Once we valued higher goals than ourselves. I don’t know if younger generations have seen Casablanca, but those of us who have remember Rick’s lines at the climax: Rick: Last night we said a great many things. You said I was to do the thinking for both of us. Well, I’ve done a lot of it since then and it all adds up to one thing. You’re getting on that[…] Keep reading →

People keep complaining when I say I do something to pollute less that not everyone can do it. They lecture at me things like that not everyone has access to a farmers market and that there are single mothers in the world, as if anyone didn’t know these things. Keep in mind that polluting, by definition, means hurting people. Stop complaining that trying to pollute less—that is, to hurt people[…] Keep reading →

Today is day 100 off the grid, a nice milestone, about 98 days longer than I thought I could before starting. I’m not sure when I’ll reconnect or why. I’m thinking about when my next bill comes, around September 9, which would give me three consecutive bills with 0 kilowatt-hours. My “cheat” I allowed before starting was to plug in at NYU, where I worked before the experiment. I wasn’t[…] Keep reading →

Yesterday’s post, What is right amount to pollute? Zero is the only answer that sustains human life, puts most sustainability efforts in a new light. Articles suggesting “ten little things you can do to help the environment” seem woefully out of touch. Think of great atrocities and wars of the past. Would “ten little things you can do” have helped stop them? Our failure at sustainability is a failure of[…] Keep reading →

For an informal survey, I went to a supermarket to observe the items in at least 100 shoppers’ carts. I didn’t make it all in one trip and lost count, but have passed 100 carts. Every item in every cart was packaged. Even fresh produce was put in plastic bags (plus all the ones I saw in the produce aisle had stickers). I’m sure some shoppers buy produce without packaging,[…] Keep reading →

The Inflation Reduction Act has been in the news a lot lately. Since it introduces initiatives designed to help climate change (not so much other environmental issues, many at least as important), people have asked me about it. Eugene Bible, who hosts another branch of This Sustainable Life, recorded a conversation on the IRA, differences between management and leadership, coercing versus leading, intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation, and how I view[…] Keep reading →

I got my second bill with zero kilowatt-hours: Everyone‘s response includes speculating how it’s easier for me because I’m (take your pick): single, male, in New York, or privileged in some other way. Nobody speculates why it would be harder for me, like I don’t get economies of scale that I would if someone else were involved. But let’s grant every possible advantage. If you didn’t hear of me doing[…] Keep reading →

Think of something you do that pollutes, but you do it anyway. You’ve justified why it’s okay. You’re balancing you desire to do good or whatever on one side with something on the other. Actually, think of all the things you do that pollute, if you can. You’ve justified all of them. At least you do in the moment you do them. Maybe you fly to visit relatives, buy takeout,[…] Keep reading →

My proposal and rationale for the next amendment for the United States Constitution. It will sound crazy, impossible, and too hard at first, as it did with me. But the more you consider it, the more the objections will fade. It is the right tool for the right job. Nothing else is. I’ll write more about it later. For now, just the audio.