or yard-sale finds, or thrift store acquisitions, or dumpster
diving, one can satisfy almost all of one’s needs by “Reusing”
what you already have or what others are discarding/donating.
Living in Chicago, I may have access to some “nicer”
items to Reuse (such as Armani suits, signed and registered Inuit
sculptures and high-end cookware), but my natural orientation
toward Reuse has also guided my behavior. I still use the desk
and dresser I used when I was 7 years old (though I did sell the
twin bed from that same set). I have flannel shirts from my high
school days. I still use the salt and pepper shakers given me
to me when I was 18 and moving into my first apartment. I use
two plastic baby baths salvaged from the alley for my gardening
needs (one is a potting tub, the other is home to magnificent
caladia, elephant ears or impatiens, depending on the year). I
have even rescued a box of canned goods from the trash pile, including
some fabulous organic pumpkin that inspired me to develop some
truly original recipes presented in the November 2003 Simple!
Sensible! Sensational! recipe column (this provides yet additional
motivation to Reuse items: your creativity may flourish). NOTE:
this idea has, in fact, been reused most recently as “freecycling,”
as described at http://freecycle.org/
.
I know that some people equate “Reuse” with transforming
one thing into another, often in the form of arts and crafts.
That is great, although I would really encourage everyone to ask
themselves whether they truly need/want whatever the final arts
and crafts project will be. This is entirely an individual matter;
for example, not everyone would need my bulletin board made by
Reusing old wine corks, but I think it’s quite appropriate
for my kitchen. I’m truly impressed by builders and designers
who Reuse old lumber, old plumbing, old nails, and old furniture
(though I’m not impressed by those interior designers who
feel the need to dismantle a perfectly functional piece of furniture
for their “esthetic” vision … if you see this
on television, you’ll know it often isn’t esthetic).
The bottom line here is to just be mindful.
- Reduce: As with Reusing, Reducing can
affect your financial bottom line in a very positive manner. Do
you really need to use as much shampoo as you squeeze into your
hand? Do you really need an inch of toothpaste? Do you need “as
much” of everything? Again, how you Reduce is a matter of
personal choice and individual lifestyle. Still, I know of no
one who couldn’t reduce some of his/her consumption. One
easy way to approach this is to look at what is in your trash.
Do you find yourself discarding food that has gone bad? Do you
find yourself throwing out newspapers and magazines that you have
not read? Do you feel the desire to acquire something new and
then discard its predecessor? These are clear indicators of what
can be reduced in your household!
One can (and should) also Reduce the natural resources one uses.
Do you have to drive everywhere? Perhaps you can walk (better
for your health, too!). Do you leave all of the lights on in your
home, even if you are not using a particular room? Then turn out
some lights, which Reduces a) the expense of electricity, b) the
danger of fire, c) the ambient heat (particularly important during
the summer) and d) the pressure on the power grid. Do you plan
the most effective and efficient way to use your oven? I have
ranted about oven use during the summer (in other words, DON’T),
and the need to Reduce the inclination to heat up the oven to
cook one tiny thing. Once again, Reducing wastefulness is a matter
of being mindful rather than stumbling through life.
- Reject: Ms. Getis specifies the need
to Reject both disposable diapers and polystyrene foam as intrinsically
wasteful, toxic and/or otherwise intrinsically hazardous to the
environment. However, these are not the only intrinsically dangerous
products. A quick review of the various cleaning products under
your kitchen sink, or in your bathroom cupboard, will reveal a
variety of less-than-earth-friendly products. The same is true
for many of the home maintenance products in your basement, garage
or work shed. Also of concern are the pesticides used in home
environments without much care or understanding for the long-last
effects of these products. Please, be mindful of what you bring
into your home. Learn about potentially dangerous products by
reading relevant books at the library, or by subscribing to a
magazine such as Natural Home (www.naturalhomemagazine.com).
Just start by Rejecting ONE product. Then move on to another,
and another.
