Archives: Insider Info/Member Update |
Fall/Winter, 1999
Member Update
Contents
How You Can Help
Membership Services
SLOw Down Network
ASSIST - Alternatives' Support
Editorials
I Found It!
Evangelism or Environment?
Worth Reading
Revelation's Call to Resistance
Dig More Coal
Living Compassionately
Our Testimony Against Recreations
Beyond 2000
How to Influence Others
Changing Ourselves
Sharing with Others
Working to Change Systems
How You Can Help
- How to Influence Others.
- Consider making a tax-deductible, year-end donation. Remember Alternatives in your will. Contact us (or have your lawyer contact us) for more information. Our legal name is "Alternative Lifestyles, Inc., d/b/a Alternatives for Simple Living."
- When you see or hear about Alternatives in the news - local, regional, national (church or secular) - please send us a copy or report it to us with a brief description (content, time, place, date). We can't afford a "clip service."
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Take one or more media releases to your local editor(s) and identify
yourself as a supporter of Alternatives. All our current releases are available
on our Website under "Information: Media Releases." The current titles are
listed on page 3 of this Update.
Download your choice(s) from the Website. Or we will send the release to your local editor in your name if you send us the publication's name, editor's name and editor's mail and/or e-mail address. Contact us fax for a copy of your choice(s). Tell us if you want them by mail or e-mail. -
To receive our monthly e-mail newsletter "Simplicity Sp@mmer," send
us your e-mail address. Then forward each message to the folks in your e-mail
directory. Please respond to our occasional e-mail "Help!" appeals. Don't
underestimate the power of word-of-mouth, even by e-mail! We've received
many favorable comments.
If you choose to exempt yourself from such messages, contact us, or mark the box "Personal e-mail only" on the Resource Guide order form the next time you order. - Link us to your Website. Put an excerpt from one of our resources on your Webpage and link it to us. For help, contact our WebMaster: David@SimpleLiving.org.
- We've moved into a new home in Sioux City - Alternatives' Corner Store and Reading Room. Consider helping Alternatives acquire some new computer equipment and display furnishings. We would appreciate cash donations (they're tax deductible!), no-interest loans or project grants. If you choose, we will apply your donation toward your membership. Please do not surprise us by sending an item without talking to us first.
- Share our Resource Guide (catalog) with people in your church group, at a conference you may attend, as part of a display, at a meeting. A donation to cover shipping is appreciated but not required. Contact us while they last!
- Automatic Membership Renewal. Keep your membership current and not get renewal notices! Select Autorenewal and we'll bill your credit card at your personal membership rate once a year. This benefits you and us. You can change any time. When you renew, simply say "Autorenewal" and provide appropriate credit card information.
- Send your membership promptly when it's due and consider one of the higher levels.
- Continue to buy resources from us to meet personal needs, as gifts for friends and family, and for church and public libraries, resource centers, etc.
- Pray for this organization, its staff and board.
Membership Services
SLOw Down Network
We have added a fourth component - Discussion Group Consultants - to our national service of volunteer motivational Speakers, workshop Leaders and event Organizers. The network name has been changed slightly to include that extra.
The network handbook has been reviewed by over 40 volunteers and is about ready. It's expandable!
If you would consider being a member of this vital service, contact us right away. We now have over 450 volunteers!
This network is a key to Alternatives' mission of person-to-person presentation of voluntary simplicity. We supply a complete presentation and support materials.
ASSIST - Alternatives' Support
Living simply can be lonely... Other folks don't seem to "get it." Friends, relatives, even family members wonder why you don't choose to live the "good life" of overconsumption.
Alternatives offers the member benefit ASSIST. Simply sign a confidentiality pledge and we send you the names of others who sign up. You can communicate by letter, phone, fax, e-mail or face-to-face.
The purpose of Alternative Support is to prevent isolation, which can kill the spirit for simplicity. Although we do not intend to start chapters, we urge members and others to start their own support and study groups.
Contact us for more information. Sign-up when you renew your membership.
Editorials
I Found It!
