Resources for Sustainable (And Satisfying) Living
Resources for sustainable (and satisfying) living
From the Sustainable Careers Institute
Sustainability concerns not only the work we do, but the lives we create for ourselves and the ways we view success. Much of the political will behind sustainable development comes from the growing understanding that material wealth has not brought more satisfying lives for a majority of us. "Yearning for Balance," a 1996 national opinion study, found that a high percentage of U.S. citizens feel our culture is too materialistic, and 28% report having "downshifted" to some extent in the pursuit of more satisfying, coherent lives. The Gross National Product, which reflects the sum of economic activity, counts spending on divorces, environmental cleanup, commuting expenses and stress management in its measurement of progress. Interest in alternative indicators -- from the spawning rates of fish in urban streams to the use of public libraries by young people -- have gained attention as a way of measuring what our communities really value. And exploding concerns about such issues as health and violence prevention have led to new interest in our natural and social environments, as they exist and as they can be. One of the most intriguing aspects of sustainable development has been the growth of "social innovations" to make possible new ways of life that are richer, healthier, and smarter in their use of resources. These include:
Co-housing, a blend of individual and collective ownership in small developments designed for livability, affordability, and low environmental impact. Typically, households have their own private residences of modest size, plus access to shared spaces for recreation, meetings, guests, offices, and gardens.
Time dollars and local currency systems, which keep money circulating in communities and allow for the exchange of services among people with limited financial resources.
Consumer cooperatives beyond the ordinary food coop -- car sharing programs, energy conservation revolving loan funds, bulk purchasing programs for green office supplies, and more.
Sustainable living is about designing every aspect of our lives -- food, shelter, health care, transportation, clothing, celebrations, and work -- to maximize the expression of our values while exercising discrimination and discipline in the use of resources. The sources below will provide both technical assistance and inspiration along the path.
Organizations
Center for a New American Dream, 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 900, Takoma Park, MD 20912, Tel: 301.891.3683, Fax: 301.891.3684, Email: newdream@newdream , Website:
The Center for a New American Dream is dedicated to promoting lifestyles of "more fun, less stuff."
Co-op America, 1612 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, Tel: 800.58.GREEN; 202.872.5307, Fax: 202.331.8166, Email: , Website:
Co-op America, a national nonprofit organization, provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to address today's social and environmental problems through the economic system.
Green Home, a project of Washington, D.C-based. Habitat for Humanity. Rich web source of how-to’s on building construction, design and eco-sensitive lifestyle.
Green Seal, 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 827, Washington, DC 20036-5525, Tel: 202.872.6400, Fax: 202.872.4324, Email: , Website:
Green Seal, an independent, nonprofit organization, promotes the manufacture and sale of environmentally responsible consumer products by setting environmental standards and labeling environmentally advanced products with a "Green Seal of Approval"
Mothers & Others, 40 West 20th Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10011-4211, Tel: 212.242.0010, Fax: 212.242.0545, Email: , Website:
Mothers & Others works to promote consumer choices which are safe and ecologically sustainable for this generation and the next.
National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides (NCAMP), 701 E Street, SE, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20003, Tel: 202.543.5450, Fax: 202.543.4791, Email: .
NCAMP, a national coalition of community-based organizations and people, operates a national information clearinghouse on pesticide hazards and alternatives to their use
New Road Map Foundation (NRM), P.O. Box 5981, Seattle, WA 98115, Tel: 206.527.0437, Fax: 206.528.1120.
Network of wise folks who cut through limiting assumptions and offer guidance on living richly with less.
The Population Coalition, 1476 N. Indian Hill Boulevard, Claremont, CA 91711, Tel: 909.625.5717, Fax: same, Website:
Educational resource on human population and sustainabillity.
The Simple Living Network, Website:
This on-line service contains information about publications and tools for those wanting to learn how to live a more conscious, simple, healthy and earth-friendly lifestyle
Solar Electric Power Association, solarelectricpower.org, 202-857-0898. Website has tons of supplier contacts for alternative energy products and services.
Solstice, a major and well-linked website promoting a "solar era" of renewable energy sources, green building, natural food and more environmentally conscious lifestyles,