We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore LappĂ©, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Saturday, June 5, 2010

The Unconsumption Un-manifesto

from Shareable. The article, as well as the blog, contains links to some inspiring sources of recycling information. Also there are tips on breaking the consuming habit that people are seduced into by living in capitalist societies. This website appears to be a good resource for people interested in creating sustainable communities.
Dumps, landfills, even oceans--sites the world over are covered in the collective detritus of our go-go consumer culture. Yesterday's hottest gadgets and plastic trinkets litter the planet. Some companies are working to make their waste more environmentally-friendly, and there have been successful efforts educating the public about the dangers of eWaste, but those initiatives don't address our deeper, habitual behavior of consumption.