Deepen Involvement | Simpler Living

Simpler Living, Compassionate Life
Learn more about Simpler Living, Compassionate Life
 

"In a society where ‘I shop, therefore I am’ results in a deep spiritual poverty, Simpler Living, Compassionate Life provides a Gospel-based antidote.  This wonderful collection of essays on money, time, environment, community, and related topics offers a compelling alternative vision of a healthy, whole, and balanced life."

Jim Wallis; Editor-in-Chief of Sojourners Magazine

Tools & Links for Simpler Living

Affluenza: The Cost of High Living is an excellent video --  lively, engaging, and humorous, it highlights environmental, social, community, and spiritual costs of consumption.  A significant portion of Affluenza focuses on a Christian response to over-consumerism. About an hour long, the video comes with a guide for group discussion.  To order call (800) 937-5387; produced by public TV station KCTS in Seattle.

Alternatives for Simple Living produces an excellent catalog of resources.  Alternatives is a non-profit organization that equips people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and celebrate responsibly. Started in 1973 as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas, their focus is on encouraging celebrations that reflect conscientious ways of living.  Call 800-821-6153 or visit www.simpleliving.org.  

Cecile Andrews' book The Circle of Simplicity: Return to the Good Life (HarperCollins, 1997) includes a wonderful community-building study guide.  Order the book from any bookstore.

The Center for a New American Dream has an excellent website and strong programs, with information on "kids and commercialism," "simplifying the holidays" and much more.  The Center's website includes a web-based calculator (see their Turn the Tide program) to help individuals and groups quantify the impacts of daily lifestyle changes (such as eating less beef, or driving fewer miles).  6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 900, Takoma Park, Maryland  20912.  877-68Dream; www.newdream.org.

Christiansimpleliving.org is a ministry of the University Park Church of the Brethren in University Park, Maryland. It seeks to lay out the basic principles of, and resources for 21^st Century Christian simple living, as well as the basis for a theology for modern/post modern simplicity. The site outlines the elements of Christian simplicity from an Anabaptist perspective, including living with less, living lightly on the planet, increasing spirituality, building community, staying healthy through healthy eating, exercise and having good health care, and a number of other topics. It emphasizes a non-conforming way of living in response to consumer culture.

Co-op America consumers with socially and environmentally responsible businesses in a nation-wide "green" marketplace.  Their National Green Pages list over 100 categories of products and services, including food, body care products, restaurants, socially responsible financial planning and long-distance telephone service, travel and more.  It also includes addresses, phone numbers and descriptions of socially and environmentally responsible businesses.  Co-Op America, 1612 K Street NW,  Suite 600, Washington, DC  20006; (800) 584-7336; www.coopamerica.org.

Gettingalife.org  If you would like to lead a simpler, less stressful, more meaningful and ecologically sound life, we encourage you to explore here to discover how. We’re not selling anything or asking for donations. We’re simply offering a path to a better way of living for you, the planet and future generations. We wish you well on your personal journey in Getting a Life!

Household Eco-Team Workbook: A Six-Month Program to Bring Your Household into Environmental Balance -- There is no shortage of books that tell you what to do to help the environment, but the Eco-Team program uses a workbook that shows you how to change things. During the six month program an Eco-Team - it can be a family, a family and neighbors, a congregational group, or perhaps a group of friends - works together to cut pollution and waste, save energy and save money too. There are six chapters in the workbook - one for each month of the program. Contact: Global Action Plan for the Earth; 914-679-9830.

New Road Map Foundation is the organization started by Vicki Robin, co-author of the best seller Your Money or Your Life, and her colleagues.  To contact New Road Map call 206-527-5114 or visit www.newroadmap.org.  They also produce a six-week study guide for Christians; designed to accompany Your Money or Your Life.  To order the study guide, contact the Simple Living Network at 800-318-5725 or visit www.simpleliving.net.  

The Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI) develops programs that motivate and educate individuals and organizations to protect the earth. www.nwei.org

Key Principles and Mission: NWEI programs encourage participants to explore their values, attitudes, and actions through discussion with other people. These programs are organized around three key principles:

• An earth-centered ethic promoting individual responsibility for the earth.
• The practice of engaged simplicity to enrich life and reduce personal impact on the earth.
• A dedication to living fully in place and protecting the unique ecosystem in which you live.

Founded in 1993 by long-time activists Jeanne and Dick Roy, NWEI initially brought a single course, Exploring Deep Ecology, into mainstream workplaces to engage people in earth-centered conversation. Today, NWEI volunteers offer a variety of programs in workplaces at noon, and in homes, centers of faith, neighborhoods, and other places where groups of 8 to 12 can meet.

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