Combining
Frugality, Ecology and Wellness into a Personal Worldview
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July 23, 2000 Voluntary
Simplicity has been described as pursuing a
lifestyle that is outwardly simple but inwardly
rich. The term depicts a lifestyle that is guided
by conscious, or voluntary,
choices to do only those things which the
individual determines will be valuable not only
personally, but also environmentally. In
my own reading and active exploration of a more
simple lifestyle, I have noticed three facets that
arise again and again: frugality, ecology and wellness.
It’s more than coincidental that these
three characteristics combine to form the mnemonic
abbreviation:
F-E-W, or FEW.
Not more, not bigger, not even “new and
improved”, but simply
FEW. Many times these three concepts of
frugality, ecology and wellness come together into
what I call the Simplicity Triad…where one is
present, you’ll almost always find the other
two... For
instance, consider the reading about lawncare that
Fitz and Caroline shared with us.
Which is simpler?
Applying fertilizer, weedkillers and
pesticides, watering, mowing and bagging grass
clippings OR working within the Earth’s natural
cycle by allowing what grows to grow and cutting
your lawn less frequently with a smaller, more
people-powered mower?
Of course the latter seems simpler to me,
and look how it ties together the three points of
the Simplicity Triad:
it’s frugal
because you save money by using fewer additives
and mowing less frequently, which subsequently
uses less fuel for the mower and adds fewer
chemicals to the environment (the ecology),
in turn increasing our well-being by not
contaminating the groundwater. Furthermore, eliminating a riding
lawnmower in favor of a walk-behind or, better
yet, a reel-type mower, adds an additional measure
of exercise, or wellness,
to the equation. Today
I’d like to share my own personal worldview of
creative simplicity and its incorporation of these
three philosophies.
Choosing frugality,
ecology
and wellness as my primary system of values allows
me to consciously cut back on consumerism and the
hectic pace of modern life.
In turn, this means I contribute less to
society’s negative impact on the environment and
improve my own personal well-being in the process. I’ll
also talk about the behaviors and attitudes
generally associated with those who choose to live
a simpler life.
I think you’ll recognize several overlaps
among these attributes and those characteristic of
Unitarian Universalists.
My hypothesis is that UUs are accustomed to
making conscious choices about their religious
beliefs, so they are also likely to apply
conscious choice to other lifestyle beliefs,
including those that relate to living more simply.
Frugality—Spending Less First,
let’s explore the facet of simplicity I call frugality.
In our modern, consumer-oriented culture, many
people cringe at the mention of frugality, because
it sounds like being cheap or tight. Few people
want to be labeled with those crass terms, but let’s
think about what frugality really means before
making any harsh judgments.
Actually, frugality is nothing more than
spending less…and aligning what you spend with
your values.
Consider another old-fashioned word:
thrift.
I was delighted to read an etymology of
thrift, tying the word back to its root:
thrive—to prosper or grow.
Doesn’t it make sense that the only way
you can grow is to spend your money and time in
wise pursuits, choosing commitments carefully and
according to your own values? A
key to my frugal mentality has been adopting an
attitude of gratefulness for what I already have.
I suspect most of us have heard the saying,
“It’s
not having what you want, it’s wanting what you
have.”
It’s true that not everyone has enough
income to enjoy a privileged standard of living,
but many people do—that’s why there’s the
designation of voluntary
simplicity. Nonetheless,
it’s just as true that many people in this
country who have middle class incomes or above are
overextended on credit and living beyond their
means. They
are afflicted with “Affluenza”, which was featured in an
excellent special on PBS several years ago.
Having more leads to wanting more which
leads to spending more on credit which leads to
more anxiety and a feeling of deserving a break
and then spending even more.
It becomes a vicious cycle.
On the other hand, once you learn to
appreciate what you already have, its value
becomes even greater and you realize the simple
abundance of life. Many
of my peers at work see our frugal reluctance
toward “eating out” as a great sacrifice or a
formula for deprivation.
