Thoughts on how switching to a more eco-friendly lifestyle is easier than you might think ... if you focus on just one thing.
Remember that scene in the 1991 film "City Slickers" when the main character, Mitch (played by Billy Crystal), is talking with the tough old cowboy Curly (Jack Palance) about the secret of life? The exchange went like this:
"Do you know what the secret of life is?" Curly asks, then holds up one finger. "This."
"Your finger?" Mitch responds in his usual joking way.
"One thing," Curly answers, not responding to the "joke." "Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don't mean ----."
"But, what is the 'one thing?' " the now truly curious Mitch asks.
"That's what you have to find out," Curly says, smiling.
While I don't always rely on comedic films for my life-guiding philosophy, this bit of dialogue actually makes a deep and meaningful point: if you find one thing in life that drives you, motivates you, inspires you, whatever it might be, you've found a purpose. Work from there, and you'll generally move in the right direction in life.
It's the same way with converting to a green lifestyle. If you've been cruising along in the typical modern lifestyle without giving much thought to the environmental impacts of every action you take each day, the idea of re-tooling your ways to be more eco-friendly and sustainable can seem overwhelming. There's so much to keep in mind, so much to do or not to do: don't buy processed foods, do buy fair-trade, don't redecorate with high-VOC paints, do buy sustainably harvested woods, and on and on.
But it really doesn't have to be that complicated. If you're looking to build a better lifestyle, follow Curly's advice and focus on "one thing." Whether it's shifting to a locally based diet, eliminating harmful chemicals from your home, biking more often instead of driving or switching to renewable energy, choose the "one thing" that feels most important to you, and start there. The rest will come with time.
