Dancing with Nature
A long, long time ago,
everyone danced with Nature and happiness radiated throughout the land. One day, Men stopped dancing and
instead tried to subdue and conquer Nature. Machines and explosives laid waste
the land. At first, Men were successful, however, some folk wanted to return to
the old ways. The Men were clever and tricked the People with consumerism. This
made the People feel good and gave them everything they desired – except the
one thing they wanted above all else – happiness. Then one day the People
noticed that Nature no longer danced and they were worried.
The Problems
Climate change, resource
depletion, food security, rich/poor divide, debt overhang, affordable housing,
alienation, consumerism/globalization and unethical leadership.
The Solution
We are the people we have
been waiting for, or as Gandhi so nicely said - when the people lead, the
leaders follow. The problems are interconnected and the answers are holistic. I
stumbled on the path back to happiness by accident. Consumerism is an
addiction; the cure is long distance trekking, bicycling or kayaking. When you
carry your gear, you quickly learn to lighten your load as you re-connect with
nature. Self-propelled travel breaks the bond to consumerism. Sustainable
living makes poor people rich and gives them the affluence of time. This in
turn creates a feedback loop and voluntary austerity morphs into enhanced
quality of life. First, you change yourself and then you help build a vibrant
local community.
How to Transition to a Sustainable
Lifestyle
Never before in history has
all the wisdom of the ancients been available either online or in print.
Similarly, innovative technology is only a click away. Every square metre of
the earth’s surface receives 1.4 kW of solar power a day. Dig six feet deep
anywhere on the planet and the temperature is a constant 55o F.
Vermicomposting turns organic waste into a growing medium that is five times
higher in nutrients than the best topsoil. Internet is free in libraries and
coffee shop parking lots. Thrift stores and yard sales sell consumer goods at a
fraction of the market price. A sauna supplies unlimited hot water. Alternative
housing – cabins, hobbit homes and yurts – are cheap to build and provide
comfort without the monthly bills. Adventure travel costs less than staying
home and doing nothing – with boots, you can ramble across countries and with bikes,
you cruise across continents.
