Alternatives to a Consumer Society

Adventures in Sustainable Living

Episode 4

Alternatives to a Consumer Society

Hello everyone

Welcome back to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

This is your host Patrick and this is Episode #4

Which is called Alternatives to a Consumer Society or Maybe it should be called How to Break Away from a Consumer Society.

Now, just for a quick recap, my last episode was called How Much Should One Person Be Allowed to Use? In that episode I talked a lot about our overly consumptive lifestyles, the pros and cons of a consumer society, with the obvious end point of that episode being that the way we presently live is simply not sustainable.

But if that is the case, the big question of course is how do we go about implementing change?

At any rate, if we all suddenly stopped what we were doing, if we all made sudden and drastic changes to our overly consumptive lifestyle, the economy may in fact simply collapse.

That said, then it is obvious that changes need to be made a little at a time. I talked a little bit about this in episode #2 titled The Most Sustainable Countries. If you listened to that episode, you know that Germany has a 40 year history of sustainable policy making and the small country of Iceland, converted almost 100% to renewable energy sources over a period of several decades..

So, such changes are possible.

Now in episode #3, I talked about the attractiveness of consumerism, how people go to great lengths to pursue the good life, how the purchase of material goods seemingly adds value and purpose to your life. But in the end, nothing could be further from the truth. Our culture predominantly has a narrow materialist world view and traditional religious and cultural values are increasingly irrelevant.

But most modern economies are driven by consumption. And if needed, that economy and lifestyle is maintained by increased borrowing. But, the slippery slope is increased consumer debt, which of course has to be maintained by working more hours, less time off, detrimental affects on your personal lifestyle, relationships, and personal values. Yeah, so much for the good life.

But, here is what you have to realize. Change is inevitable whether you like it or not. Sooner or later, you are going to have to change the way you live whether you like it or not.

As we all know, as long as there is a healthy rate of economic growth, paying back debt is easy to do. But if economic growth slows or stops, defaulting is inevitable. Nothing solidifies this point more than the real estate market crash in the United States in about 2008. Millions of people lost their homes and the US experienced the greatest economic slump in decades.

Yet it is becoming increasingly obvious that our push for continued economic growth is on a collision course with environmental boundaries and societal limits. We are now running into shortages of essential materials, increased food prices, climate change, rising costs of energy, increased health problems due to pollution, and numerous scientific studies are predicting serious shortages in fresh water supplies in the next 20 to 30 years.

So, the obvious point here is that there needs to be a basic shift in our cultural priorities. But the question is whether or not the average American is capable of doing that.

But as I pointed out earlier, there may come a time when you do not have a choice but to change the way you live.

Admittedly, what I do at home and how I live was initially done out of sheer necessity. But in recent years the latest improvements on the homestead have been out of a desire to make ourselves even more sustainable. And also because I strongly feel that there could easily become a time that what we do now and how we live on the homestead may become a necessity.

So, the point here is why not take steps to make changes in your life and lifestyle before you are forced to do so. Why not have a choice in how and when you make those changes before someone forces you to do so.

So, let’s face it folks.

The simple fact is that most people have to be hit up side the head with the painful and obvious need for change before they will actually do something about it. Even then, most of us will be confounded, confused, and even frightened by the complexity and overwhelming state of our existence that we will simply live in denial and never take steps to change what we are doing.

So, what are the right steps? What are the alternatives?

So first of all, bear with me for a moment because I want to take another stab at the consumer culture because I want to point out the obvious need for change. So let’s take a look at what consumer culture has done for us, or should I say “to us.”

Purchasing status symbols now confirms your place in society
This behavior is cultivated by marketing and psychological manipulation
In pursuit of the good life, materialism is now the gospel of human betterment
We now live in a society of debt-led consumption growth
Because of our debt load, we are now time starved more than every before.
Free time may even be considered a threat to human prosperity because we are subjected to a time based economy
Our devotion to a lifestyle of creating more stuff simply enhances corporate profits while depriving us of the precious time needed to actually have a life filled with hobbies, gardening, spending time with family, educating ourselves, listening to music, spending time in nature, even engaging in various community and civic projects.
Selfishness is consider an admirable value. We are taught by example that not only is being selfish a good thing but we do not even have to take responsibility for our own behavior.
Greed and sometimes even violence is considered to be of economic value
In pursuit of the good life we continue to ignore the environmental impact of our daily activities
Our electronic gadgets, social media venues, instant communication constantly distracts us from even being able to communicate with the person that is sitting across the table from us.
And I could go on and on and on.

