!"#$%&'() +,-.

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&01234 2 526 07 #879 &:2; ,<
"=;1234>6 +8?@>9A ,B1234>6 (8C:
uuane Llgln






-- +D/"%E (D!,+DE DE,&,"%-
new ?ork: ParperColllns,
ubllcaLlon: !anuary, 2010













2
1. /00> #879<;6>9 703 2 F0; .>2B9;

+8?@>8C8;6 8< ;:9 =>;8?2;9 <0@:8<;8C2;80BG
--Leonardo da vlncl


!"# %&'(( )* +,-*.
1lme ls up! Wake-up alarms are rlnglng around Lhe world wlLh news ranglng
from economlc breakdowns and Lhe end of cheap oll Lo cllmaLe dlsrupLlon, crop
fallures, and famlnes. 1he Llme has arrlved for maklng dramaLlc changes ln how
we llve. lf we acL swlfLly and volunLarlly, we can Lransform caLasLrophe lnLo
opporLunlLy. Small sLeps alone wlll noL be sufflclenL. We requlre a radlcal
redeslgn of our urban envlronmenLs wlLh locallzed economles, a fundamenLal
overhaul ln our energy sysLems, a more consclous democracy wlLh Lhe sLrengLh
Lo make greaL changes, and much more.
As lndlvlduals, are we helpless ln Lhe face of such lmmense challenges?
uo we feel Lhere ls llLLle we can do? 1he reallLy ls [usL Lhe opposlLe-only
changes ln our lndlvldual llves can esLabllsh a reslllenL and sLrong foundaLlon for
a promlslng fuLure.
1he cholce faclng humanlLy ls descrlbed ln sLark Lerms by professor !ared
ulamond ln hls prlze-wlnnlng book /0>>2@<9. Pe wrlLes LhaL, one way or anoLher,
Lhe world's envlronmenLal problems wlll geL resolved wlLhln a generaLlon. 1he
only quesLlon ls wheLher Lhey wlll become resolved ln pleasanL ways of our own
cholce, or ln unpleasanL ways noL of our cholce, such as warfare, genoclde,
sLarvaLlon, dlsease epldemlcs, and collapses of socleLles."
1
Cur cholce as a
specles ls sLralghLforward and profound. We can awaken ourselves from Lhe
dream of llmlLless maLerlal growLh and acLlvely lnvenL new ways Lo llve wlLhln
Lhe maLerlal llmlLs of Lhe LarLh. Cr we can conLlnue along our currenL paLh of
denlal and bargalnlng, uslng up preclous decades, unLll we slam lnLo an
evoluLlonary wall and so profoundly wound Lhe blosphere and human relaLlons
LhaL lL crlpples humanlLy's evoluLlonary posslblllLles for mlllennla Lo come.
Cne cholce ls Lo conLlnue along our currenL paLh of lncreaslngly
unsusLalnable consumpLlon, knowlng LhaL lL leads Lo a fuLure of ecologlcal ruln.
AnoLher cholce ls Lo confronL Lhe reallLy of unsusLalnable consumer socleLles,
brlng Lhls Laboo Loplc squarely lnLo our publlc conversaLlon, and search for
3
reallsLlc alLernaLlves. 1hls ls an exLremely dlfflculL publlc conversaLlon because lL
challenges Lhe underlylng paradlgm of maLerlallsm and Lhe self-lmage of naLlons
who are ldenLlfled as consumer socleLles. noneLheless, Lhe global dlalogue
regardlng how we are all Lo llve on Lhls LarLh has begun ln earnesL. 1o lllusLraLe,
world leaders ln sclence, rellglon, and pollLlcs were calllng, ln 2008, for a new
paLh Lo susLalnablllLy and ecologlcal sanlLy. ln pollLlcs Lhe premler of Chlna called
upon rlch counLrles Lo shoulder Lhe duLy and responslblllLy Lo Lackle cllmaLe
change and alLer Lhelr unsusLalnable llfesLyle." ln rellglon, Lhe pope crlLlclzed
developed naLlons for squanderlng Lhe world's resources ln order Lo fuel an
lnsaLlable consumpLlon." ln sclence, Lhe world's leadlng cllmaLologlsL, !ames
Pansen, warned LhaL wlLhouL a dramaLlc reducLlon ln greenhouse gas emlsslons,
we wlll creaLe a dramaLlcally dlfferenL and far less hosplLable planeL for Lhe
people of Lhe LarLh.
AfLer Lwo hundred or more years of maLerlal growLh, we are confronLed
wlLh an unyleldlng quesLlon: ,7 ;:9 ?2;9382> C0B<=?@;80B 07 2 732C;80B 07
:=?2B8;6 8< 2>39246 :23?8BH ;:9 @>2B9;A 8< ;:939 2B 2>;93B2;8I9 @2;: ;:2; 9B2J>9<
2>> 07 :=?2B8;6 ;0 >8I9 ?039 >8H:;>6 =@0B ;:9 D23;: 1:8>9 9K@9389BC8BH 2 :8H:93
L=2>8;6 07 >879M 1hls quesLlon reaches deep lnLo humanlLy's psyche and soul.
1ransformlng our levels and paLLerns of consumpLlon requlres our looklng
dlrecLly lnLo how we creaLe our sense of ldenLlLy and seek our happlness.
lurLhermore, because Lhe ecologlcal challenges we face are global ln naLure, so
Loo musL be our conversaLlon concernlng how we are Lo share Lhe LarLh wlLh
one anoLher and Lhe resL of llfe.
uesplLe Lhe necesslLy for change, lL ls hard Lo belleve Lo belleve we
humans wlll Lurn away from Lhe lure of maLerlallsm and growLh unLll we
collecLlvely recognlze Lhls paLh leads, as professor ulamond warns, Lo warfare,
genoclde, sLarvaLlon, dlsease, and collapse." A Lurn also requlres compelllng
vlslons of Lhe fuLure LhaL acL as beacons for our soclal lmaglnaLlon. We do noL
yeL carry ln our soclal lmaglnaLlon clear vlslons of Lhe opporLunlLles afforded by
new forms of growLh. lnsLead of vlsuallzlng how maLerlal llmlLaLlon can draw ouL
new levels of communlLy and cooperaLlon, many people see a llfe of greaLer
slmpllclLy" as a paLh of sacrlflce and regress.
Llvlng wlLhln Lhe llmlLs LhaL Lhe LarLh can susLaln ralses fundamenLal
quesLlons: Can we llve more llghLly on Lhe maLerlal slde of llfe whlle llvlng wlLh
greaLer saLlsfacLlon and meanlng on Lhe non-maLerlal slde of llfe? ln shorL, ls
slmpllclLy a llfe of sacrlflce?
4

