Tip Of The Month- June 2008
Principles Of Green Living That Help The Planet And YOU!
The debate rages on. Some say we (human-kind) are responsible for
global warming and the eventual and inevitable destruction of our
planet. Others say this is pure hogwash. No matter where the real truth
lies… living a “Green” life has its benefits. One is PRODUCTIVITY. So,
whether you want to lend a helping hand to the planet, or just live a
simpler, more productive life, these 6 Principles of Green Living are
for YOU: 1. Simplicity -- More stuff means more complexity; more
upkeep, more keeping track, more things to do. In global terms, it
means more wasted resources. Some people try to atone for buying more
stuff by buying "Green" stuff — bamboo potholders, handmade mail
sorters, recycled project folders. Is it really “Green”?… to get that
hand-woven hemp grocery bag from Bolivia to Wichita takes oil, to run
the lights in the store takes oil, to feed the Bolivian who wove it
takes oil, to grow the hemp takes oil, and so on. You’re putting a few
cents into the Bolivian’s pockets, and that’s honorable, but it’s not
saving the Earth. 2. Fairness -- Much of our consumption-driven market
is based on unfairness. If everyone along the chain, from that Bolivian
to the Wal-Mart worker, actually were paid what you’d expect, that
hand-woven grocery bag would be out of most people’s price range. 3.
Community -- If you’ve ever had the pleasure of attending a local
farmer’s market, you’ve experienced something few of us do these days:
an encounter with a part of your community, an actual living and
breathing person, who made what you’re about to buy. There were some
global resources used (even organic farmers use tractors, and they
needed a truck to bring their stuff to market), but most of the labor
and material involved came out of your local area. You have a
relationship with this person, and with their land. Your land. 4.
Sustainability -- A system is sustainable when the negative outputs of
that system are accommodated and turned into positive outputs. Think
about your working life — if you weren’t getting paid, would you work
so hard? Your hard work — a negative thing — is converted into
something positive — a paycheck. However, most of our global production
is not sustainable. Waste products are dumped wherever space can be
found, without regard to the consequences on local resources or
populations. Workers are treated unfairly: they are exposed to noxious
substances and dangerous working conditions, and they are not
compensated enough to feed themselves, let alone build a thriving
economy (some aren’t paid at all: there are some 30 million enslaved
workers in the world today, more than at any time in human history). 5.
Planning -- Planning means looking ahead towards a desired outcome; it
also means thinking a little bit about the community that isn’t here
yet and dealing fairly with them. The last century ran its course
largely unplanned — something that today’s young adults are being
forced to come to grips with. The decisions we make now will create the
conditions our grandchildren and their grandchildren will have to deal
with. 6. Transparency -- Planning, community, fairness, and ultimately
sustainability require transparency. Most decisions these days are made
behind closed doors. A Green society requires the active involvement of
all its participants, and we can’t be actively involved if we don’t
have access to all the information in play. What’s more, given the
global magnitude of the world economy, we can’t ever be fully informed
— which is why simplicity and community are so important. You can know
quite a bit about the farmer at the farmer’s market who raised the
chicken you’re about to eat.
Posted on
Thursday, June 5, 2008
by Community Chiropractic / Triple C Chiropractic Centers