So again, I will pose the question of “What is the alternative?”

Whatever the alternative, is must be sufficiently attractive to convince people to sacrifice the superficial desires and appeal of the consumer culture. But in the end what we need a fundamental shift away to a self centered existence and toward responsible living. Only then can we move our entire culture toward sustainability.

First of all, allow me to point out some obvious things.

#1: It is obvious that change needs to occur from the top down. This means that political measures need to be in place to promote more sustainable and responsible living. As I mentioned in a previous episode about the Most Sustainable Countries, the greening of the economy of no longer theoretical. Green political measures are now acceptable at every level of government in countries such as Germany.

#2: Change needs to happen at the community level: Local governments need to implement laws green taxation, as well as numerous other measures to push people toward more responsible living.

Now, I do realize that to simply say that change needs to happen from the top down and at the community level, likely seems too far reaching and more or less nebulous to the average person. So, I want to bring this down to a more personal level because I think this is much more effective.

#3 So, point number three is that change needs to occur at the individual level. And yes there is something you can do about it and you can start today. If you listened to Episode #2 on the Most Sustainable Countries, you know that it was the local farmers that first implemented crude geothermal heating systems for their farms that later developed into heating districts. Many years later, the government took notice, got directly involved and slowly moved Iceland to virtually 100% renewable energy

So, one person can make a difference.

So, what can you do as an individual to move away from the consumer treadmill and start making responsible choices. Well, I am going to give you 10 things that you can do.

#1 Stop purchasing things just because you can. If you really think you need something, wait 2 weeks, even better wait one month, and then decide if you really need it.

I remember on several occasions I took this approach. It always seemed to me that after a month, I forgot why it was I thought I needed that item to begin with.

#2 Purchase only non-disposable products.

Often times, products that are built as non-disposable will last for many years.

As an example, after a researched the last podcast episode, called How Much Should One Person Be Allowed to Use, I learned of several changes that I could make in my own life. I realized I was having more of an environmental impact that I realized because of the disposable products I was using.

One of the things I did was to purchase a safety razor. It was $17. Now all I have to do is replace the metal blade when needed. So, I do no longer use plastic disposable razors.

#3 Limit your exposure to advertising.

Advertising and marketing efforts are responsible for promoting and nurturing the consumer society. We are constantly bombarded with ads and commercial that convince us that more is better and that purchasing material things will give you a better life. All this marketing convinces people to define and value themselves based on what they can afford.

Did you know that the average person views between 20 and 40K TV ads per year. Not only that, we are constantly exposed to ads while on the internet.

#4 Limit your screen time and media consumption

This goes along with limiting your exposure to advertising. This constant barrage of media not only convinces us to purchase things we do not need, it also has a profound affect on our personal values.

Not that I expect everyone to do this, but I stopped watching television over 25 years ago. I do not feel that it brings any sort of value into my life. Whenever I go into a supermarket, hardware store, gas station, or any other public place where you are constantly pestered by blasting advertisement, I wear headphones. This way I limit my sensory input to the pleasant music of my choice instead of obnoxious media.

#5 Stop borrowing money to finance your lifestyle

Borrowing money to purchase something that is NOT a necessity is the worst habit you can get into. This habit is not only impulsive behavior but it is also irresponsible. We live in a buy now pay later culture. If you are not careful, this will become a downward spiral and before you know it you will be drowning in debt.

#6 Only purchase items that bring some sort of value in your life.

Most of us are buried in clutter because we purchase items that bring only temporary satisfaction and then it ends up in the closet.

#7 Learn to live frugally

Most of us can easily live with much less than what we have. Materialism not only keeps you in debt but also makes you a slave to your possessions. I strongly recommend that you downsize your life and maybe even become a minimalist.

#8 Cast your vote carefully.

This is my way of saying that you should become an ethical consumer. Because the reality is that every time you purchase something you are casting a vote in favor of that particular product and that particular company.

There is a gradual expansion of organic and fair trade provisions and the establishment of ethical trading is now a significant part of the market. I would encourage you to research companies before purchasing their products. If that company does not engage in fair trade, as well as environmentally friendly market practices, then move on to another company.

#9 Do without certain things

Keep your household goods, gadgets, and machinery to nothing more than the minimum that is required. Doing so will save you space, labor, and the frustrations of cleaning and maintaining all of this household equipment. Did you know that the average time spent doing household chores has remained unchanged despite the huge expansion of so called “labor saving equipment” because we now spend much more time cleaning and maintaining our household machinery.