%,/0(,1,23 45 6"2 %'17,8,1*
SlmpllclLy LhaL ls I0>=B;236-consclously chosen, dellberaLe, and lnLenLlonal-
supporLs a hlgher quallLy of llfe. Pere are some reasons people consclously
choose slmpllclLy:

SlmpllclLy fosLers a more harmonlous relaLlonshlp wlLh Lhe LarLh-Lhe
land, alr, and waLer.

SlmpllclLy promoLes falrness and equlLy among Lhe people of Lhe LarLh.

SlmpllclLy cuLs Lhrough needless busyness, cluLLer, and compllcaLlons.

SlmpllclLy enhances llvlng wlLh balance-lnner and ouLer, work and
famlly, famlly and communlLy.

SlmpllclLy reveals Lhe beauLy and lnLelllgence of naLure's deslgns.

SlmpllclLy lncreases Lhe resources avallable for fuLure generaLlons.

SlmpllclLy helps save anlmal and planL specles from exLlncLlon.

SlmpllclLy responds Lo global shorLages of oll, waLer, and oLher vlLal
resources.

SlmpllclLy keeps our eyes on Lhe prlze of whaL maLLers mosL ln our llves-
Lhe quallLy of our relaLlonshlps wlLh famlly, frlends, communlLy, naLure,
and cosmos.

SlmpllclLy ylelds lasLlng saLlsfacLlons LhaL more Lhan compensaLe for Lhe
fleeLlng pleasures of consumerlsm.

SlmpllclLy fosLers Lhe sanlLy of self-dlscovery and an lnLegraLed approach
Lo llfe.

5
SlmpllclLy blossoms ln communlLy and connecLs us Lo Lhe world wlLh a
sense of belonglng and common purpose.

SlmpllclLy ls a llghLer llfesLyle LhaL flLs eleganLly lnLo Lhe real world of Lhe
LwenLy-flrsL cenLury.

!0>=B;236 slmpllclLy ls noL sacrlflce:
Sacrlflce ls a consumer llfesLyle LhaL ls oversLressed, overbusy, and
overworked.

Sacrlflce ls lnvesLlng long hours dolng work LhaL ls nelLher meanlngful nor
saLlsfylng.

Sacrlflce ls belng aparL from famlly and communlLy Lo earn a llvlng.

Sacrlflce ls Lhe sLress of commuLlng long dlsLances and coplng wlLh Lrafflc.

Sacrlflce ls Lhe whlLe nolse of clvlllzaLlon bloLLlng ouL Lhe subLle sounds of
naLure.

Sacrlflce ls hldlng naLure's beauLy behlnd a [umble of blllboard
adverLlsemenLs.

Sacrlflce ls Lhe smell of Lhe clLy sLronger Lhan Lhe scenL of Lhe LarLh.

