Buy, By, Bye

In this holiday season, I am once again struck by the influence of consumerism and its effects on the environment.

First, Sandra sent me a link to the Story of Stuff - great little video from Free Range Studios - it is 20 minutes of pure gold explaining how consumerism is at the heart of the environmental crises. How we have been "re-trained" to buy, buy, buy. How events like Christmas have been turned into the Consumer Super Bowl to drive the economy resulting in havoc to environment and us. Watch it. Show it to your kids. Share it with your entire family and with your friends.

Second, so Sandra decides that this year, this holiday season, we will not be giving gifts, at least not the type driven by a consumer society bent on destruction, poison and disposability. This season we are giving gifts on your behalf to non-profits that stop this destructive cycle. I told a colleague about Sandra's plan. She told me, "Yeah, I tried that one year and I was left with nothing but un-happy kids and was made out to be the Grinch..." Sure, I can see how this happens, but there has to be a better way to stop the consumerism and still be able to give. So beyond the donations to non-profits, we are re-gifting - recycling old gifts - recycling things that we like and turning them "new" again. No, you won't be getting my torn, old shirts as a present. But that DVD of Season One of "Weeds" that you haven't seen yet, well I've seen it and it is new to you. So enjoy. It will come wrapped in newspaper.

Third, the greatest gift I can give now, is my time, time being fully present with my family and loved ones. So that's where I'm off to now...

Oh the Places You Will Go

I was recently asked in an email introduction, "How did you go from enterprise software in the US to saving rainforests and creating eco-developments in Mexico?" The short answer, accidentally, OK, if you want to know the real answer, it is my wife's fault. I blame it all on her. When did it start, well most of that story is on the website of Rainforest2Reef, read Our Story. But even that was an evolution the culmination in genetic mutation came when you realize that conservation can only truly happen with less and less consumerism.

I just saw a funny bit by George Carlin about the 10 Commandments. In it reduces the list of 10 to just 2 or 3. When he gets to "thou shall not covet" he basically says, if we stop that, we stop the entire economic engine. Way to go George.

So back to the transformation to Accidental Environmentalist, its actually a fairly easy path. When I look back at all the crap I used to do, like hawk movies for HBO or mobility software, when ever you were dealing with a really shitty situation, you always had to remind yourself, "hey, this isn't brain surgery, I'm just hawking movies...", but when you are working on saving the planet, now that has a different ring to it all together. Sure if feels good to say it. Sure you feel real guilty when you go out and buy something new (that you really didn't need), sure you feel like it is an uphill battle against swarm of mongrels, but in the end, the people that are on your side and the rewards from small wins are simply "priceless". I see more and more people slowly make the move from the dark side to join forces with us, this is the mother of all battles and we will prevail.

Now this might sound religious to you. No, I'm no zealot. Being "converted" is more about learning, about becoming aware of what is happening, knowing what you eat, knowing what you consume, understanding the sources and contents of all you consume. In the end, it all goes back to consumerism, knowledge, common sense and following your gut. Take Food - How difficult is it to understand that if pesticides kill bugs, they can kill you too (maybe more slowly, but still hasten your death). Step one, buy organic. Then you make the next leap, buy local. The same happens in other areas of your life, like transportation, entertainment, medicine/healthcare, your home, your vacations, your life...step one, then the next leap and the next.

The great thing about us human beings, we adapt. Oh the places we will go, come join me for all the beer you can drink and lets talk about it some more...