#10 Bypass the normal market place.

What I mean by this is that instead of purchasing something new, exchange items with friends and family, barter, purchasing things at second hand stores, go to garage sales, go to stores that commonly sell recycled items. You can even search the internet for such items. By doing this you completely bypass the market and satisfy your need for goods and services without purchasing some new or using commercial suppliers.

Now in reality, there are numerous other points I could bring up as far as how to get away from the consumer society. The list is almost endless.

But, if I could leave you with one salient point, it is this:

You have to step away from the work and spend spiral. Until you step away from this, you cannot begin to appreciate the fact that this consumer society is truly spoiling our lives and diminishing our chances for true happiness. Not to mention the simple fact that it is not sustainable, it contributes significantly to environmental degradation and global warming.

Because you see, consumer culture is not only growth driven but also work driven. It has subjected all of us to a time starved lifestyle. We work and spend, work and spend, work and spend at the expense of our free time that could be used to engage in other activities that could actually bring us personal value. Not only that, but many businesses and corporations profit from our time starved lifestyle. For example

The fast food industry: we are so time starved that we constantly eat food on the go.
Prepackaged meals: we can now purchase box meals, or order them online and have them delivered to our home. It takes all the thinking and planning out of meal preparation. But at what expense.
Gyms: people now go to gyms to run on a treadmill and ride a stationary bike instead of doing something outside which is free
Spa and therapy businesses: These businesses hugely profit from offering mini-breaks, stress relieving services, and offering you so called “quality time”.
And then there is the online dating and speed dating. We now don’t even want to take the time to properly develop and nurture healthy relationships.

Did you know that since 1973, the average amount of free time for Americans has decreased by over 40%.

This means that because of our consumer culture we are missing numerous opportunities to educate ourselves, nurture our relationships, engage in hobbies and other things of personal interest. So, for your own sake, not to mention from an environmental and sustainability aspect, get yourself out of this work and spend spiral start spending more time living the life you really want.

If you gain nothing else out of this episode, think about this.

Juliet Schor wrote an article called “The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure. In this article she argued that if Americans had settled for a 1948 standard of living, that is in terms of marketed goods and services, then every worker in the United States could have been taking every other year off with pay.

Now think about that in comparison to the lifestyle you presently have.

So, believe me I know that change is difficult But I started making simple changes in my life over 20 years ago. And the end result is that I am completely debt free and instead to taking 2 weeks off per year, I take 2 to 3 months. That is the end result of all my efforts.

So, as we wrap things up here, let’s do a quick recap of the most important points:

Consumer culture is simply not sustainable
Consumer culture contributes significantly to environmental degradation and global warming.
Due to this type of culture, we are to some degree trapped in a work and spend spiral
Steps to change this certainly need to be supported by top levels of government as well as local communities. But ultimately, changes do need to start with each individual.
Those changes can happen in the following ten ways

-Stop purchasing things because you can

-Purchase only non-disposable products

-Limit your exposure to advertising

-Limit your screen time and media consumption

-Stop borrowing money to finance your lifestyle

-Only purchase items that actually bring value to your life

-Learn to live frugally

-Become an ethical consumer

-Do without certain things

-Bypass the normal market place

Now once again, I have a blog post associated with this podcast episode. And in that blog post I have links to various articles and additional resources if you are interested in some further reading. Also, associated with that blog post is a download of the transcript for this episode if you are interested in that.

Also, if you are enjoying this material, then please subscribe to the podcast, Adventures in Sustainable Living.

I also have a blog called Off Grid Living News that focuses on living off the grid. If you sign up for my newsletter, you can download a free E book called Seven Steps to Living Your Life the Way You Want: It May Not Be What You Think.

Now once again, I want to leave you with a challenge. Take a look at the 10 ways I have provided to help you get away from the consumer culture. I challenge you to implement at least two of those things.

Now, for my next episode, I want to introduce the concept of a Zero Waste Lifestyle. So far, I have discussed the most sustainable countries, how much should one person be allowed to use, and now alternatives to a consumer society. In my next episode, I want to discuss Ten Steps to a Zero Waste Lifestyle.

But again folks, despite living off the grid for over 20 years, I have to tell you that it truly excites me to research topics for this podcast simply because I learn so much more about being sustainable. So, I hope that so far you have enjoyed these episodes.

So, that’s it for now. Stayed tuned for my next episode called Ten Steps to a Zero Waste Lifestyle.

This is your host, Patrick signing off. I will see you next time. Go Off Grid, Live Well, and always be sustainable.

