Less Stuff, More Fun

Live simply so that all may simply live

Jersey is a comparatively wealthy island and the excesses of conspicuous consumption are arguably worse here than elsewhere. People in Jersey have to accumulate a great deal before they are considered wealthy. While this wealth does buy a degree of comfort, it cannot guarantee happiness. People who value material wealth feel happier when they feel richer than everyone around them. For most people in Jersey this is an unattainable goal:

"The happiness people derive from consumption is based on whether they consume more than their neighbours and more than they did in the past. The upper classes in any society are more satisfied with their lives than the lower classes are, but they are no more satisfied than the upper classes of much poorer countries, nor than the upper classes were in the less affluent past."
Michael Argyle (2001) 'The Psychology of Happiness'

Nevertheless, people are consuming more and more as goods that were once seen as luxuries have become necessities:

"The 1983 'Breadline Britain' survey found that 66% of Britons regarded a washing machine as a necessity, and 43% felt the same way about a telephone. By 1990 the figures were 92% and 57% respectively."
Enough! website (2006)

Dishwashers, central heating and multiple bathrooms were once seen as the exception but are all now taken for granted. While some people view this as mere 'progress', it can only ever be bought at a price. Many people in Jersey are enagaged in an acquisitive war against their neighbours that involves ever greater expense and irreversible damage to the environment. If we are to avoid the worst of these excesses, it is time to call a ceasefire and learn to live with less.

"The things you own end up owning you"
Tyler Durden 'Fight Club' (1999)

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Living with less is only part of the solution, however. We also need to consider carefully the products that we buy and ensure wherever possible that they come from sustainable sources and are built to last. This helps conserve limited resources and also minimise waste.

"If we do not have an economy capable of valuing in particular terms the durable good of localities and communities, then we are not going to be able to preserve anything. We are going to have to see that, if we want our forests to last, then we must make wood products that last, for our forests are more threatened by shoddy workmanship than by clear-cutting or fire."
Wendell Berry (1987) The Landscape of Harmony

Here are a few changes you can make right now which would represent an important step in the right direction:

  • Arrange to share things that obviously have a high resource impact, such as cars, lawnmowers and deep freezers, with your family or neighbours. This can help reinforce a sense of community which will further reduce your desire to consume.
  • Grow your own food in your garden, in containers or on an allotment rather than buying it from a supermarket. You'll never become wholly self-sufficient, but you will be able to eat better tasting, more nutritious meals and the exercise could save you a fortune in gym fees.
  • Buy locally produced goods wherever possible and always choose products with little or no packaging.
  • Buy durable goods from reliable manufacturers that will last longer if properly maintained. They may cost you a little more right now but will probably save you money in the long run.
  • When buying a new appliances such as a washing machine, ask about its energy rating ('A' is best)
  • Avoid impulse buying and the feeling of being manipulated by advertising.

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