Ecopsychologist Dr. Craig Chalquist has come up with a nifty and empowering "to do" list for those of us who are feeling discouraged about our individual and collective economic, political and environmental situations. He calls his process "Unplugging from the Empire: 30 Immediate-Impact Action Items."
Chalquist offers "suggestions for withdrawing your support from destructive institutions busy warring, polluting, spying, monopolizing, stealing wealth or ruining air, water, soil, and ocean" and urges us to "make them change or die by depriving them of what they need - and feel better about how you live."
So what's on his list? Here are a few ideas he encourages us to consider:
- Move your money from a big (bailed out) bank to a more deserving local bank or credit union...
- Wean yourself from the big chain stores...
- Buy local food at farmers markets, coops and small local stores...
- Don't buy anything you don't really need...
- Buy glassware instead of plastic; don't use plastic bags or buy bottled water...
- Keep your savings out of the hands of unethical investment speculators (try ethical investing)...
- Pay down your credit cards...
- Turn off cable TV...
- Don't buy books from publishers that print works by the likes of Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh etc..
- Use ethical phone carriers (e.g. credomobile.com)...
- Use ecotherapy methods like spending time outside, gardening, being around animals, etc. to stay healthy...
- Learn the basics of first aid and medical care...
- Don't support politicians funded by big petroleum or other questionable industries or lobbyists
- Learn about socially responsible investing...
- Stay informed by using reputable and alternative news sources...
- Reinhabit the place where you live by getting to know its ecology, climate, cultures, prehistory, native flora and fauna and the unique features that make up its spirit or soul...
- For good food, networking and resource swapping, start or participate in a community garden.
Just taking a few constructive steps towards sanity can go a long way towards giving us the feeling that what we do really matters at every level. At the very least, we feel better about ourselves (and save money) if we start to live our values. And we also create the possibility that if enough of us stop feeding the machine that is destroying our lives and the planet, it may "change or die."
To read Chalquist's whole list, click here.
And here's another Chalquist website.