To us, however, we’re not giving up, we’re
gaining. Todd
sets a high standard for quality food preparation
and creative presentation, whether he’s cooking
for guests or just the two of us.
Over time I’ve learned to rise to meet
his challenge by creating appealing dishes when it’s
my turn in the kitchen.
Artful slicing and arrangement of good
fresh ingredients goes a long way toward promoting
a sense of frugal
luxury in our home.
In fact, I feel much more pampered by a
relaxed and appetizing meal Todd creates at home
to share with friends and conversation, than I do
by a rushed, noisy evening “out on the town”
where everyone has to shout to be heard. Ecology—Saving the Earth The
next point of my concept of the simplicity triad
is ecology, or saving the earth and our
environment. As the triad emerges, we see how
frugality, or reducing consumption, saves a lot
more than money. Having an eye for ecology gives us a
broader reason to subscribe to a lifestyle of
simplicity, which proposes a joyful and
environmentally sustainable alternative to
wasteful consumerism. As
we considered the root of the word thrift, let’s
also reflect on the basis of the words consumerism
and consumption. Both derive from the root, consume,
which means to use up, exhaust, devour, or
deplete. Do you remember when consumption was a
disease (tuberculosis) that caused its sufferers
to waste away?
Compare that to the fate of the Earth if
the whole world consumed at the level of the U.S.
and Canada, using 80% of the world’s resources
for less than 20% of its people. Anyone
who doubts our social values are as bad as all
that should think back to when we were known as
U.S. citizens.
Have you realized the American public is
ever-more-commonly referenced as consumers?
And is that really a surprise, as marketing
drives our desires by surrounding us with
advertising to convince us to buy products we
never even dreamed we would need?
Cell phones, big-screen TVs, myriad beauty
and health products, and, of course, sport utility
vehicles, are all portrayed as necessities rather
than luxuries.
We are relentlessly pressured to work more
so we can earn more
so we can spend more
to have more conveniences so we can do more….in
less time, of course. Instead,
I want to step back and have more time, to do less
and to buy less.
I consider simpler living as a pathway to
reducing consumption of material things, and in
turn, a major way to reduce pollution and reverse
the loss of biodiversity and depletion of natural
resources. A
simpler way of life allows us to create a
sustainable future, one that is committed to the
well-being of our planet and all its
inhabitants, not just humans, and not just those
in North America. You
may have already noticed I included our seventh UU
principle at the top of the Order of Service.
That’s the one that says, “We, the
member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist
Association, covenant to affirm and promote: Respect
for the interdependent web of all existence
of which we are a part.”
I couldn’t help but notice the overlap
between my notion the role of ecology in a life of
voluntary simplicity and our shared beliefs as
Unitarian Universalists. Wellness—Slowing
Down, Living Mindfully The
third point on the simplicity triad is wellness. To me, wellness encompasses many ideas,
including health and exercise, diet, rest,
reducing stress and ‘doing’ less in favor of
just ‘being.’
Wellness can be seen as slowing down and
living mindfully.
While ecology
promotes broad, environmental
benefits of simplicity, wellness
tends to be closer in scope and embraces the more personal
benefits of a simpler lifestyle.
As
Duane Elgin points out in his classic writing, Voluntary
Simplicity, people choosing to live a simpler
life, “tend to work on developing the full
spectrum of their potentials:
physical (running, biking, hiking, etc.),
emotional (learning the skills of intimacy and
sharing feelings in important relationships),
mental (engaging in lifelong learning by reading,
taking classes, etc.), and spiritual (learning to
move through life with a quiet mind and
compassionate heart).” (p.32). The way I see it, wellness is such a perfect fit for the simplicity triad, because it goes hand in hand with the other two items, frugality and ecology. Things that promote wellness—like shopping only around the perimeter of the supermarket—also promote frugality and ecology. Think about what’s kept in the outside supermarket aisles—basic items that are good for you (such as fresh produce, bread, meat and dairy products). These same items tend to cost less than more highly processed and packaged items (like cookies, chips, soda, alcohol, and cigarettes). In addition, I would argue that the more wholesome items are also better for the environment because they are more likely to be locally grown and therefore don’t waste as much energy and resources in their processing, packaging and transportation. By
thinking about what you buy and saying no to
activities that aren’t truly meaningful (in
other words, being frugal with your money and
time), you will find white space to “frame”
the picture that is your life.
