green recipe: downsize

Today's Wall Street Journal has another article about the cost of going green. And guess what, it isn't cheap. Unfortunately, it is also bogus -most of it that is. As the article correctly points out, going green is first and foremost a business slogan that hardware and home furnishing stores are adopting in order to boost sluggish sales. And that is the problem. It is a battle cry to spend more and "save" the economy. It is also the worst thing you can do.

To go green you need to reduce spending, or stop spending. You need to keep stuff instead of throwing it out. If you ditch your "old" car, appliance, furniture, etc. and buy something new that is eco-friendly, chances are you are doing a lot more damage than if you had just kept the "old" item. That is all the more true since most "old" items are not really old at all. Most have years of useful life in them. And even if they use more energy, replacing them puts a much bigger burden on the environment than keeping them. By all means keep using your old stuff and find new uses for it. That is the very best thing you can do for the environment.

To really go green what you need to do is downsize. That is also my recipe for health in America. America needs to downsize in a major way. Downsize your home, your car, your other toys, and your body. Fortunately this can all be done concurrently. If you drive less and walk or bike more, you will downsize your gas expenditures, cut back on greenhouse gases and pollution, and give your body some much needed exercise. The latter will help you lose weight and reduce your chances of getting some nasty diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. It will also make you tired naturally and that will allow you do away with sleeping aids and the like. Exercise will reduce your stress and likely reduce your blood pressure as well. More savings and more health.

It is true that spending less will damage the economy. Especially since that economy is based on wasteful spending. But that should not worry you too much. The current economy is unsustainable to begin with. Sooner or later it will have to disappear. Yes, you heard that right. Disappear. Not a recession or a depression mind you. A total overhaul. And yes, this will be very painful and will cause a lot of hardship, especially for the less-well-to-do and the poor. Lest you let your bleeding heart guide you, remember that the sooner we abandon this economy the less painful it will be and the less people will have to suffer. To keep going only makes matters worse.

The good news is that after a period of turmoil things will settle down. It is not the end of time. But we will have to change our life-style and we will have a lot less discretionary income. We will live a much simpler life and one that is much more in tune with reality. No more green lawns in the desert. No more 100 mile daily commutes. No more hour long showers. No more cars for everyone. But if you think that is too much for you to bear, just remember that if we keep going the way we are, we will end up in another Middle-Age-like period. A period where "standard of living" is a meaningless expression. One where mere survival is a true everyday adventure instead.