Sustaining in everyday living

Sustainability is all about balance. Balancing your consumption in every area of your life. Making sure that we are leaving our children a wonderful world: not one destroyed by our greed.

So how do you lighten your daily load on the environment? Well you've listened to simple things that can be done, such as, make a list of errands and then map the most direct and wisest path to each location. Make all the errands in one day instead of spreading them out over the week. Use your extra time for other things, such as marketing your business or spending quality time with a loved one or friend.

But let's get into something more detailed, like home furnishings. Do you really need to buy more items? How much life can you continue getting out of your coffee maker that's only 2 years old. Yes, it's fun to have the latest technology, but have you thought about the carbon dioxide emitted in the transportation of a new imported coffee maker? Was it made in the US or imported from overseas. The manufacturing process, shipping (flight or water transport), then ground transportation, storage facility before making it to the retail shelf. More importantly, the carbon dioxide emitted when you traveled to the store. All of these processes are included in a new coffee maker making it onto your kitchen shelf.

How expensive are your wants versus your needs? Keep checking back to find out the results.

Shopping for sustainability

As a carpenter notices another craftsman's work, so does a sustainability consultant. While shopping I'm always in search of how the retail industry is putting sustainability to work in their stores.

It's exciting to see creative ways that some industries are slowly moving away from plastic. In the bedroom section of some stores you will notice bed sets are now being placed into matching fabric totes. Formerly, we would see them displayed in plastic zip-ups.

Definitely a sign of finding creative ways to use less petroleum products.