- Refuse: Once you have Rejected particular
products, you can take this mindset a step further by Refusing
to live a life full of unhealthy products, overt materialism,
and selfishness. Refuse to even consider “keeping up with
the Joneses.” Only you can decide what you need. For example,
do you really need a television in the kitchen? I can’t
even imagine doing the cooking I do with such a box in my kitchen
(no room for a TV, for one thing!). Personally, I Refuse to have
a TV in my bedroom; it doesn’t fit my lifestyle, but maybe
someone else will find that a bedroom TV is better than a TV in
the living room or family room. Do you really need that set of
designer cookware? I am saddened that many people think that their
cooking will improve instantly if they spend megabucks on new
cookware (while good cookware can be helpful, I Refuse to buy
into the hype, and enjoy helping people “make do”
with their existing cookware).
Do you really need those souvenirs from your vacation? What are
you going to do with a shot glass that says, “Atlantic City”?
It really isn’t attractive, and you probably don’t
even make mixed drinks requiring a shot. So don’t buy it
to begin with! The same goes for that umpteenth pair of shoes
(some of my women friends tell me, “Bret, you just don’t
understand!” and they’re right: I do NOT understand,
and I REFUSE to understand. They’re SHOES!). Guys, do you
really need that additional “gadget” or “tool”?
In case you’re a wee bit slow, the answer is “NO.”
Refuse to succumb to either peer pressure, societal pressure,
or to impulse buying. Take control of your life!
- Reward: Rewarding is one of the Rarest
of the Rs. The upshot here is to Reward those merchants, those
individuals, those businesses that promote earth-friendly, positive,
life-enhancing products and services. This might seem obvious,
but it isn’t, sadly. Specifically, I am referring to certain
companies that market themselves as being earth-friendly and life-enhancing,
but which merely feed into the type of consumerism that is the
antithesis of being earth-friendly and life-enhancing. Instead
of helping people live their lives better, they sell stuff (and
most of it is stuff YOU DO NOT NEED). Some of my particular favorites
are: a “special” yoga suit (any loose clothes will
work); a “dedicated” yoga mat (an old beach towel
will work nicely, especially if you fold it over on itself); a
“designated” meditation shawl; and one of my favorites,
a $40 dish draining rack!
Seek companies that create positive social change. Support women-
and minority-owned businesses. Purchase products from companies
that clearly document Fair Trade practices. Patronize companies
that feature items made from Recycled/Reused/organic materials,
use less energy, streamline your life, or practice strategies
that have a light impact on the planet. These are the companies
that deserve to be Rewarded!
- Recycle: Here, I follow the logic of
others who have observed that Recycling is better than discarding,
but Recycling still requires numerous resources in order to convert
existing products into new and different products. This fact even
allowed the publication of a flawed study claiming that Recycling
uses MORE resources than virgin production. While this study was
patently wrong, it shines a light on why Recycling should be considered
a last resort.
If one works to Reuse items, there is less to Recycle. If one
Reduces what one consumes, there is less to Recycle. If one Rejects
certain products, there is less to Recycle. If one Refuses to
purchase certain items or to buy into a consumerist lifestyle,
there is less to Recycle. If one Rewards those companies that
follow the first four Rs, there will be less to Recycle among
more people. With fewer materials requiring Recycling, fewer resources
will be used in the process.
- Respect: I’ve given hour-long
lectures on the topic of Respect, as it is a subject near and
dear to my heart. Perhaps the most significant element in a balanced
life is to have Respect: Respect for our planet, Respect for our
fellow humans, Respect for non-human species, and Respect for
ourselves. Too often, the last of these is missing, but any can
be missing, which leads us to imbalance. Don’t take anything
for granted. Don’t divide people, places or things into
categories which facilitate disrespect. Rather, begin with the
assumption that everyone and everything deserves Respect, and
Retrain (that’s yet another “R,” but it’s
more of a method than a goal or activity) yourself to believe
it. Please begin implementing Respect in all of your interactions
immediately. You will not regret it!
In the end, by following the seven Rs, fewer items and materials
are discarded, and fewer resources are needed in the first place.
Everything connects to everything else, and it all makes sense.
The entire picture is simple and elegant, not to mention comfortable
and economical. It’s a Win to the 7th power situation! Following
the seven Rs will allow you to introduce mindfulness, consistency
and constancy to your lifestyle, and once you do this, you’ll
ask yourself why you didn’t make the change sooner! If you
aren’t willing to make these changes for the greater good,
make them for yourself, one step at a time. Let me help you if you
need help.
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