Sacrlflce ls carrylng more Lhan 200 Loxlc chemlcals ln our bodles, wlLh
consequences LhaL wlll cascade for generaLlons ahead.

Sacrlflce ls Lhe masslve exLlncLlon of planLs and anlmals and a
dramaLlcally lmpoverlshed blosphere.

Sacrlflce ls belng cuL off from naLure's wlldness and wlsdom.

Sacrlflce ls global cllmaLe dlsrupLlon, crop fallure, famlne, and forced
mlgraLlon.
6

Sacrlflce ls Lhe absence of feellngs of nelghborllness and communlLy.

Sacrlflce ls Lhe lack of opporLunlLy for soulful encounLers wlLh oLhers.

Sacrlflce ls feellng dlvlded among Lhe dlfferenL parLs of our llves and
unsure how Lhey work LogeLher ln a coherenL whole.

ConLrary Lo medla myLhs, consumerlsm offers llves of sacrlflce whlle
slmpllclLy offers llves of opporLunlLy. SlmpllclLy creaLes Lhe opporLunlLy for
greaLer fulflllmenL ln work, meanlngful connecLlon wlLh oLhers, feellngs of
klnshlp wlLh all llfe, and awe of a llvlng unlverse. 1hls ls a rlch way of llfe LhaL
offers a compelllng alLernaLlve Lo Lhe sLress, busyness, and allenaLlon of Lhe
modern era. noneLheless, Lhe malnsLream medla ln many socleLles are drlven by
consumerlsm and have been relucLanL Lo explore Lhe promlse of slmpllclLy
because lL LhreaLens Lhe englne of economlc growLh LhaL ls Lhelr llfeblood.

9&7** :,*#5 "8 %,/0(,1,23
l flnd lL lronlc LhaL a llfe-way of slmpllclLy LhaL can Lake us lnLo an opporLunlLy-
fllled fuLure ls ofLen porLrayed ln Lhe mass medla as prlmlLlve or regresslve way
of llfe LhaL Lurns away from progress. Pere are Lhree ma[or ways LhaL l see Lhe
ldea of slmpllclLy presenLed ln Loday's popular medla:

1) !"#$% '" (%)"%**+,% -+./0+1+234 1he malnsLream medla ofLen shows
slmpllclLy as a paLh of regress lnsLead of progress. SlmpllclLy ls frequenLly
presenLed as anLl-Lechnology and anLl-lnnovaLlon, a backward-looklng
way of llfe LhaL seeks a romanLlc reLurn Lo a bygone era. A regresslve
slmpllclLy ls ofLen porLrayed as a uLoplan, back-Lo-naLure movemenL wlLh
famllles leavlng Lhe sLresses of an urban llfe ln favor of llvlng ln Lhe
woods, or on a farm, or ln a recreaLlonal vehlcle, or on a boaL. 1hls ls a
sLereoLyplcal vlew of a crudely slmple llfesLyle-a Lhrowback Lo an earller
Llme and more prlmlLlve condlLlon-wlLh no lndoor LolleL, no phone, no
compuLer, no Lelevlslon, and no car. no Lhanks! Seen ln Lhls way,
slmpllclLy ls a carLoon llfesLyle LhaL seems nalve, dlsconnecLed, and
lrrelevanL-an approach Lo llvlng LhaL can be easlly dlsmlssed as
lmpracLlcal and unworkable. 8egardlng slmpllclLy as regresslve and
7
prlmlLlve makes lL easler Lo embrace a buslness as usual" approach Lo
llvlng ln Lhe world.

2) !'*.%2+1 '" -#/%"5+1+60 -+./0+1+234 ln recenL years, a dlfferenL vlew of
slmpllclLy has begun Lo appear-a cosmeLlc slmpllclLy LhaL aLLempLs Lo
cover over deep defecLs ln our modern ways of llvlng by glvlng Lhe
appearance of meanlngful change. Shallow slmpllclLy assumes LhaL green
Lechnologles-such as fuel-efflclenL cars, fluorescenL llghL bulbs, and
recycllng-wlll flx our problems, glve us breaLhlng room, and allow us Lo
conLlnue preLLy much as we have ln Lhe pasL wlLhouL requlrlng LhaL we
make fundamenLal changes ln how we llve and work. CosmeLlc slmpllclLy
puLs green llpsLlck on our unsusLalnable llves Lo glve Lhem Lhe ouLward
appearance of healLh and happlness. A superflclal slmpllclLy glves a false
sense of securlLy by lmplylng LhaL small measures wlll solve greaL
dlfflculLles and allow us Lo conLlnue along our currenL paLh of growLh for
decades or more.