I know what you're going to say... that the Protestant work ethic has really done a job on me. But I've been looking for years for ways to have fun. Having fun is hard for me.
About three winters ago my friend loaned me his snow blower so I could keep my driveway clear. What a lot of work! What a beast... hard to maneuver and a real polluter! Then my lovely spouse told me that a friend had hired a snow-removal service so she was selling her scooper. I wasn't enthused, but I went and bought it. It's about as simple as simple can be, a flat bottom, heavy-duty scooper about two feet wide with a wide handle of tubing. And it works great on new snow. I found my winter fun, clearing my drive after a snow. I'm careful. I get my heart rate up but never overdo it. Remember this is for fun! The job has to be done. It makes me feel strong and it doesn't pollute.
But snow only lasts for six months in Iowa. So what about the rest of the time?
We recently had a family meeting. They wanted to buy a new mower. I repeated my often heard maxim: an average American lawn mower mowing the average American lawn pollutes as much as the average American car on a 300 mile trip!
Well then how about an a electric mower? A little better maybe. But it just pollutes at the other end... at the power station, especially with the coal burners we have here along the Missouri River. No decision.
Two days later I came home from work to find a "gift" on the counter, a box containing the parts for a push mower. I swallowed my pride and said Thank You. Peter agreed to help put it together.
It's wonderful! It's so light weight and maneuverable. It seems to take no more energy than pushing a power mower that's heavier and pollutes. It won't do twigs like the power mower did. It only cost $40 NEW and requires no annual tune-up. It's paddles, not blades, require no sharpening.
And it's fun. I divided our patch of grass and weeds into fourths and do one patch a day. Good exercise. No, she won't let us do the "Prairie look" and not mow at all, though I've suggested it many times.
Thank you, God, for the plant-animal air cycle that keeps us alive. Thank you for muscles and fun that's also productive. AMEN!
Evangelism or Environment?
I was talking with one of my relatives recently. He was obviously disappointed that Alternatives was not an overt proselytizing organization. I told him about our call to care for all God's Creation. He said that one soul was more important to him than all of the environment.
The problem is that God does not gives us that option. God calls us to care for all Creation, including both the spiritual (faith, inward) and discipleship (action, outward) parts of our Christian life.
My cousin's attitude is typical of Christians that justify abuse (domination) of the Earth because "Jesus is coming back anyway and all will be destroyed." Maybe so. But God does not give us that option as Christians. We are called to care for all Creation, regardless of when Jesus comes back. We don't know when. WHEN is irrelevant. We have our calling now! -Gerald Iversen
Worth Reading
We urge you to read the following articles. Since we can't reprint them completely, we've included some key quotations. When you contact the publications, please say, "We read about you through Alternatives for Simple Living."
Revelation's Call to Resistance
Behind the veil of what the Book of Revelations calls Babylon is another empire: today's global corporate capitalism. Revelations is the same perspective learned from Isaiah and Daniel. Despite empire's propagandistic claims to bring civilization, wealth, and peace to the world, from God's point of view empire is condemned and destroyed because of its beastly exploitation of God's creation and its creatures. The apocalyptic insight is that New Jerusalem exists NOW, wherever and whenever people live "Yahweh alone" as the center of reality. "Revelation's Call to Resistance" by Wes Howard-Brook in "The Other Side," September-October, 1999, pp. 20-24.
***
Dig More Coal
"Dig more coal - the PC's are coming. Being digital was supposed to mean less demand for hard energy. It isn't turning out that way." "Forbes Magazine," May 31, 1999, pp. 70ff.
"The current fuel-economy rating: about 1 pound of coal to create, package, store and move 2 megabytes of data. The digital age, as it turns out, is very energy-intensive. The Internet may someday save us bricks, mortar and catalog paper, but it is burning up an awful lot of fossil fuel in the process.
"On its surface, where bits are incarcerated as electrons, a chip runs at enormously high power densities - up to one-tenth those at the surface of the sun.
"There are already over 17,000 pure dot-com companies (EBAY, E-TRADE, etc.). Of the larger ones each represents the electric load of a small village.
