To all sustainability supporters: I want to wish you a happy thanksgiving tomorrow and remind you to slow down, take a breath, and spend time in the moment. Over the next few weeks, I will be in the same battle as many of you to spend our time wisely amid the hustle and bustle of buying momentary happiness vs. long-term contentment. In a meeting of the OLLI Ecoteam, we discussed the chapter from the Green Living Handbook on eco-consumption. Take a look at that chapter if you havent already (copies available at the library), and below are a number of good resources to assist you in slowing down. I also want to offer some tips that have assisted me along the way to live more sustainably and enjoy the holidays: Read a good book - Pick up a used book at your local bookstore or library. I enjoy the classics at this time, or getting to that book Ive been meaning to. We are surrounded by a wealth of knowledge and most of it is free. Use it! Contact that person youve been meaning to contact/Support that group youve been meaning to support - Time gets away quickly and now is the time to stop and think and do with those people you benefit from all the time or those you benefited from in the past. This includes family members, teachers, the helpful librarian, the grocery clerk, the crossing guard, a minister, a good listener, or a neighbor. The essence of this time of thanksgiving and remembering is the human touch and it takes effort to remain mindful of that. All communities will always include those in need. One of the best gifts of the season might be a gift to those groups and individuals that help others by giving your time, your contribution, and your good thoughts. Give in your name or in the name of a loved one. Do something you are capable of doing. Include these individuals and groups in your prayers or thoughts and know that you will be multiplying the number of good deeds and resiliency in your community. Bake - Cooking keeps you enjoying your home and brings people together. We are fortunate to be in a fertile bread basket in North Florida that supports the growth of fruit, vegetables, honey, you name it. One can find numerous locally grown items to use or buy from local food coops, CSAs, vegetable stands, organically & sustainably minded grocers, or Florida based grocers. We have them all here. Be mindful of them. You can also spend time drawing up a plan for your own garden. But learn to bake. Many of our earliest memories revolve around loved ones cooking and eating together. We have memories of those no longer around the table with us, and also those more humorous ones of leaving the bag of giblets inside the baking turkey (twice) or the jello cake that only grandma was willing to try. Purchase with purpose - Most of us will ultimately buy some things that we really need or that bring goodness and happiness to others. Buying gently used saves you money and brings greater long term value from the goods you purchase. Buying local keeps your money in the local economy longer and supports your community. Learning more about the things you buy makes you more of a citizen consumer. There are even apps now like goodguide that help educate you on the items you purchase. We might also ask ourselves do we need it or do we want it? Everything we need might be right under our nose if we stop and think before we make that purchase. Walk - The more we are out in our neighborhoods, the more neighbors we know and the higher the value of our neighborhoods. Its true. More eyes on the street reduces crime, fights obesity, increases the number of friends and neighbors we know, and saves money from less fuel consumption and less wear and tear on our vehicles and the environment. Being out and about opens up new opportunities and the chance for new discoveries, maybe even of a neighbor in need. Get rid of clutter - This can be difficult for many of us, but if you have hundreds of emails built up, get rid of them. If you have items laying around that you dont use, give them a new life with someone else that can use them. Youll feel you have more space and more time, youll discover something youve been meaning to do, and it may help your focus on things that increase your happiness and contentment. Turn off the electronics - If you have children, this might be a battle but there are many activities all around us that dont involve sitting in front of a screen. It gets easier the more you do it. If you do sit in front of a screen, do it with purpose. Learn to use your smartphone the way it was meant to be used. Gather the family around for a classic movie or play a game. The only time of the year that we do a large puzzle is now. It slows us down and one ends up having all kinds of conversations together. The kinds of things that build up memories and stay with us long after things break. There is nothing new in these tips. Two generations ago, most were the norm and I believe they remain the best chance for a more resilient, happy, and strong community. See more tips below and feel free to share your tips with me. If you are interested in getting an ecoteam started now or in the new year, I hope you will contact me about that. I am Daniel Parker and I buy too many books, spend too much time in front of screens, and have a hard time turning down sweets. Happy thanksgiving and happy holiday, Daniel Parker Daniel Parker, MSP Project Coordinator, EcoTeams [email protected] sustainabletallahassee.org/ecoteams 850-567-3201 Simplify the Holidays This week, as Black Friday looms larger than Thanksgiving, we are reminded of how much the holiday season has changed in recent years. What used to be a time of peace, reflection, and celebration has become an onslaught of shopping, spending, and frenzied preparations. Pressure from mainstream media to center the holidays around consumerism often leaves us feeling exhausted instead of uplifted. Thats why every year New Dream encourages our community to Simplify the Holidays. This holiday season, lets focus more on what matters. Lets share, laugh, relax, and stay out of the malls. Lets put away our wallets and spend our time off doing meaningful activities with loved ones. After all, what youll remember in 10 years are the memories, not the stuff. New Dream is here to help you get started. Check out Simplify the Holidays to: Take our pledge and commit to easy, concrete actions to downshift your holidays Create customized coupon books for your family and friends Download our popular Simplify the Holidays booklet Read testimonials from fellow New Dreamers And more! Simplify the Holidays here: simplifyholidays.org Over the next month well be sending more tips and resources. Heres to a season filled with more joy, and less stuff! Happy Holidays, —The New Dream Team Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 03:00:15 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015