3) 7%%/ '" !'8*1+'#* -+./0+1+234 Cccaslonally presenLed ln Lhe mass
medla and poorly undersLood by Lhe general publlc ls a consclous
slmpllclLy LhaL represenLs a deep, graceful, and sophlsLlcaLed
LransformaLlon ln our ways of llvlng-Lhe work we do, Lhe LransporLaLlon
we use, Lhe homes and nelghborhoods ln whlch we llve, Lhe food we eaL,
Lhe cloLhes we wear, and much more. A sophlsLlcaLed and graceful
slmpllclLy seeks Lo heal our relaLlonshlp wlLh Lhe LarLh, wlLh one anoLher,
and wlLh Lhe sacred unlverse. Consclous slmpllclLy ls noL slmple. 1hls ls a
llfe way LhaL ls growlng and flowerlng wlLh a garden of expresslons. ueep
slmpllclLy flLs aesLheLlcally and susLalnably lnLo Lhe real world of Lhe
LwenLy-flrsL cenLury.

lew people would volunLarlly go Lhrough Lhe dlfflculLy of fundamenLally
resLrucLurlng Lhelr manner of llvlng and worklng lf Lhey LhoughL Lhey could
LlghLen Lhelr belLs and walL for Lhlngs Lo reLurn Lo normal." A ma[orlLy of people
wlll shlfL Lhelr ways of llvlng only when lL ls unmlsLakably clear LhaL we musL
make dramaLlc and lasLlng changes. Pas Lhe world reached a polnL of no reLurn
and crossed a Lhreshold where a shlfL Loward Lhe slmple prosperlLy of green
llfesLyles ls Lhe new normal"?
8

)&'2 ;,<= "8 %,/0(,1,23 >,25 ?@7 )"7(=.
AlLhough human socleLles have confronLed ma[or challenges LhroughouL hlsLory,
our era ls unlque. We wlll explore our world aL Lhe Llpplng polnL ln much greaLer
deLall ln chapLer 6. 1o summarlze, here are four world-changlng Lrends LhaL
lllusLraLe whaL an excepLlonal Llme we are llvlng ln now-and how our llves wlll
be profoundly dlfferenL ln Lhe near fuLure:

9%6: ;+0-Cnly one Llme wlll we use up all of Lhe world's reserves of oll.
We have already used up roughly half of all Lhe oll-Lhe half LhaL ls
easlesL and cheapesL Lo geL-and global demand ls skyrockeLlng. 1he
prlce of oll wlll escalaLe and depress Lhe global economy unLll Lhe world
can shlfL Lo renewable energy sources.

!0+.62% !<68)%-Cnly one Llme wlll we melL Lhe world's lce caps and
glaclers and radlcally desLablllze Lhe planeL's cllmaLe. We are creaLlng a
new LarLh for fuLure generaLlons and rlsklng monumenLal crop fallures
and famlnes ln Lhls generaLlon.

;,%"/'/#062+'8-Cnly one Llme wlll we so unconsclously overpopulaLe
Lhe LarLh wlLh bllllons of people beyond Lhe regeneraLlve capaclLy of Lhe
land, waLer, and alr ecosysLems.

-/%1+%* =>2+812+'8-Cnly one Llme wlll we cause Lhe exLlncLlon of a Lhlrd
or more of all anlmal and planL specles. 1he lnLegrlLy of Lhe web of llfe ls
one of Lhe clearesL measures of Lhe healLh of Lhe LarLh. We are
desLroylng large porLlons of Lhe blosphere and puLLlng aL rlsk Lhe very
foundaLlons of our exlsLence.

never before has Lhe human famlly been on Lhe verge of devasLaLlng Lhe
LarLh's blosphere and crlppllng lLs ecologlcal foundaLlons for counLless
generaLlons Lo come. 1he clrcle has closed and Lhere ls no escape. 1he LarLh ls a
slngle, LlghLly lnLerconnecLed sysLem. 8oLh Lhe naLural ecology of Lhe LarLh and
Lhe soclal ecology of human relaLlons are belng placed aL profound rlsk. We
confronL far more Lhan lndlvldual problems." We are movlng lnLo an
lnLerLwlned, world-sysLem crlsls lnvolvlng every aspecL of llfe. ln Lhls generaLlon
9
we meeL fundamenLal quesLlons head-on: Who are we? WhaL klnd of [ourney
are we on as a human communlLy? Pow are we Lo llve LogeLher on Lhls
lncreaslngly small LarLh?
Cur condlLlon of planeLary sysLems crlsls should noL be a surprlse. As
early as 1992 more Lhan 1,600 of Lhe world's senlor sclenLlsLs, lncludlng a
ma[orlLy of Lhe llvlng nobel laureaLes ln Lhe sclences, slgned an unprecedenLed
Warnlng Lo PumanlLy. ln Lhls hlsLorlc sLaLemenL, Lhey declared LhaL human
belngs and Lhe naLural world are on a colllslon course . . . LhaL may so alLer Lhe
llvlng world LhaL lL wlll be unable Lo susLaln llfe ln Lhe manner LhaL we know."
1hls ls Lhelr concluslon:

