If you've followed Steve and I long enough, you know our pain we feel for our planet. We watched Josh Fox's latest film (I beg EVERYONE reading this to please watch) How to let go of the world and love all the things climate can't change, twice in the past 3 days. His films always shake me and get me fired up to speak out about the planet.
I have so much to say about this film, that it will probably be one that I talk about in several blogs. Today I want to focus on one part of the film, that hit me like a ton of bricks.
Consumerism.
Inhale. Exhale.
Ahh, I have been so brainwashed and guilty of falling into the consumerism trap. I work hard to try to do my part here for the planet. No meat, no dairy, only supporting sustainable farming, recycle queen, using less, using more things provided by nature in my creations, etc. Where I have fallen very short, is my consumerism. My attachment to things. I'm owning my part here.
Sigh. As I'm trying to organize my piles of stuff, next to my other piles of stuff, while the piles of that stuff over there come falling down, it makes me sad. How did I fall into this trap? Here's a truth I'm going to drop on y'all. Our world, is telling us we NEED these things in order to be happy. We are being told essentially to consume consume consume because we need to have all the greatest things. I mean after all we deserve them right?
Ugh. Why do we deserve to breathe clean air, while we outsource our clothes making to China leaving them with heavily polluted air? Why do we deserve clean water while chemicals are being dumped into the world daily from large factories manufacturing all this STUFF we just all need so much? Why do I need another piece of clothing? Why do I find myself addicted to stuff?
So many questions, and I'm here with an answer. There's some stuff that will take some major action to get government to change (ie fracking, oil spills, deforestation) but we have to do our parts. It's up to us to step up and take action, and when we change we will see our leaders change. So here's what I'm going to do and ask you all to consider. This one is an actual achievable goal.
NO MORE consumerism in 5 easy steps. (I could do more, but I understand change is hard so let's keep it simple here). I ask that if it's something you all can see doing, please do so, and share about it. Even if you only do 1 step, it will help.
Step 1. Not one more "It's so pretty" treats to myself. No more clothes, shoes, bags, whatever that catches my eye, and I say, "I deserve to have a happy treat." No more. There's no excuse for it. I don't need a new swim suit every summer, or that new dress that's being advertised to me in 20 different outlets. The cost of each piece of mass produced clothing to our planet is astounding. Plus, how many clothes do you actually need? (Hope?)
Step 2. I have a ton of things in my house I never use, time to actually sort through and offer them to people who need them, instead of them buying that item. Helping others stop the cycle.
Step 3. If I do need something new, something breaks here; FIND A USED ONE. The reality is there is an existing & usable EVERYTHING in existence right now, our need for new just takes over. Oh I want a new fridge, or a new washing machine. Although, there's one here on Craig's list in great condition, refurbished, and working like new. Ugh. Used is seen as such a bad word sometimes. I think we should now start saying, "Already existing so buy that and save the damn planet."
Step 4. Be Sustainable and conscious about my creations. I want the art I make to be a gift to the planet, and not another burden. I already use a ton of natural materials, but I can and will do better.
Step 5. No more ordering out, when I have food to cook. This is another big big thing for me. When we have a tough day, I will justify ordering food, although I have food to cook in my fridge. I say, "Oh, I deserve someone else to cook for me for a change." Really? You know there's people who don't get to have any food, and yet I think, it's okay for someone to take the gas to pick up the food, the plastic containers that no matter how much I recycle STILL exist in this world just to get food. (Sad fact: every piece of plastic ever made, still exists today, it doesn't decompose, ever.) Seriously? This is laziness. Not to mention I speak positive intentions and love into my food. With other people cooking it, who knows how fresh, organic, or well intended their food is?
Look there's a lot happening in our world, and a large part of it has to do with our total lack of respect; for people and the planet. If you find it okay to throw trash anywhere but a garbage can, that speaks volumes of you as a person. It's a lack of respect. It's time we all start actually holding ourselves accountable.
So many people won't watch this film, may not even read this blog; because they don't want to admit there is a problem. They don't want to be burdened with it, because nothings happening here right now, so it can't be that bad? Well it is happening, and y'all just think it's coincidence. I promise if we don't stop this type of thinking, things are going to get worse. More droughts, more fires, more floods, more natural disasters, more killing, more war, more poverty, more hunger,....