Episode Transcript

Adventures in Sustainable Living

Episode 4

Alternatives to a Consumer Society

Hello everyone
Welcome back to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

This is your host Patrick and this is Episode #4

Which is called Alternatives to a Consumer Society or Maybe it should be called How to Break Away from a Consumer Society.

Now, just for a quick recap, my last episode was called How Much Should One Person Be Allowed to Use? In that episode I talked a lot about our overly consumptive lifestyles, the pros and cons of a consumer society, with the obvious end point of that episode being that the way we presently live is simply not sustainable.

But if that is the case, the big question of course is how do we go about implementing change?

At any rate, if we all suddenly stopped what we were doing, if we all made sudden and drastic changes to our overly consumptive lifestyle, the economy may in fact simply collapse.

That said, then it is obvious that changes need to be made a little at a time. I talked a little bit about this in episode #2 titled The Most Sustainable Countries. If you listened to that episode, you know that Germany has a 40 year history of sustainable policy making and the small country of Iceland, converted almost 100% to renewable energy sources over a period of several decades..

So, such changes are possible.

Now in episode #3, I talked about the attractiveness of consumerism, how people go to great lengths to pursue the good life, how the purchase of material goods seemingly adds value and purpose to your life. But in the end, nothing could be further from the truth. Our culture predominantly has a narrow materialist world view and traditional religious and cultural values are increasingly irrelevant.

But most modern economies are driven by consumption. And if needed, that economy and lifestyle is maintained by increased borrowing. But, the slippery slope is increased consumer debt, which of course has to be maintained by working more hours, less time off, detrimental affects on your personal lifestyle, relationships, and personal values. Yeah, so much for the good life.

But, here is what you have to realize. Change is inevitable whether you like it or not. Sooner or later, you are going to have to change the way you live whether you like it or not.

As we all know, as long as there is a healthy rate of economic growth, paying back debt is easy to do. But if economic growth slows or stops, defaulting is inevitable. Nothing solidifies this point more than the real estate market crash in the United States in about 2008. Millions of people lost their homes and the US experienced the greatest economic slump in decades.

Yet it is becoming increasingly obvious that our push for continued economic growth is on a collision course with environmental boundaries and societal limits. We are now running into shortages of essential materials, increased food prices, climate change, rising costs of energy, increased health problems due to pollution, and numerous scientific studies are predicting serious shortages in fresh water supplies in the next 20 to 30 years.

So, the obvious point here is that there needs to be a basic shift in our cultural priorities. But the question is whether or not the average American is capable of doing that.

But as I pointed out earlier, there may come a time when you do not have a choice but to change the way you live.

Admittedly, what I do at home and how I live was initially done out of sheer necessity. But in recent years the latest improvements on the homestead have been out of a desire to make ourselves even more sustainable. And also because I strongly feel that there could easily become a time that what we do now and how we live on the homestead may become a necessity.

So, the point here is why not take steps to make changes in your life and lifestyle before you are forced to do so. Why not have a choice in how and when you make those changes before someone forces you to do so.

So, let’s face it folks.

The simple fact is that most people have to be hit up side the head with the painful and obvious need for change before they will actually do something about it. Even then, most of us will be confounded, confused, and even frightened by the complexity and overwhelming state of our existence that we will simply live in denial and never take steps to change what we are doing.

So, what are the right steps? What are the alternatives?

So first of all, bear with me for a moment because I want to take another stab at the consumer culture because I want to point out the obvious need for change. So let’s take a look at what consumer culture has done for us, or should I say “to us.”

Purchasing status symbols now confirms your place in society
This behavior is cultivated by marketing and psychological manipulation
In pursuit of the good life, materialism is now the gospel of human betterment
We now live in a society of debt-led consumption growth

Because of our debt load, we are now time starved more than every before.
Free time may even be considered a threat to human prosperity because we are subjected to a time based economy

Our devotion to a lifestyle of creating more stuff simply enhances corporate profits while depriving us of the precious time needed to actually have a life filled with hobbies, gardening, spending time with family, educating ourselves, listening to music, spending time in nature, even engaging in various community and civic projects.

Selfishness is consider an admirable value. We are taught by example that not only is being selfish a good thing but we do not even have to take responsibility for our own behavior.
Greed and sometimes even violence is considered to be of economic value
In pursuit of the good life we continue to ignore the environmental impact of our daily activities
Our electronic gadgets, social media venues, instant communication constantly distracts us from even being able to communicate with the person that is sitting across the table from us.
And I could go on and on and on.