We, Lhe underslgned senlor members of Lhe world's sclenLlflc
communlLy, hereby warn all humanlLy of whaL lles ahead. ' H392; C:2BH9
8B 0=3 <;91234<:8@ 07 ;:9 923;: 2B4 ;:9 >879 0B 8; 8< 39L=8394A 87 I2<; :=?2B
?8<936 8< ;0 J9 2I08494 2B4 0=3 H>0J2> :0?9 0B ;:8< @>2B9; 8< B0; ;0 J9
8339;389I2J>6 ?=;8>2;94G
2
[emphasls added]

WhaL klnd of sLewardshlp" flLs our emerglng world? When we conslder
Lhe powerful forces Lransformlng our world-cllmaLe change, peak oll, waLer and
food shorLages, specles exLlncLlon, and more-we requlre far more Lhan elLher
crude or cosmeLlc changes ln our manner of llvlng. lf we are Lo malnLaln Lhe
lnLegrlLy of Lhe LarLh as a llvlng sysLem, we requlre deep and creaLlve changes ln
our overall levels and paLLerns of llvlng and consumlng. +8?@>8C8;6 8< B0; 2B
2>;93B2;8I9 >879<;6>9 703 2 ?23H8B2> 791G ,; 8< 2 C392;8I9 C:08C9 703 ;:9 ?28B<;392?
?2N038;6A @23;8C=>23>6 8B 49I9>0@94 B2;80B<. lf we are Lo pull LogeLher as a human
communlLy, lL wlll be cruclal for people ln affluenL naLlons Lo embrace a deep
and sophlsLlcaLed slmpllclLy as a foundaLlon for susLalnablllLy. +8?@>8C8;6 8<
<8?=>;2B90=<>6 2 @93<0B2> C:08C9A 2 C0??=B8;6 C:08C9A 2 B2;80B2> C:08C9A 2B4 2
<@9C89< C:08C9G
WhaL does a llfe of consclous slmpllclLy look llke? 1here ls no cookbook
we can Lurn Lo wlLh easy reclpes for Lhe slmple llfe. 1he world ls movlng lnLo new
LerrlLory and we are all lnvenLlng as we go. lor more Lhan LhlrLy years l've
explored conLemporary expresslons of Lhe slmple llfe and l've found such
dlverslLy of expresslons LhaL Lhe mosL useful and accuraLe way of descrlblng Lhls
approach Lo llvlng may be wlLh Lhe meLaphor of a garden.

10
A B'7=*< "8 %,/0(,1,23
1o porLray Lhe rlchness of slmpllclLy, here are elghL dlfferenL flowerlngs LhaL l see
growlng ln Lhe garden of slmpllclLy." AlLhough Lhere ls overlap among Lhem,
each expresslon of slmpllclLy seems sufflclenLly dlsLlncL Lo warranL a separaLe
caLegory. 1hese are presenLed ln no parLlcular order as all are lmporLanL.

1. ?810#22%"%$ -+./0+1+23-SlmpllclLy means Laklng charge of llves LhaL are
Loo busy, Loo sLressed, and Loo fragmenLed. SlmpllclLy means cuLLlng
back on cluLLer, compllcaLlons, and Lrlvlal dlsLracLlons, boLh maLerlal and
non-maLerlal, and focuslng on Lhe essenLlals-whaLever Lhose may be for
each of our unlque llves. As 1horeau sald, Cur llfe ls frlLLered away by
deLall. . . . Slmpllfy, slmpllfy." Cr, as laLo wroLe, ln order Lo seek one's
own dlrecLlon, one musL slmpllfy Lhe mechanlcs of ordlnary, everyday
llfe."

2. =1'0')+160 -+./0+1+23-SlmpllclLy means Lo choose ways of llvlng LhaL
Louch Lhe LarLh more llghLly and LhaL reduce our ecologlcal lmpacL on Lhe
web of llfe. 1hls llfe-paLh remembers our deep rooLs wlLh Lhe soll, alr, and
waLer. lL encourages us Lo connecL wlLh naLure, Lhe seasons, and Lhe
cosmos. An ecologlcal slmpllclLy feels a deep reverence for Lhe
communlLy of llfe on LarLh and accepLs LhaL Lhe non-human realms of
planLs and anlmals have Lhelr dlgnlLy and rlghLs as well Lhe human.

3. @6.+03 -+./0+1+23-SlmpllclLy means Lo place Lhe well belng of one's
famlly ahead of maLerlallsm and Lhe acqulslLlon of Lhlngs. 1hls expresslon
of green llvlng puLs an emphasls on glvlng chlldren healLhy role models of
a balanced llfe LhaL are noL dlsLorLed by consumerlsm. lamlly slmpllclLy
afflrms LhaL whaL maLLers mosL ln llfe ls ofLen lnvlslble-Lhe quallLy and
lnLegrlLy of our relaLlonshlps wlLh one anoLher. lamlly slmpllclLy ls also
lnLergeneraLlonal-lL looks ahead and seeks Lo llve wlLh resLralnL so as Lo
leave a healLhy LarLh for fuLure generaLlons.

