You're probably wondering right now if this is Re-Nest you're reading. Wait, what? Have we suddenly upped and thrown our morals to the wind? Isn't Re-Nest supposed to be about conscious and responsible living and design at home? Don't we believe that the choices we make—what we use, what we buy— have an impact on the planet? Aren't we for reuse and against throwawyism? Yes, yes, and yes—which is exactly why sustainability is boring and merely 'consuming less' misses the point.
We've all heard the hot button words: green, eco-friendly, sustainable, recycled, upcycled, reclaimed, reused, non-toxic, all-natural... the list goes on. And I'm the first to admit that Re-Nest writers, myself included, use these descriptors all the time as a way of defining what is "good" and what is "bad" in this nebulous green world we're trying to create for ourselves. (See? I did it again.)
But to be honest, I'm growing tired of my reliance on these words to define what is important. Because while these descriptors can be incredibly useful and informative, more often than not they're excuses for bad design, condescending judgement and behavior (hence the top photo), or blatant greenwashing.
Are there ways we can "tweak" our thinking on this? I think so.
Note: I'm not saying we should abandon the old views entirely, but rather expand those views to include some of the broader new views in our understanding of what it means to, well, be green.
Old View: Don't be a consumer.
New View: Buy fewer things of higher quality that you'll value more.
It's not about not consuming; it's about mindful consuming. Bruce Sterling, the founder of the Veridian Design Movement (or "bright green environmentalism") wrote in his last Veridian note that "it's not bad to own fine things that you like. What you need are things that you GENUINELY like. Things that you cherish, that enhance your existence in the world. The rest is dross."
Old View: Live minimally and frugally.
New View: Practice appropriatism.
As Frank Chimero writes, "Add things until it starts sucking, take things away until it stops getting better." It shouldn't simply be about consuming less; instead, we should ask ourselves 'What is better?' and 'What is appropriate?' and we should celebrate both thrift and aspiration.
Old View: Sustainable, recycled, upcycled.
New View: Heirloom, repairable, upgradable.
Justin McGuirk in this article for The Guardian says, rightly so, that the word sustainable is not an adjective you would use to describe something you love. "To sustain something is to keep it alive, pure and simple. It's more of a duty than a passion," he writes, that "suggests the flatlining of human ambition." If sustainability is an aesthetic predominantly defined by brown, recycled wood and cardboard products, then it will ultimately fail to interest the majority of the population. Encourage design that appeals to people's sense of aesthetic, not just to their sense of duty. The best green design should be able to improve your life and the planet without sacrificing style and comfort.
Old View: Reduce, reuse, recycle.
New View: Be against throwawayism.
Learn to love and take care of your stuff. Buy well and buy once. Get "radically improved everyday things," as Bruce Sterling says. The objects you use the most should be the highest quality you can afford.
What do you think?
Related Reading:
• Heirloom Design, Thoughtful Purchasing, and Slow Living
• Useful, Beautiful, Everyday Objects
• On Judging Expensive Products and People Who Buy Them
(Image: 1. 'I Told You So' print by Kotama Bouabane; 2. Pigeon Toe Ceramics)
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Yes!
I think as buzzwords become, well, buzzwords, we need a refresher as to why they were important concepts in the first place. I think this article is entirely appropriate, and a great reminder as to why we're trying to live this way in the first place. Thanks for sharing =)
This might be the most thoughtful article I've seen on Re-Nest (and I've been reading the site quite a while!). Very smartly written, and good for you for recognizing--and finding ways to resolve--the fundamental flaws in the consumer-level push for environmentalism. And clever headline to draw folks in :)
I strongly agree with the old view for statements one and two. It is about consuming less! We use more of the world's resources than any other country and within 10 to 20 years will become accutely aware of the effects of climate change on our life. We're already seeing them in the past five years. Please check out the move "Home" narrated by Glen Close. It really brings to light what we are up against. We can't continue consumption as is today or we'll continue killing ourselves from the production of these items. For the third and fourth items, to me, it's really a personal choice of what buzz words/phrases appeal to you. People eventually suffer from burnout, losing interest in a "trendy" topic so if we need to change the language that's ok as long as we get the message across. I love that this blog also encourages respect for the past, speaking of heirloom and repairable pieces. One of my favorite items in my house is a dresser hand made by my grandfather. Thanks for your thoughts and keeping the discussion going!