"It's now reasonable to project that half of the electric grid will be powering the digital Internet economy within the next decade. The global implications are enormous. Intel projects a billion people on-line worldwide. That's $1 trillion in computer sales - and another $1 trillion investment in a hard-power backbone to supply electricity. One billion PCs on the Web represent an electric demand equal to the total capacity of the U.S. today.
"Overall, total electric consumption continues to grow about 3% a year - and more than half of that growth is attributable to the rise of the microprocessor."
Gerald Iversen comments. Scary prospect for people who care about all God's Creation. And almost as scary is Forbes' attitude - that of classic growth economics - that we must "dig more coal." What an incredibly important missed opportunity for a powerhouse like Forbes to promote alternative energy! Not one mention, not even the slightest passing thought to renewal energy. Focused only on non-renewable fossil fuels. Oh, were it possible to sue a magazine for gross moral incompetence!
Yes, read this article, ignore the rest of the magazine, and think of the great wind farms being built in California and Iowa. Think geo-thermal, think sun-power.
And think non-polluting. The second big problem with Forbes "Dig more coal" solution is that burning fossil fuels, even with some new technology, continues to pollute the air. A double wammy - exhausting resources at such a rate that the Earth cannot even counterbalance the pollution.
Thanks again to Forbes for this shot of reality. Now, let's think Environmental Economics. For more information, contact the Environmental Economics Institute, MD.
Using electricity wisely isn't bad. Wasting it is. We need to examine our Internet transactions, just like any other. Is this trip necessary? Like a light bulb, one internet transaction takes little power. It's the immense number of transactions that's the problem!
Living Compassionately
"We were once ashamed of consuming too much (religious shame). We are now often ashamed of consuming the wrong brands (shopper's shame).... The only viable alternative seems to be involved in reaching out to people when they bottom out (or to help them 'bottom out' by becoming aware of its addictiveness and its affect on their live). When people find their lives and others' becoming unmanageable they seem more open to alternative ways of living." "Living Compassionately in a Consumer Culture" by Michael H. Crosby, OFMCap., "New Theology Review," 6896 Laurel St. NW, Washington DC 20012 (202-726-8800).
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS DID NOT APPEAR IN THE PAPER VERSION OF THE 'MEMBER UPDATE' NEWSLETTER
Our Testimony Against Recreations
"Our Testimony Against Recreations" by Mark S. Cary, "Friends Journal," June 1999. "I believe there are three principles that govern much of our tendency to excess. The first is 'scarcity evolution,' the notion that our psyches generally want 'more' because, in general, more has been better in our biological past. When released from constraint in our modern world, we tend to overshoot the mark.... Like food, highly involving and 'rich' entertainment is now plentiful.
"The second principle is the 'slippery slope,' the tendency to take one step at a time and end up sliding down the hill.... Like the candy granola bar, I believe our entertainment has also devolved.
"The third principle is the 'supernormal stimulus,' a creation that is 'better than reality,' or 'larger than life,' and thus quite compelling, which then play on our emotions.
Interested in what he has to say about "Entertainment and Maternalism" and "Controlling Recreation"? Contact the author at 515 Scott Lane, Willingford, PA 19086 or at caryweber@worldnet.att.net.
Beyond 2000
Commendation to 'Time Magazine' for the November 8, 1999, issue called Beyond 2000: 100 Questions for the Next Century, Vision 21: Health and the environment, pp. 64-128, especially pp. 102-120.
In "Will Malthus Be Right?" Niles Edredge say, "His (Malthus') forecast was ahead of its time, but nature may still put a lid on humanity." We are emerging from a 10,000-year vacation from nature still not fully realizing that our own survival hinges on reducing the damage we do to Earth's natural systems. We may not drive ourselves to the complete oblivion of biological extinction, but I fear that the Mathusian specters of famine, warfare and disease will rise in the comparatively short run (the next few centuries), coupled with an accelerating loss of human cultural diversity and, ultimately, quality of life.
