Tuesday, April 27, 2010

NEW BEGININGS: A PLEDGE TO LIVE CONSCIOUSLY

It has been really hard to put words to this post. What I want to say is flitting about my head, but the words don't find a voice. To explain a concept which is just that; a cloud of ideas in my mind. But I will attempt it; 


I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, about our lifestyle, our spending habits, how lightly (or heavily) we tread on this earth. I've been observing. I can tell you right now, compared to many others, we're not too bad. Our water usage is excellent. Less than 60Litres for the whole household per day - less than half the average for our area. Our power usage is ~1250 kwh a quarter. But I see too a lot of areas that make me cringe. The idea of 'who I am' and the values I hold dear to me are rarely portrayed in reality. Fair Trade, Sweat Shop labour, Sustainability, Environmental Awareness. Just words? In my actions, I've made them just that, words. The concepts they represent are certainly not an ethos we live by if you scrutinise our habits.


I walk around the shopping centres and shake my head at what I call 'the consumer drones'…fact is, I am one of them. We're living above our means, and we continue to spend. To consume. No more.


I use very few chemicals in my house. The worst concentration of chemicals we do use if I think about it, are in our toiletries. Sad to think that I'd be doing myself a favour by washing my hair with the floor wash instead of the shampoo we use. No more.


Admittedly, in the past, my worst wilful environmental disrespect has been with recycling. I am a binge cleaner…and generally in a new moon driven Virgo strip clean frenzy, recyclables go out with the rubbish. My attitude? I don’t care what it is 'just get it out!' No more.


Fact is, I could go on. I won't. This is about New beginnings.


This is my pledge;
  • Where ever possible, I will buy only second hand, or handmade for myself, my family or friends. 
  • If it can be recycled, reused or repurposed, it will be.
  • I will avoid inappropriate and over packaged items.
  • My house and body will be a chemical free zone.
  • I will use only reusable cloth pads and ‘the keeper’.
  • I will eat only fresh wholefoods and grow my own produce where I can.
  • I will shop locally whenever possible and otherwise support only ethically and environmentally responsible businesses.
  • I will dry my clothes on the clothes line when ever possible.
  • I will limit the use of the air conditioner or heater to use as a genuine last resort.
  • I will use a hot water bottle instead of the electric blanket.
  • I will walk the 5k's to work instead of drive.
  • I will try to limit our energy consumption to below 1000kwh a quarter.
  • At every opportunity, I will get out of the city and experience what my environment has to offer. To reaffirm my pledge.
And whenever the opportunity presents, I will encourage others to do the same.


*I am not infallible. I recognise right now that there will be times that the above may not always be possible. But in every situation, I will remind myself of the above pledge. And every choice I make with the above pledge in mind will be one more step on our way to living simply.*



There is a real movement beginning towards more conscious consumerism and there is some wonderful inspiration out there. Please visit ECOMILF,  dotti angel for her 'challenge of the utmost kind' as well as buyhandmade.org places that have really inspired me to make a formal commitment and to really hold myself accountable for our 'at home ethics'.





3 comments:

  1. I LOVE this Bianca! Did you create the picture? It says EXACTLY what I want to do but haven't been able to put into words.

    Kim

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  2. Hello there Bianca, thank you so very much for your lovely comment on my blog post today.

    I was amazed when I saw the subject line of this post... what a fantastic pledge.

    I'd also like to direct you to a post of mine from January 26, 2010 titled 'LIVE Consciously'... I make totes with this phrase printed on it.

    Hope you're having a sensational day!

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  3. This is really well articulated, Bianca.

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