He who knows enough is enough will always have enough.
-Lao Tzu
Paper or plastic? Disposable or cloth? How about less? How about nothing?
Stop looking at what is better for the environment, but rather just get nothing at all. Exclude from your life all that does not bring you long term pleasure or contentment. Otherwise you get into a constant consumeristic fix of seeking hits of consumeristic pleasure, like a crack head taking hits our of the glass dildo. Put the pipe down!
It's not a coincidence that the rise of hyberconsumerism coincides with obesity, diabetes, oceanic trash, bankruptcy, increased rates of divorce, depression, hypertension, debt, the list goes on and on and on! One of the best ways to reduce all of this is not simply to buy something on sale, work harder/work more, or to recycle. But rather just go without.
A friend of mine and I will have very long conversations about "the one thing". That one thing that makes you itch. That one thing that brings you happiness. That one thing that brings contentment. That one thing that should take priority over all else. The key I believe is to find that one thing and to strive for it constantly. For me that one thing is freedom. Freedom for me is to do what I want, when I want, and how I want. This freedom enables to me to spend time with family, travel, eat well, and exercise. All else becomes secondary.
What's your one thing? For a lot of people it's going to be family and friends. And to them I say, why are you working in a job that you hate when it deprives you of them? So many American families work two jobs when one would do in order to pay the bills and provide financial security. Instead they focus on more than one thing and it strains the one thing that would make them happy. They buy things they don't need to impress other people that don't care about you. They buy processed food because they don't have time to cook. This makes them fat and causes health problems. Their self-esteem plunges and they start taking it out on their children and spouse. Arguments ensue and then potentially divorce.
Why is it that people who live in dramatically poorer countries, are happier, have better health, and lower divorce rates? Have they discovered "the one thing"? I don't think so. I just don't think they're rich enough to have all of the distractions that cause us sorrow. Think about it...
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