Only we can make the difference. By ‘we’ I mean ‘each’ and every one of us. Collectively, however, that will benefit everyone and everything. The easiest solution and one in which every human can contribute is to buy less, use less, and throw away less. There’s an interesting book recently published which focuses on re-training our buying habits. The results are outstanding. People live in less stress and can retire earlier, all without compromising anything … except maybe a bit of their ego.
At one time lead in paint, radon, certain chemicals, and certain materials were considered safe, but after either death or litigation have been legislated against. One would think we’ve learned our lesson, but we haven’t. There is already ample evidence against certain technologies and materials to legislate, but our Government is stagnant. I believe our government needs to be more flexible with building standards. One of my pet peeves is how many electrical outlets there are on the walls which never get used. It’s an expense to all and even a health detriment to some. And, in the past 20 years is becoming more and more obsolete.
Quite, succinctly, we don’t need as much as we’re asking for. We must accelerate safer and more efficient construction techniques, incorporate technologies effectively, better balance the impact on our environment and, most importantly, we must make things simpler. Sadly, the United States is more consumed with profitability via marketing than sustainability through engineering. Luckily, there are outliers whom we can (and should) turn to, to improve the quality of the homes we live in. ‘Quality’ is more than just how well they’re built or how long they last. It means the ‘health’ ramifications, the energy consumption, the maintenance, the psychological comfort, and the ongoing environmental costs.
Below you’ll find a series of residential housing meeting the minimal spacial requirements, the maximum health considerations, and least impact to our environment.
To better assess our priorities, I’ve come up with three categories describing the necessities in life:
1. Sustenance: water food, medication, etc
2. Protection: clothing, shelter, defense, etc
3. Comfort: arts, entertainment, faith, etc.
Clearly, sustenance is our most important necessity. Without that, we would perish. Protection, while important is only necessary as our environment becomes hostile (eg cold, war, crime). And, finally, entertainment falls out of favor by comparison with the other two. That said, there are psychological health merits to entertainment, but it still needs to be held in context in comparison to the other two.
My pet peeves:
– Why do people throw cigarette butts on the ground? They can take up to 10 years to decompose (ref: https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2009/1118/earth-talk-little-cigarette-butts-make-big-litter-impact)
– Why do people spit out gum? 500 years to ‘fully’ decompose (ref: https://www.quora.com/How-long-does-it-take-for-gum-to-decompose ). Not to mention in the wrong areas can cause extremely dangerous and damaging fires.
– Why do people litter? This one confounds me the most. But, I’m guessing it’s because they’re just plain lazy. That, or they hate so much in life that they don’t care about anything. Maybe if they know how much they’re negligence costs, they might try to do it differently (ref: https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/environment/eye-opening-statistics-littering )
– Video games are the worst thing to happen to us. Mainly because it removes people from the out doors. Only if you’re out doors can you come to the realization that nothing in life is more challenging yet more rewarding than what’s been given to each and every one of us.