Sustainability Manifesto
It’s time for us to take charge of our peace, of our environment and of how we want to really live. This sustainability manifesto is based on principles of simple living and environmental consciousness. Implementing it may require a makeover in lifestyle and behavior. Even if you don’t believe in global warming and climate change, these three statements have been scientifically proven:
- Our natural resources and their services are declining
- Our demand for natural resources and their services is increasing
- These two conditions are converging at accelerated rates
What we choose to do about these facts is personal and environmental. It is also, the essence of sustainability – looking at the demands we make on nature and natural systems and ensuring the needs of the population are being met, both now and in the future. Thinking about the long term means we have to consider how our actions affect not just ourselves, but our children and grandchildren, our neighbours, our economy and our environment.
Most of us spend much of our time indoors. The air that we breathe in our homes, in schools, and in offices can put us at risk for health problems. Indoor air pollution can be the result of many factors among them, off-gassing from furniture, carpet and paint; toxic cleaning solutions, mold, pet dander, radon and second hand smoke to name a few. Usually the most effective way to improve indoor air is to eliminate individual sources or reduce their emissions by taking some simple steps like:
- Increasing the amount of fresh air indoors – open windows and doors, or run an air conditioner with the vent control open. Bathroom and kitchen fans that exhaust to the outdoors also increase ventilation and help remove pollutants.
- Changing or clean the filters regularly.
- Minimizing indoor humidity to reduce the concentrations of some indoor air pollutants.
- Using non-toxic cleaning solutions for general purpose cleaning. Recipes are included on this site to help you create your own solutions.
- Investing in an environmental inspection – identifies what pollutants are currently in the home.
Energy conservation is becoming increasingly important as population growth in practically every area on earth continues. Our access to renewable sources of energy is becoming less and less. In the U.S. the average family’s energy usage generates over 11,200 pounds of air pollutants each year. According to the EPA, every unit (or kilowatt) of electricity conserved reduces the environmental impact of energy use. With increases in severity of weather, huge demands have been placed on power grids. In a recent study by the National Academy of Sciences, power grids may become more vulnerable because of the increasing demand for electricity and their interconnectedness. It is critical that we begin to conserve energy and utilize it more efficiently in our homes.
Energy and water are very tightly intertwined. Electricity is used in moving, purifying, and managing water supply. So when we conserve energy in our homes, we are also insuring the efficient management of water and other resources available to us.
Even the EPA suggests keeping your home clutter free in their indoor air quality information. Clutter collects dust and creates areas in the home for breeding unwanted microbes and germs that impact our health and well-being. One way to eliminate clutter is to rid yourself of items you don’t use and commit to not replacing them when they are gone. Reduce consumption and rethink what you throw away and how often. You can also design out waste buy creating systems of organization that support the habits and behaviors of individuals in the home. One very simple way to design out waste, is to live smaller. It may mean downsizing or creating structures or areas in the home that don’t allow for the accumulation of things. It may involve making optimum use of things you already have to create peaceful, sustainble decor.
Simple living requires changes in attitudes and behaviors that some of us have already made. Some people are ready to make these changes but are sure how to start. We recommend a simple living audit, an assessment of your current condition which includes an analysis of your goals and what’s keeping you from obtaining them.