Slow down and green up
20 April 2007
The more I talk to people the more I think that the key to green living is just to slow down and enjoy life. How much more damage do we do to the planet, simply because we are tired or in a hurry? Driving to an appointment on a sunny day (passing up a 20 minute walk) to save a few minutes, rushing away on a weekend break only to find you have to buy extra things you forgot to pack, coming home too shattered to cook usually means a takeaway dinner (delivered by petrol power in a throw away aluminium box). Does any of this sound familiar?
The UK’s GDP has doubled since the 70s, but although on the whole we are getting more money and buying more stuff, it’s not making us any happier. The New Economics foundation found that 62% of people in the UK find their jobs too stressful or uninteresting, levels of trust in other people have halved since the 1950s and anxiety and depression are on the up. What’s more if everyone was to consume at the same rate as we do in the UK, we’d need over 3 planets to sustain us.
Perhaps you need a change? Well now is a chance to try out a slower pace of life as National Downshifting Week begins this Saturday (21st April). The idea behind downshifting is to slow down and enjoy the process of living. The week aims to inspire people by highlighting ways they can live simpler, happier lives whilst being kinder to the environment. Here are a few suggestions which could give you a different perspective on life - at least for a week!
- give up using the car for a week. It’s easier than you think and more pleasant walking to the shops or cycling to work. It also keeps you fit.
- plant something in the garden you can grow and eat. Salad leaves and lettuce are quick to grow and delicious freshly picked and eaten.
- book a half-day off work to spend with someone you love or even the kids! The challenge is to spend time with family and friends, rather than spend money on them.
The message is simple, consume fewer things - experience more life! By wasting and polluting the environment as part of an economy which exhausts us as individuals and puts a strain on our social relationships, we don’t just damage the planet, but ourselves as well. By downshifting can help bring your living costs right down, and help you free up more time and enjoy the process of living.
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