Unless. We can, I think, find the inner will to wake up to our current situation, to see the grimmer outlook around the corner and to choose to do something about it. We can stabilize our numbers and tempers our patterns of consumption. We can work to stem the tide of ecosystem destruction and species loss. We can, in short, see ourselves for what we have become: the first global economic entity, a fascinating state arrived at though no end of cleverness but a state that is ultimately limited by the health and productivity of the natural system in which we live. We can, if we choose to do so, prove Malthus' direst prognostications wrong. Maybe not, if we wake up to what the mass production of animal flesh is doing to our health -- and the planet's. The era of mass-produced animal flesh, and its unsustainable cost to human and environmental health, should be over before the next century is over."
What does it take to make ONE HAMBURGER? Pounds of Feed Grain: 1.75; Gallons of Water: 210; Square feet of Rain Forest Destruction: 55 (tropically produced beef); Pounds of livestock and feces and other organic Pollutants: 12.
In "Will We Run out of Gas? Mark Hertsgaard says "No, we'll have plenty of carbon-based fuel to see us through the next century. That's the problem."
In "Will We Still Eat Meat?" Ed Ayres says,
The best part is that we could make money by making peace with the planet. If governments launched a program -- call it a Global Green Deal -- environmentally retrofit our civilization from top to bottom, they could create the biggest business enterprise of the next 25 years, a huge source of jobs and profits."
In "How Hot Will It Get?" James Trefil says, "No one knows for sure, but the potential perils of climate change makes it unwise for us to ignore the greenhouse effect. A prudent policy that stresses conservation and alternate energy sources seems to me to be a wise insurance in an uncertain age. After all, our grandchildren will thanks us for developing high-mileage cars, energy-efficient appliances and cheap solar energy."
The experts believe, such changes could come on with astonishing speed -- perhaps within a decade or less. And while we might have a great deal of trouble adjusting to a climate that gets 2^C (4^F) warmer over the next century, an ice age by mid-century would be unimaginably devastating."- Michael D. Lemonick
In "Can We Make Garbage Disappear?" Ivan Amato says, "Through the magic of recycling and modern alchemy, we will move swiftly toward a world without waste.... In the long run, we have to reduce the amount of material we use in the first place.... But technology is not enough. Just as critical are changes in attitudes and lifestyles."
Guidelines for Change
The three steps of Simpler Living (and social change) are: changing ourselves, sharing with others, working to change systems.
Influencing others begins with ourselves! Ask, "Where do I fit in the three levels of participation with our culture?" The answer may be "all three."
Level 1. Do I support both good and evil, regardless of the social consequences? Such "unconscious buying" is what most folks seem to do... buying whatever we want from anybody.
Level 2. Do I support the good, but do not support the evil? Such "conscious buying" means buying primarily from the good businesses, not from sweatshop manufacturers, serious polluters and the like.
Level 3. Do I support the good and resist the evil? Such buying activism means writing letters, participating in boycotts and the like.
To begin, while contemplating the following points, focus on at least one suggestion from each of the three groups. For more information on any of the ideas or Helps, contact Alternatives for Simple Living (800/821-6153).
A. Changing Ourselves
1. Prioritize changes we need to make, including both "big" and "little" changes. Do not allow tokenism - doing only small stuff, like recycling, and ignoring the hard changes, like reducing our dependence on our cars. Likewise, do little stuff to keep a consciousness. Otherwise, the big changes may overwhelm us. It feels good to say, "Look at all the changes I've made!" But it's tokenism if they're all small stuff. Help: "Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices" and "The Joy of Simple Living."
2. Change celebrations. They're role models for what we'd like the rest of life to be. Extravagant or simple? Many of them damage our Earth and promote reckless spending. Instead, focus on joy and meaning. Help: "To Celebrate" or "Treasury of Celebrations," "Unplug the Christmas Machine."
3. Tend to our spiritual health. Pray, meditate, spiritualize life. These are the values supporting our efforts. Without a strong religious or philosophical foundation, our changes will be meaningless.