So again, I will pose the question of “What is the alternative?”

Whatever the alternative, is must be sufficiently attractive to convince people to sacrifice the superficial desires and appeal of the consumer culture. But in the end what we need a fundamental shift away to a self centered existence and toward responsible living. Only then can we move our entire culture toward sustainability.

First of all, allow me to point out some obvious things.

#1: It is obvious that change needs to occur from the top down. This means that political measures need to be in place to promote more sustainable and responsible living. As I mentioned in a previous episode about the Most Sustainable Countries, the greening of the economy of no longer theoretical. Green political measures are now acceptable at every level of government in countries such as Germany.

#2: Change needs to happen at the community level: Local governments need to implement laws green taxation, as well as numerous other measures to push people toward more responsible living.

Now, I do realize that to simply say that change needs to happen from the top down and at the community level, likely seems too far reaching and more or less nebulous to the average person. So, I want to bring this down to a more personal level because I think this is much more effective.

#3 So, point number three is that change needs to occur at the individual level. And yes there is something you can do about it and you can start today. If you listened to Episode #2 on the Most Sustainable Countries, you know that it was the local farmers that first implemented crude geothermal heating systems for their farms that later developed into heating districts. Many years later, the government took notice, got directly involved and slowly moved Iceland to virtually 100% renewable energy

So, one person can make a difference.

So, what can you do as an individual to move away from the consumer treadmill and start making responsible choices. Well, I am going to give you 10 things that you can do.

#1 Stop purchasing things just because you can. If you really think you need something, wait 2 weeks, even better wait one month, and then decide if you really need it.

I remember on several occasions I took this approach. It always seemed to me that after a month, I forgot why it was I thought I needed that item to begin with.

#2 Purchase only non-disposable products.
Often times, products that are built as non-disposable will last for many years.

As an example, after a researched the last podcast episode, called How Much Should One Person Be Allowed to Use, I learned of several changes that I could make in my own life. I realized I was having more of an environmental impact that I realized because of the disposable products I was using.

One of the things I did was to purchase a safety razor. It was $17. Now all I have to do is replace the metal blade when needed. So, I do no longer use plastic disposable razors.

#3 Limit your exposure to advertising.

Advertising and marketing efforts are responsible for promoting and nurturing the consumer society. We are constantly bombarded with ads and commercial that convince us that more is better and that purchasing material things will give you a better life. All this marketing convinces people to define and value themselves based on what they can afford.

Did you know that the average person views between 20 and 40K TV ads per year. Not only that, we are constantly exposed to ads while on the internet.

#4 Limit your screen time and media consumption

This goes along with limiting your exposure to advertising. This constant barrage of media not only convinces us to purchase things we do not need, it also has a profound affect on our personal values.

Not that I expect everyone to do this, but I stopped watching television over 25 years ago. I do not feel that it brings any sort of value into my life. Whenever I go into a supermarket, hardware store, gas station, or any other public place where you are constantly pestered by blasting advertisement, I wear headphones. This way I limit my sensory input to the pleasant music of my choice instead of obnoxious media.

#5 Stop borrowing money to finance your lifestyle

Borrowing money to purchase something that is NOT a necessity is the worst habit you can get into. This habit is not only impulsive behavior but it is also irresponsible. We live in a buy now pay later culture. If you are not careful, this will become a downward spiral and before you know it you will be drowning in debt.

#6 Only purchase items that bring some sort of value in your life.

Most of us are buried in clutter because we purchase items that bring only temporary satisfaction and then it ends up in the closet.

#7 Learn to live frugally

Most of us can easily live with much less than what we have. Materialism not only keeps you in debt but also makes you a slave to your possessions. I strongly recommend that you downsize your life and maybe even become a minimalist.

#8 Cast your vote carefully.

This is my way of saying that you should become an ethical consumer. Because the reality is that every time you purchase something you are casting a vote in favor of that particular product and that particular company.

There is a gradual expansion of organic and fair trade provisions and the establishment of ethical trading is now a significant part of the market. I would encourage you to research companies before purchasing their products. If that company does not engage in fair trade, as well as environmentally friendly market practices, then move on to another company.

#9 Do without certain things

Keep your household goods, gadgets, and machinery to nothing more than the minimum that is required. Doing so will save you space, labor, and the frustrations of cleaning and maintaining all of this household equipment. Did you know that the average time spent doing household chores has remained unchanged despite the huge expansion of so called “labor saving equipment” because we now spend much more time cleaning and maintaining our household machinery.