I
think many people who are caught up in the hustle
and rush of day-to-day life in our material world
wonder, “If life isn't about consumption
(materialism), then what is
it about?”
How about some of these favorite and
forgotten pursuits…things like: ·
(Intimate relationships with)
Family and Friends ·
(Involvement in your) Community ·
(Concern for your) Health and
Fitness ·
Creativity ·
Spirituality ·
Solitude Living
more simply opens many opportunities for sharing
and relationships with each other.
Simple conversation and connection promote
my own sense of wellness, as do volunteering for
one or two community activities (like Habitat for
Humanity and our own Religion Services Committee).
Taking care of myself by getting enough
sleep and regular exercise, and allowing blocks of
time for spirituality, solitude and creative
inspirations round out my personal sense of
well-being. I
often tell people that opportunity is something
you have to be prepared to meet.
For instance, If I’m caught up on work
and sleep and necessary errands and a chance to
accompany a friend on an unexpected weekend
excursion comes up, I’ll be able to go along and
take advantage of an extra seat in the car and a
free hotel bed.
But if I’m constantly pushing deadlines
to the wire and strung out on too little sleep, I’ll
have to say “No” and miss the opportunity for
carefree and spontaneous fun.
Likewise, when I have extra time and a bit
of focus, I can come up with wonderful, creative
gifts that are inexpensive but meaningful.
On the other hand, when I don’t plan
ahead, I paint myself into a corner and may have
to make a special trip to the store to buy
something expensive
and impersonal. [Or perhaps I just make a trip to the “mathom”
closet and select something recycled
and impersonal!] Over
time I continue to learn what I value and what
leads to balance, or simplicity, for me.
I’m not suggesting my
answers will be your answers.
However, I do believe we share some common
views as Unitarian Universalists, and I suspect
those views flow over into this arena of
simplicity. In fact, I’d like to share a few of the
many behaviors and attitudes of simple living advocates, as defined by Duane
Elgin in his book Voluntary Simplicity, so
you can determine if they describe your own
tendencies: “Although
there is no dogmatic formula for simpler living, those choosing a simpler life often: ·
Tend
to invest the time and energy freed up by simpler
living activities with their partner, children,
and friends (walking, making music together,
sharing a meal, camping, etc.), or volunteering to
help others, or getting involved in civic affairs
to improve the life of the community. ·
Tend
to work on developing the full spectrum of their
potentials: physical (running, biking, hiking, etc.),
emotional (learning the skills of intimacy and
sharing feelings in important relationships),
mental (engaging in lifelong learning by reading,
taking classes, etc.), and spiritual (learning to
move through life with a quiet mind and
compassionate heart). ·
Tend to feel an intimate connection
with the earth and a reverential concern for
nature. ·
Tend to feel a compassionate concern
for the world’s poor; a simpler life fosters a
sense of kinship with people around the world and
thus a concern for social justice and equity in
the use of the world’s resources. ·
Tend
to lower their overall level of personal
consumption—buy less clothing (with more
attention to what is functional, durable,
aesthetic, and less concern with passing fads,
fashions, and seasonal styles), buy less jewelry
and other forms of personal ornamentation, buy
fewer cosmetic products and observe holidays in a
less commercialized manner. ·
Tend to alter their patterns of
consumption in favor of products that are durable,
easy to repair, nonpolluting in their manufacture
and use, energy-efficient, functional, and
aesthetic. ·
Tend
to shift their diet away from highly processed