4. Tend to our mental and intellectual health through continuing
education, assertiveness training, journaling. Read about politics and economics,
but avoid media overload by turning off the TV and reducing unhelpful, mass
market magazine subscriptions. Help: "Quickening of America," "Investing
in the Common Good" and "Stuff."
5. Tend to our physical health. Eat correctly, exercise and have regular medical checkups. Eat locally grown organic food as much as possible, meat as little as possible.
6. Touch other cultures, especially the poor, either locally or on a cross-cultural experience. Help: Ministry of Money (301/428-9560), Journey into Freedom (503/244-4728), "Children from Australia to Zimbabwe," "Extending the Table."
7. Practice the 5-R's - reduce, reuse, recycle, restore, respond. Practice the "Halving Principle" - cut use of stuff in half. Use water, electricity and fossil fuels wisely and conservatively. For example, use compact fluorescent light bulbs. They require only 25% of the energy that incandescent bulbs do.
8. Practice gratitude. Do things that make us glad to be alive.
9. Be in touch with nature through eco-friendly hiking and camping. Be awed by natural wonders large and small, like sunsets and compost worms.
10. Build growing relationships with others for fun, conversation, volunteering, worshipping, celebrating. Help: "The Christmas Game," "Lifestories," "Tell Me a Tale."
11. Slow down. Changes require prayer, thought and time. Make time for what's most important.
12. My own way to change...
.Back to the Table of Contents
B. Sharing with Others
1. Set an example of "non-conforming freely" by using string or fabric shopping bags, a hand lawn mower, etc. Be a living witness. Show our own lifetyle changes. Share a subscription to one of the magazines we recommend.
2. Offer personal one-to-one testimonials, face-to-face, by letter or email. Speak to adults or a child at "teachable moments."
3. Practice Alternative Giving. Give more to the needy. Give Fair Trade gifts. Help: #7 of "10 Tips for Christmas." (See p. 57)
4. Tell others. Give talks. Show & discuss videos. Join SLOw Down Network. (See pp. 7-34, 66-73)
5. Lead a workshop. (See pp. 35-40)
6. Organize an alternative event. (See pp. 41-56)
7. Start a Study/Action Group, Simplicity Circle, lead worship or adult forum at church. (See pp. 57-62)
8. Give Alternatives' gift certificates, gift resources, gift memberships. The recipients receive a catalog and can start where they want to. This makes us helpful and generous, not pushy.
9. Send messages about overconsumption through cards, bumper stickers and the like. Help: Alternatives' "Consumo" and "Sustaino" Campaigns.
10. Develop an email directory and forward messages from Alternatives and others to those in your directory. Help: "Simplicity Sp@mmer"
11. Pray, "Lord, have mercy on us. May your will be done on Earth as in heaven."
12. My own way to share with others....
C. Working to Change Systems
1. Advocacy. Write letters to public officials - local, county, state, national, international. Get addresses from your local chapter of the League of Women Voters. Help: Bread for the World, www.bread.org; "Soul of a Citizen."
2. Write letters of protest to wasteful companies and send commendations to businesses working toward sustainability. Help: Business for Social Responsibility, www.bsr.org; "Natural Capitalism"
3. Protest and boycott. Help: "Boycott News," www.boycotts.org
4. Vote with your dollars. Buy from locally owned businesses.
5. Keep informed, share ideas, join a social justice listserve, such as Center for a New American Dream, www.newdream.org.
6. Contact the media. Pass releases on to local media from Alternatives and other organizations. Help: "Reaching Out Through the Media" on pp. 74-75.
7. "Close the loop" at home, work, school, church. Buy products made of recycled materials. Help: National Green Pages, www.greenpages.org
8. Attend meetings to oppose local sprawl.
9. Promote media literacy and oppose Channel One's mandatory TV commercials in schools. Help: www.medialit.org
10. Practice Socially Responsible Investing-SRI. Help: www.socialfunds.org.
11. Pray for those who are in positions of power, who control systems, such as public and business officials.
12. My own way to work to change systems....
This page last updated 20 February 2013 (27 February 2003)
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