#10 Bypass the normal market place.

What I mean by this is that instead of purchasing something new, exchange items with friends and family, barter, purchasing things at second hand stores, go to garage sales, go to stores that commonly sell recycled items. You can even search the internet for such items. By doing this you completely bypass the market and satisfy your need for goods and services without purchasing some new or using commercial suppliers.

Now in reality, there are numerous other points I could bring up as far as how to get away from the consumer society. The list is almost endless.

But, if I could leave you with one salient point, it is this:

You have to step away from the work and spend spiral. Until you step away from this, you cannot begin to appreciate the fact that this consumer society is truly spoiling our lives and diminishing our chances for true happiness. Not to mention the simple fact that it is not sustainable, it contributes significantly to environmental degradation and global warming.

Because you see, consumer culture is not only growth driven but also work driven. It has subjected all of us to a time starved lifestyle. We work and spend, work and spend, work and spend at the expense of our free time that could be used to engage in other activities that could actually bring us personal value. Not only that, but many businesses and corporations profit from our time starved lifestyle. For example

The fast food industry: we are so time starved that we constantly eat food on the go.
Prepackaged meals: we can now purchase box meals, or order them online and have them delivered to our home. It takes all the thinking and planning out of meal preparation. But at what expense.
Gyms: people now go to gyms to run on a treadmill and ride a stationary bike instead of doing something outside which is free

Spa and therapy businesses: These businesses hugely profit from offering mini-breaks, stress relieving services, and offering you so called “quality time”.

And then there is the online dating and speed dating. We now don’t even want to take the time to properly develop and nurture healthy relationships.

Did you know that since 1973, the average amount of free time for Americans has decreased by over 40%.

This means that because of our consumer culture we are missing numerous opportunities to educate ourselves, nurture our relationships, engage in hobbies and other things of personal interest. So, for your own sake, not to mention from an environmental and sustainability aspect, get yourself out of this work and spend spiral start spending more time living the life you really want.

If you gain nothing else out of this episode, think about this.

Juliet Schor wrote an article called “The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure. In this article she argued that if Americans had settled for a 1948 standard of living, that is in terms of marketed goods and services, then every worker in the United States could have been taking every other year off with pay.

Now think about that in comparison to the lifestyle you presently have.

So, believe me I know that change is difficult But I started making simple changes in my life over 20 years ago. And the end result is that I am completely debt free and instead to taking 2 weeks off per year, I take 2 to 3 months. That is the end result of all my efforts.

So, as we wrap things up here, let’s do a quick recap of the most important points:

Consumer culture is simply not sustainable

Consumer culture contributes significantly to environmental degradation and global warming.
Due to this type of culture, we are to some degree trapped in a work and spend spiral
Steps to change this certainly need to be supported by top levels of government as well as local communities. But ultimately, changes do need to start with each individual.
Those changes can happen in the following ten ways

-Stop purchasing things because you can
-Purchase only non-disposable products
-Limit your exposure to advertising
-Limit your screen time and media consumption
-Stop borrowing money to finance your lifestyle
-Only purchase items that actually bring value to your life
-Learn to live frugally
-Become an ethical consumer
-Do without certain things
-Bypass the normal market place

Now once again, I have a blog post associated with this podcast episode. And in that blog post I have links to various articles and additional resources if you are interested in some further reading. Also, associated with that blog post is a download of the transcript for this episode if you are interested in that.

Also, if you are enjoying this material, then please subscribe to the podcast, Adventures in Sustainable Living.

I also have a blog called Off Grid Living News that focuses on living off the grid. If you sign up for my newsletter, you can download a free E book called Seven Steps to Living Your Life the Way You Want: It May Not Be What You Think.

Now once again, I want to leave you with a challenge. Take a look at the 10 ways I have provided to help you get away from the consumer culture. I challenge you to implement at least two of those things.

Now, for my next episode, I want to introduce the concept of a Zero Waste Lifestyle. So far, I have discussed the most sustainable countries, how much should one person be allowed to use, and now alternatives to a consumer society. In my next episode, I want to discuss Ten Steps to a Zero Waste Lifestyle.

But again folks, despite living off the grid for over 20 years, I have to tell you that it truly excites me to research topics for this podcast simply because I learn so much more about being sustainable. So, I hope that so far you have enjoyed these episodes.

So, that’s it for now. Stayed tuned for my next episode called Ten Steps to a Zero Waste Lifestyle.

This is your host, Patrick signing off. I will see you next time. Go Off Grid, Live Well, and always be sustainable.