Amen.
hmm... there are appropriate times to consume, recycle, reuse, and upgrade. i also believe that not just throwing anything away is a large part of all of that. to be a conscious being is to live aware of our effect on every living thing. words and phrases change, but i hope this stays the same.
Excellent article. I agree.
I wholeheartedly AGREE!!!! Very, very, very well put. You described in words, what I have been thinking forever. It is why I choose green, recycled or sustainable in the title of my blog. Instead I chose something that invoked an emotion for me...Fresh Quince. A fresh take on the green life...a quince is a lovely shade of green and it's not sustainable, it's life is short, but divine when made into jam.
Fabulous fabulous post! I am so so so sharing this!
I like what Ed Begley jr says: "Live Simply so others can simply live".
I think that was Gandhi.
Absolutely!
And in addition...Instead of choosing to live "sustainably", I kick it old school with Henry David Thoreau in choosing to live deliberately.
I feel like the simple concept of living deliberately not only subsumes many of the interconnected concepts you've outlined here but also emphasizes purposefulness in everyday actions, including use of electricity, water, and other resources that don't often get thought of as "stuff".
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Good job on a starting a really interesting discussion.
Best Apartment Therapy post ever. It's time we moved past Phase One (recycling was radical in the 1970s. Time to move forward) and onto Phase 2 where we really save the planet, which means taking back control.
Big business has proven one thing: they can't be trusted. Buy durable products from recycled glass, metal, etc. Take care of it. Pass it on to your children and grandchildren.
Look around the house. Go to the store and go home before you buy anything. Ask yourself, is that vase calling me back? Do I really need it? Or would I rather save the money and travel, and have a good savings account instead?
Dh and I downsized big time when our dd went to college. The best part has been living with what we love. Love, not like. I think if we all added up how much $ (and energy) we've spent on "compromises" we'd be shocked and go right back to Ruskin: "Have nothing in your house that is not beautiful or useful." Preferable both!
I signed up with this website just to comment on your beautifully insightful article that is right on the money. I couldn't agree with you more on every aspect of your ideas. I couldn't say I agree with you more. Tragically I find myself ridiculed upholding the standards that you mention here by wasteful peers.
I too would like to see people on-board with our type of thinking but I fear it is inherent in a macho-ism that encourages people to scoff at these good ideas. The real trick will be how we can make these ideas appeal to the average, wasteful, hemi-truck driving, TV-brainwashed American?
This is my husband in a nutshell. He'll buy a $400 goretex rain jacket but wear it until it's in shreds. Our new $130 coffee grinder stung a little to purchase, but given the quality we should be able to be buried with it.
Yes to spending more on quality that lasts, that's why I'm still using my grandmother's set of le creuset!
Thank you! great post! I buy well-made shoes that can be re-soled. It's cheaper in the long run and look much nicer than cheaply-made shoes. Green does not equal frumpy burlap.
I like this post, but i also think "heirloom quality" is as much a buzzword as the others.
This is great! Definitely good to remember and as a small craft business person I do strive to make things that will last long, be useful and be well loved.
But I don't think "don't be a consumer" and "live minimally and frugally" have ever actually been trendy. I think very few people ever actually lived like that for environmental reasons. And for those who do - how is that "missing the point"?
My strategy is to use things others don't want - used clothes, furniture from the trash. Occcasionally somebody gets rid of really good quality items. But for the most part, I'm happy to live with other people's imperfect castoffs. The things don't last forever, but I saved them from the trash. It's greener and a lot cheaper than buying new heirlooms.
I have this quote hanging on my wall, spoken by William Morris in February of 1880:
"Believe me, if we want art to begin at home, as it must, we must clear our houses of troublesome superfluities that are forever in our way, conventional comforts that are no real comforts, and do but make work for servants and doctors. If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."
Really enjoyed reading this article and all of the comments. Very enlightening & encouraging.
@ladyc I agree with you 100%. Quality over quantity. I know people who think I'm crazy because I may have one set of cookware or one set of dishes, but it's quality cookware and dishes. I buy second-hand, but will not buy junk. I endeavor to have repairable
@ladyc I agree with you 100%. Quality over quantity. I know people who think I'm crazy because I may have one set of cookware or one set of dishes, but it's quality cookware and dishes. I buy second-hand, but will not buy junk. I endeavor to have repairable well-made items in my home and wardrobe. Please accept my apologies for the duplicate entry (didn't preview before I submitted).