4. !'./6**+'862% -+./0+1+23-SlmpllclLy means Lo feel such a sLrong sense
of klnshlp wlLh oLhers LhaL, as Candhl sald, we choose Lo llve slmply so
LhaL oLhers may slmply llve." A compasslonaLe slmpllclLy means feellng a
bond wlLh Lhe communlLy of llfe and belng drawn Loward a paLh of
11
cooperaLlon and falrness LhaL seeks a fuLure of muLually assured
developmenL for all.

3. -'#05#0 -+./0+1+23-SlmpllclLy means Lo approach llfe as a medlLaLlon and
Lo culLlvaLe our experlence of dlrecL connecLlon wlLh all LhaL exlsLs. 8y
llvlng slmply, we can more easlly awaken Lo Lhe llvlng unlverse LhaL
surrounds and susLalns us, momenL by momenL. Soulful slmpllclLy ls more
concerned wlLh consclously LasLlng llfe ln lLs unadorned rlchness Lhan
wlLh a parLlcular sLandard or manner of maLerlal llvlng. ln culLlvaLlng a
soulful connecLlon wlLh llfe, we Lend Lo look beyond surface appearances
and brlng our lnLerlor allveness lnLo relaLlonshlps of all klnds.

6. A#*+8%** -+./0+1+23-SlmpllclLy means a new klnd of economy ls growlng
ln Lhe world wlLh healLhy and susLalnable producLs and servlces of all
klnds (home-bulldlng maLerlals, energy sysLems, food producLlon,
LransporLaLlon). As Lhe need for a susLalnable lnfrasLrucLure ln developlng
naLlons ls comblned wlLh Lhe need Lo reLroflL and redeslgn Lhe homes,
clLles, workplaces, and LransporLaLlon sysLems of developed naLlons, lL ls
generaLlng an enormous wave of green buslness lnnovaLlon and
employmenL.

7. !+,+1 -+./0+1+23-SlmpllclLy means LhaL llvlng more llghLly and susLalnably
on Lhe LarLh requlres changes ln every area of publlc llfe-from publlc
LransporLaLlon and educaLlon Lo Lhe deslgn of our clLles and workplaces.
1he pollLlcs of slmpllclLy ls also a medla pollLlcs as Lhe mass medla are Lhe
prlmary vehlcle for relnforclng-or Lransformlng-Lhe mass
consclousness of consumerlsm. 1o reallze Lhe magnlLude of changes
requlred ln such a brlef Llme wlll requlre new approaches Lo governlng
ourselves aL every scale.

8. @"#)60 -+./0+1+23-SlmpllclLy means LhaL, by cuLLlng back on spendlng
LhaL ls noL Lruly servlng our llves, and by pracLlclng sklllful managemenL of
our personal flnances, we can achleve greaLer flnanclal lndependence.
lrugallLy and careful flnanclal managemenL brlng lncreased flnanclal
freedom and Lhe opporLunlLy Lo more consclously choose our paLh
12
Lhrough llfe. Llvlng wlLh less also decreases Lhe lmpacL of our
consumpLlon upon Lhe LarLh and frees resources for oLhers.

As Lhese elghL approaches lllusLraLe, Lhe growlng culLure of slmpllclLy
conLalns a flourlshlng garden of expresslons whose greaL dlverslLy-and
lnLerLwlned unlLy-are creaLlng a reslllenL and hardy ecology of learnlng abouL
how Lo llve more susLalnable and meanlngful llves. As wlLh oLher ecosysLems, lL
ls Lhe dlverslLy of expresslons LhaL fosLers flexlblllLy, adapLablllLy, and reslllence.
8ecause Lhere are so many paLhways lnLo Lhe garden of slmpllclLy, Lhls self-
organlzlng movemenL has enormous poLenLlal Lo grow.

