My Pledge to the earth 2010

Dear Earth:

I want to show you that I’m serious about treating you better and helping my fellow earthlings change their ways as well. My pledge to you this year is:

• To reduce my consumption by 15% across the board:  15% less electrical use, 15% less km driven in my vehicles, 15% less unnecessary stuff bought from the store.
• Bike to all destinations within 4km of my house 80% or more of the time.
• Completely eliminate shopping at big chains that sell cheap-quality, non-local goods.  Why should I support Wal-mart when they get their apples across the border and their strawberries from 1500km away? I have fantastic orchards, farms and grocery stores all around me.
• Extend my consumption life-cycle.  For example, new laptop every 4 years instead of every 3.
• Resist societal pressure that  ‘new is better.’  Continue to drive  my 22-year old (well-maintained) vehicle runs on a 40% bio-diesel mix (unlike new cars which are limited to 5% and require additional energy to manufacture)
• Buy quality items instead of cheap throw-away items whenever possible.  No more cheap crappy e-bay laptop batteries that last three months before needing to be tossed (recycled).
• Judge my success a year from now by how much less “stuff” I have and by how much less is in my recycle, garbage and compost each week (20% less)
• Encourage my friends and colleagues to move towards a more minimalist lifestyle that requires less stuff, smaller houses.
• Post an article once a month on twitter/blog to spread the word globally that simple living is not only better for our planet but also healthy and liberating.