Comments on: Is sustainable living feasible in the U.S? http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/ For a well-considered visual environment Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:21:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Brian Niece http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-6688 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 23:34:25 +0000 http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-6688 Just now getting back to you …. The creation care series went great … in fact our kids are extending their focus for 9 more weeks. We’re working with the county to be a free-to-the-public community recycling center.

]]> By: TAE http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-2118 Sat, 05 May 2007 00:28:52 +0000 http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-2118 Be interested to hear how the series goes over with the congregants!

A lot of people recycle here in Siloam Springs already. The city has weekly pick-ups, although they only take things they make money on.

]]> By: Brian Niece http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-2117 Fri, 04 May 2007 23:12:57 +0000 http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-2117 About 8 months ago I moved from a city (Nashville) to a more rural area (Brunswick, GA). In a few weeks I’ll be kicking off the series at our church (www.brunswickgracecommunity.org) on creation care called “The Birds and the Trees.”

My family has become far more passionate about caring for the environment since moving here. I think it has a lot to do with the fact we are on the coast and can more readily see the effects of human abuse of the environment.

I’d love to do solar panels too. In my research, I found it takes about 8 years to reach a break-even point on an average home.

There are some small things we can do. As followers of Christ, I believe our responsibility is to live a life that glorifies God … even in the small things. For instance, if half my church is involved in recycling by the end of this upcoming series, that will be improvement.

]]> By: Tim J. http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-2113 Fri, 04 May 2007 16:35:59 +0000 http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-2113 Actually, I don’t know that we have ever really lived happily in cities. It might be more correct to say that we need to UN-learn how we currently live in cities, rather than re-learn anything. We need to approach to whole idea from scratch with a fresh view… using technology – controlling it – rather than letting it control us.

]]> By: Tim J. http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-2112 Fri, 04 May 2007 16:32:21 +0000 http://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/05/04/personal-budgets-dont-mix-with-sustainability/#comment-2112 It’s really weird and sad to think that in the society we have built, it would take some substantial capital to live simply and make it work. The system we have devised is not friendly or conducive to those who might swim against the current. Heck, just homeschooling your kids is enough to arouse suspicion in some quarters (“probably one of those right-wing Christian militia groups!”).

I agree with youir assessment (and have thought this way for some time) that the answer lies largely in re-thinking the way we plan communities. We need to re-learn how to live happily in cities. I think zoning laws are a problem and the suburbs are an abomination. It used to be more accepted – maybe even expected – that a family might live upstairs from the Family Business. Now, it is extremely rare, though I think there are signs of change.

G.K. Chesterton had a great deal to say on the subject of the ills of post-industrial society. He, I think, coined the term “distributism” and his thoughts on the topic are well worth the read.

]]>