C'<3 6'/*5 8"7 ' %&'7*= D<=*752'<=,<E
1he movemenL Loward slmpllclLy ls parL of a leaderless revoluLlon" underway
around Lhe world. 1hls revoluLlon's prlnclple concerns are bulldlng a susLalnable
fuLure wlLh Lhe LarLh, a harmonlous relaLlonshlp wlLh one anoLher, and a sacred
relaLlonshlp wlLh Lhe naLure and Lhe unlverse. 1hls ls a self-organlzlng movemenL
ln whlch people are consclously Laklng charge of Lhelr llves. lL ls a promlslng
demonsLraLlon of people Laklng responslblllLy for how Lhelr llves connecL wlLh
Lhe LarLh and Lhe fuLure. Many of Lhese ploneers have been worklng aL Lhe
grass-rooLs level for several decades, ofLen feellng alone, noL reallzlng LhaL
scaLLered Lhrough socleLy are oLhers llke Lhemselves numberlng ln Lhe mllllons.
ln hls book O>9<<94 $B39<;, aul Pawken descrlbes Lhe largely lnvlslble
rlse of Lhe world's largesL movemenL worklng for envlronmenLal healLh and
soclal [usLlce, lnvolvlng more Lhan a mllllon organlzaLlons around Lhe world. Pe
wrlLes:

Across Lhe planeL, groups ranglng from ad hoc nelghborhood assoclaLlons
Lo well-funded lnLernaLlonal organlzaLlons are confronLlng lssues llke Lhe
desLrucLlon of Lhe envlronmenL, Lhe abuses of free-markeL
fundamenLallsm, soclal ln[usLlce, and Lhe loss of lndlgenous culLures.
1hey share no orLhodoxy and follow no slngle charlsmaLlc leader, yeL Lhey
are organlzlng from Lhe boLLom up and coalesclng lnLo larger neLworks Lo
achleve Lhelr goals-mosL urgenLly, ecologlcal susLalnablllLy.
3


8ecause a concern for ecologlcal susLalnablllLy ls so wldely shared, Lhere
are many ways of descrlblng more susLalnable and meanlngful ways of llvlng.
13
1here ls no speclal vlrLue Lo Lhe phrase volunLary slmpllclLy." 8ecause Lhls ls a
leaderless revoluLlon ln llvlng, people are lnvenLlng as Lhey go-lncludlng
lnvenLlng words and phrases Lo characLerlze Lhelr approach Lo llvlng. Pere are
Len phrases ln common use LhaL offer an alLernaLlve Lo volunLary slmpllclLy":

Creen llfe-ways
LarLh-frlendly llvlng
Soulful llvlng
Slmple llvlng
SusLalnable llfesLyles
Llvlng llghLly
CompasslonaLe llfe-ways
Consclous slmpllclLy
LarLh-consclous llvlng
Slmple prosperlLy

1o reflecL Lhls dlverslLy of labels, l have made a polnL of uslng dlfferenL
phrases LhroughouL Lhe book LhaL provlde an alLernaLlve Lo volunLary
slmpllclLy." WhaLever we call Lhls approach Lo llvlng, a grass-rooLs movemenL
wlLh many names ls growlng around Lhe world wlLh Lhree overrldlng and
lnLerLwlned concerns-how are we Lo llve susLalnably on Lhe LarLh, ln harmony
wlLh one anoLher, and ln communlon wlLh Lhe unlverse?

C,51"<1*02,"<5 AF"@2 2&* %,/0(* +,8*
lour mlsconcepLlons abouL Lhe slmple llfe are so common LhaL Lhey deserve
speclal aLLenLlon. 1hese are equaLlng slmpllclLy wlLh poverLy, rural llvlng, ugly
llvlng, and economlc sLagnaLlon.

