Peak World Articles

Lets not fool ourselves, we have no one to blame for a Peak World but ourselves. Our modern lifestyle puts a heavy toll on this earth and our health, now we are starting to see the results. While we may not be able to reverse every area of our Peak World there are many areas that can be helped or at least we can start to slow down the decline. One area that can help our planet and your own personal finances is to redefine how much 'stuff' you need in your life. By making a few changes in this area of your life you can help slow down the process of global warming, water pollution, overflowing landfills, reduce energy/oil use, and greatly improve your financial bottom line. Being in a sound financial position as we head into a Peak World is one of the best steps you can take to prepare.

About two years ago my wife and I learned about the concept of Affluenza. We read several books on the topic and watched the PBS documentary regarding the idea. It really got us thinking and made us want to make changes in our lives. We are far from perfect and always have room to improve, but we have made several changes that as a result have helped the environment, reduced our energy usage, and has made a huge positive impact on our family budget.

The location of your house is a major factor if you commute to work. We originally had purchased a house too far away from our jobs. We did so for cheaper housing, and a more rural lifestyle. Fact was, we were too busy commuting to enjoy the rural lifestyle and the 'cheaper housing' turned out to be more expensive when factoring in the cost of commuting. It took us a while to work up the nerve to deal with another move and the costs associated with moving and selling/buying houses. But, finally we did and we have never regretted it. We have more time for other things besides driving and in a year and a half in our new house we have completely recouped all expenses from the move and sale/purchase of our homes. Our monthly payment is slightly higher, but our gas expenses have gone from $450 per month with careful car pooling, to only $60 per month for odd trips. The majority of our commuting is done through biking or our latest favorite of riding the bus. We quit buying new cars and now only need one car. Our second car is currently sitting in the driveway, broke down... and we certainly don't need to fix it. We likely will one of these days and give it to the kids. But, my point is that being closer to your work not only saves gas, it could save the cost of an additional car which is huge. We are hoping to possibly someday not have any cars, but we'll see if we can pull that off with time. Maybe with one of those car share programs for odd trips.

The size of a house is another major factor. Its crazy, we had some neighbors in our old neighborhood that had a 4200 square foot home and they couldn't park their cars in the garage. The garage was overflowing with 'stuff'. There were only the two of them that lived in that huge house. Large houses take more materials to produce, take more energy to live in, require more furniture and stuff so they don't look sparse, and have higher taxes. Also, if you need to put in new carpet, paint, or roofing your expense will be twice that of a house that's half the size. We moved from a modest 1700 square foot house to a 1200 square foot house for a family of four. The house is laid out so well, that it really doesn't feel like much of a difference to us. Even with such a minor difference in square footage our energy costs have gone down. On the plus side, we spend less time cleaning too.

So far I've talked about major things like housing and transportation. For many of us these are our biggest expenses. But, even if you aren't in a position to move or ride the bus you can still make a difference. Many people buy way too much 'stuff', the latest and greatest thing that they just can live without. But, a few months later it lays forgotten in a box in the garage. People wonder why they are in debt up to their ears and feel too cramped in their house. These problems as well as environmental problems can be lessened simply by reducing the amount of 'stuff' you buy. Huge amounts of energy are used to create and transport 'stuff'. Unfortunately, most of the things we buy end up in a landfill in short order. This doesn't mean you have to live like a pauper, but really think about how much use you will actually get from a product before you buy it.

These are just a few ideas to help you reduce the 'stuff' in your life. I would love to hear comments from you on things you have done to help reduce your consumption. You can either leave comments directly at the bottom of this article or move the discussion to our discussion board if you prefer. If we work collectively on this we can make a difference. Every change made no matter how small does have a cumulative impact.

Other Peak World Articles of Interest:

Preparing for the Rapid Decline of our World

Social Collapse and Peak Oil

It's Official, the Fed Dents Your Wallet

An Old Style Run on the Banks is Likely

Check Your Bank's Safety Rating

The US Government Achieves New Levels of Idiocracy

Unintended Consequences of Genetically Modified Organisms

Legal Precedence for Global Warming

Peak Oil? No... Peak World!

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Watch the AFFLUENZA PBS Documentary concerning waste and consumption:
Click Here

Watch the Story of Stuff:
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