You don't want to be burdened? WAKE UP. Let's come together and FIX this. It starts with us. Again I end this blog with, IT IS UP TO US. We can and NEED to be doing better.
I have so much to say about this film, that it will probably be one that I talk about in several blogs. Today I want to focus on one part of the film, that hit me like a ton of bricks.
Consumerism.
Inhale. Exhale.
Ahh, I have been so brainwashed and guilty of falling into the consumerism trap. I work hard to try to do my part here for the planet. No meat, no dairy, only supporting sustainable farming, recycle queen, using less, using more things provided by nature in my creations, etc. Where I have fallen very short, is my consumerism. My attachment to things. I'm owning my part here.
Sigh. As I'm trying to organize my piles of stuff, next to my other piles of stuff, while the piles of that stuff over there come falling down, it makes me sad. How did I fall into this trap? Here's a truth I'm going to drop on y'all. Our world, is telling us we NEED these things in order to be happy. We are being told essentially to consume consume consume because we need to have all the greatest things. I mean after all we deserve them right?
Ugh. Why do we deserve to breathe clean air, while we outsource our clothes making to China leaving them with heavily polluted air? Why do we deserve clean water while chemicals are being dumped into the world daily from large factories manufacturing all this STUFF we just all need so much? Why do I need another piece of clothing? Why do I find myself addicted to stuff?
So many questions, and I'm here with an answer. There's some stuff that will take some major action to get government to change (ie fracking, oil spills, deforestation) but we have to do our parts. It's up to us to step up and take action, and when we change we will see our leaders change. So here's what I'm going to do and ask you all to consider. This one is an actual achievable goal.
NO MORE consumerism in 5 easy steps. (I could do more, but I understand change is hard so let's keep it simple here). I ask that if it's something you all can see doing, please do so, and share about it. Even if you only do 1 step, it will help.
Step 1. Not one more "It's so pretty" treats to myself. No more clothes, shoes, bags, whatever that catches my eye, and I say, "I deserve to have a happy treat." No more. There's no excuse for it. I don't need a new swim suit every summer, or that new dress that's being advertised to me in 20 different outlets. The cost of each piece of mass produced clothing to our planet is astounding. Plus, how many clothes do you actually need? (Hope?)
Step 2. I have a ton of things in my house I never use, time to actually sort through and offer them to people who need them, instead of them buying that item. Helping others stop the cycle.
Step 3. If I do need something new, something breaks here; FIND A USED ONE. The reality is there is an existing & usable EVERYTHING in existence right now, our need for new just takes over. Oh I want a new fridge, or a new washing machine. Although, there's one here on Craig's list in great condition, refurbished, and working like new. Ugh. Used is seen as such a bad word sometimes. I think we should now start saying, "Already existing so buy that and save the damn planet."
Step 4. Be Sustainable and conscious about my creations. I want the art I make to be a gift to the planet, and not another burden. I already use a ton of natural materials, but I can and will do better.
Step 5. No more ordering out, when I have food to cook. This is another big big thing for me. When we have a tough day, I will justify ordering food, although I have food to cook in my fridge. I say, "Oh, I deserve someone else to cook for me for a change." Really? You know there's people who don't get to have any food, and yet I think, it's okay for someone to take the gas to pick up the food, the plastic containers that no matter how much I recycle STILL exist in this world just to get food. (Sad fact: every piece of plastic ever made, still exists today, it doesn't decompose, ever.) Seriously? This is laziness. Not to mention I speak positive intentions and love into my food. With other people cooking it, who knows how fresh, organic, or well intended their food is?
Look there's a lot happening in our world, and a large part of it has to do with our total lack of respect; for people and the planet. If you find it okay to throw trash anywhere but a garbage can, that speaks volumes of you as a person. It's a lack of respect. It's time we all start actually holding ourselves accountable.
So many people won't watch this film, may not even read this blog; because they don't want to admit there is a problem. They don't want to be burdened with it, because nothings happening here right now, so it can't be that bad? Well it is happening, and y'all just think it's coincidence. I promise if we don't stop this type of thinking, things are going to get worse. More droughts, more fires, more floods, more natural disasters, more killing, more war, more poverty, more hunger,....
You don't want to be burdened? WAKE UP. Let's come together and FIX this. It starts with us. Again I end this blog with, IT IS UP TO US. We can and NEED to be doing better.