Going green is too often presented as either an extreme stunt that real people can’t achieve or as the act of buying green products to maintain one’s current lifestyle. Thrifty Green challenges these ideas and instead advocates authentic changes in behavior that are sustainable long-term. Other blogs may tell you to switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs; this one will advise you to turn your lights off.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The Ten Essentials


According to the book Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, no one should venture into the backcountry without the “ten essentials.” These are the ten things you absolutely need to stay alive: map, compass, sun protection, extra food and water, extra clothes, headlamp or flashlight, first aid kit, firestarter, matches, and a knife. Consider the list for a minute – the ten essentials will provide you with a minimum of knowledge of your whereabouts, nourishment, warmth, and health.
Notice what it lacks: electricity, plumbing, central heat, television, radio, telephones, video games, iPods/iPads/iAnything, movies, cars, electronic or other gadgets, toys, most material possessions, anything trendy or fashionable, and all the comforts of home.
I have spent a lot of time in the backcountry and have often preferred my experience there to my experience at home. It occurred to me recently that my domestic experience might be lacking a few essentials or overcompensating with stuff I don’t really need. So I have come up with a list of my own: the ten essentials for a fulfilling life in modern America, based loosely on the mountaineering list with a couple of extra categories. Virtually none of the list items has a cost, either financial or environmental. And yet if you possess them all, you can call yourself rich.
         1.     A connection to the earth
         2.     A spiritual practice
         3.     Work that you enjoy
         4.     A creative outlet
         5.     Wholesome food
         6.     Clean water
         7.     Sociable companionship
         8.     Comfortable shelter
         9.     Unstructured time
      10.     Love

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