foods, meat, and sugar toward foods that are more
natural, healthy, simple, and appropriate for
sustaining the inhabitants of a small planet. ·
Tend
to reduce undue clutter and complexity in their
personal lives by giving away or selling those
possessions that are seldom used and could be used
productively by others (clothing, books,
furniture, appliances, tools, etc.). ·
Tend
to use their consumption politically by boycotting
goods and services of companies whose actions or
policies they consider unethical. ·
Tend to recycle metal, glass, and
paper and to cut back on consumption of items that
are wasteful of nonrenewable resources. ·
Tend to pursue livelihood that
directly contributes to the well-being of the
world and enables a person to use more fully his
or her creative capacities in ways that are
fulfilling. ·
Tend
to develop personal skills that contribute to
greater self-reliance and reduce dependence upon
experts to handle life’s ordinary demands (for
example, basic carpentry, plumbing, appliance
repair, gardening, crafts, etc.) ·
Tend to alter male-female roles in
favor of non-sexist patterns of relationship. ·
Tend
to appreciate the simplicity of nonverbal forms of
communication—the eloquence of silence, hugging
and touching, the language of the eyes. ·
Tend
to participate in holistic health-care practices
that emphasize preventative medicine and the
healing powers of the body when assisted by the
mind. ·
Tend to involve themselves with
compassionate causes, such as protecting rain
forests and saving animals from extinction, and
tend to use nonviolent means in their efforts. ·
Tend to change transportation modes in
favor of public transit, car pooling, smaller and
more fuel-efficient autos, living closer to work,
riding a bike, and walking.”
·
Tend to prefer smaller-scale, more
human-sized living and working environments that
foster a sense of community, face-to-face contact,
and mutual caring.
(p. 32-35) The
list goes on in a similar fashion, beyond this
sampling I chose to share with you. Did
anyone forget I was describing advocates of
simpler living and think I was detailing the
attitudes and behaviors of Unitarian
Universalists?
I wouldn’t be surprised! As
we make conscious choices about our religious
beliefs, I believe that tendency will carry over
into the arena of living more simply. I find more purpose in my own life by
bringing mindfulness and focus into my daily
living—I enjoy finding creativity and pleasure
in community, as well as solitude, apart from
material consumption.
Frugality, ecology and wellness are three
touchstones that keep me on track toward my ideal
of simplicity.
Perhaps you’ll find them to be
beneficial, too. An Eclectic Collection of Simplicity Resources Books Andrews,
Cecile, Simplicity Circles Breathnach,
Sarah Ban, Simple Abundance DeAngelis,
Barbara, Real Moments Dominguez,
Joe and Robin, Vicki, Your Money or Your Life Elgin,
Duane, Voluntary Simplicity Hawken,
Paul, The Ecology of Commerce Luhrs,
Janet, The
Simple Living Guide : A Sourcebook for Less
Stressful, More Joyful Living McBride,
Tracey, Frugal Luxuries:
Simple Pleasures to Enhance Your Life and Comfort Your Soul McWilliams,
John-Roger and McWilliams, Peter, Wealth 101: Getting
What You Want, Enjoying What You'Ve Got
Moore,
Thomas, The Art of Simplicity Schor,
Juliet B., The Overspent American:
Upscaling, Downshifting and the New Consumer Schor,
Juliet B., The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure St. James,
Elaine, Inner Simplicity St. James,
Elaine, Simplify Your Life Thoreau,
Henry David, Walden Newsletters
and Magazines Dacyczyn,
Amy, The Tightwad Gazette Hunt,
Mary, Cheapskate Monthly Real
Simple
magazine Simplicity
magazine Other
Media Affluenza,
PBS Special, ca. 1996 The
Center for a New American Dream, http://www.newdream.org E-Town, 1:00pm Sundays on KUNI, 101.7
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