-+./0+1+23 B%68* 9',%"23CAlLhough some splrlLual LradlLlons have advocaLed a
llfe of exLreme renunclaLlon, lL ls mlsleadlng and lnaccuraLe Lo equaLe slmpllclLy
wlLh poverLy. My awakenlng Lo Lhe harsh reallLy of poverLy began on my faLher's
farm ln ldaho, where l worked wlLh people who llved on Lhe edge of subslsLence.
l remember one fall harvesL when l was abouL Len years old ln Lhe early 1930s.
We were harvesLlng a forLy-acre fleld of leLLuce, and a crew of LwenLy or so
mlgranL laborers arrlved Lo go Lo work. l sLlll recall a famlly of Lhree-a faLher,
14
moLher, and a daughLer abouL my age-who drove Lhelr old Mercury sedan
down Lhe dusLy road lnLo our farm. 1hey parked ln Lhe fleld and, wlLh solemn
faces, worked Lhrough Lhe day dolng plece labor-geLLlng pald for Lhe number of
craLes of leLLuce Lhey fllled. AL Lhe end of Lhe day Lhey recelved Lhelr few dollars
of wages as a famlly, earnlng roughly slxLy-flve cenLs an hour. 1haL evenlng l
reLurned Lo Lhe flelds wlLh my faLher Lo check on Lhe sLorage of Lhe craLes of
leLLuce and found Lhe famlly parked aL Lhe edge of Lhe fleld, slLLlng agalnsL Lhe
slde of Lhelr car, and eaLlng an evenlng meal LhaL conslsLed of a loaf of whlLe
bread, a few sllces of lunch meaL, and a small [ar of mayonnalse. l wondered how
Lhey managed Lo work all day on such a llmlLed meal buL asked no quesLlons.
When l arrlved for work Lhe followlng mornlng, Lhey goL ouL of Lhelr car where
Lhey had slepL Lhe nlghL and began worklng anoLher day. AfLer Lhey had
repeaLed Lhls cycle for Lhree days, Lhe harvesL was flnlshed and Lhey lefL. 1hls
was [usL one of lnnumerable personal encounLers wlLh poverLy.
Cver Lhe nexL flfLeen years, as l worked ln Lhe flelds each summer, l
gradually came Lo reallze LhaL mosL of Lhe people worklng beslde me dld noL
know wheLher, ln anoLher week or monLh, Lhelr needs for food and shelLer
would be meL by Lhelr meager salary. As l worked slde by slde wlLh Lhese flne
people, l saw LhaL poverLy has a very human face-one LhaL ls very dlfferenL
from slmpllclLy." overLy ls lnvolunLary and deblllLaLlng, whereas slmpllclLy ls
volunLary and enabllng. overLy ls mean and degradlng Lo Lhe human splrlL,
whereas a llfe of consclous slmpllclLy can have boLh a beauLy and a funcLlonal
lnLegrlLy LhaL elevaLes Lhe human splrlL. lnvolunLary poverLy generaLes a sense of
helplessness, passlvlLy, and despalr, whereas purposeful slmpllclLy fosLers a
sense of personal empowermenL, creaLlve engagemenL, and opporLunlLy.
PlsLorlcally Lhose chooslng a slmpler llfe have soughL Lhe golden mean-a
creaLlve and aesLheLlc balance beLween poverLy and excess. lnsLead of placlng
prlmary emphasls on maLerlal rlches, Lhey have soughL Lo develop, wlLh balance,
Lhe lnvlslble wealLh of experlenLlal rlches.

-+./0+1+23 B%68* (#"60 D+,+8)Cln Lhe popular lmaglnaLlon Lhere ls a Lendency Lo
equaLe Lhe slmple llfe wlLh 1horeau's cabln ln Lhe woods by Walden ond and Lo
assume LhaL people musL llve an lsolaLed and rural exlsLence. lnLeresLlngly,
1horeau was noL a hermlL durlng hls sLay aL Walden ond. Pls famous cabln was
roughly a mlle from Lhe Lown of Concord, and every day or Lwo he would walk
lnLo Lown. Pls cabln was so close Lo a nearby hlghway LhaL he could smell Lhe
15
plpe smoke of passlng Lravelers. 1horeau wroLe LhaL he had more vlslLors whlle
l llved ln Lhe woods Lhan any oLher perlod of my llfe."
4
1he romanLlclzed lmage
of rural llvlng does noL flL Lhe modern reallLy, as a ma[orlLy of persons chooslng a
llfe of consclous slmpllclLy do noL llve ln Lhe backwoods or rural seLLlngs, Lhey
llve ln clLles and suburbs. Whlle green llvlng brlngs wlLh lL a reverence for naLure,
LhaL does noL requlre movlng Lo a rural seLLlng. lnsLead of a back Lo Lhe land"
movemenL, lL ls much more accuraLe Lo descrlbe Lhls as a make Lhe mosL of
wherever you are" movemenL-and lncreaslngly LhaL means adapLlng ourselves
creaLlvely Lo a rapldly changlng world ln Lhe conLexL of blg clLles and suburbs.

-+./0+1+23 B%68* ?)03 D+,+8)C1he slmple llfe ls someLlmes vlewed as a prlmlLlve
approach Lo llvlng LhaL advocaLes a barren plalnness and denles Lhe value of
beauLy and aesLheLlcs. Whlle Lhe urlLans, for example, were susplclous of Lhe
arLs, many oLher advocaLes of slmpllclLy have seen lL as essenLlal for reveallng
Lhe naLural beauLy of Lhlngs. Many who adopL a slmpler llfe would surely agree
wlLh ablo lcasso, who sald LhaL arL ls Lhe ellmlnaLlon of Lhe unnecessary." 1he
lnfluenLlal archlLecL lrank Lloyd WrlghL was an advocaLe of an organlc
slmpllclLy" LhaL lnLegraLes funcLlon wlLh beauLy and ellmlnaLes Lhe superfluous.
ln hls archlLecLure a bulldlng's lnLerlor and exLerlor blend lnLo an organlc whole,
and Lhe bulldlng, ln Lurn, blends harmonlously wlLh Lhe naLural envlronmenL.
3

8aLher Lhan lnvolvlng a denlal of beauLy, slmpllclLy llberaLes Lhe aesLheLlc sense
by freelng Lhlngs from arLlflclal encumbrances. lrom a splrlLual perspecLlve,
slmpllclLy removes Lhe obscurlng cluLLer and dlscloses Lhe splrlL LhaL lnfuses all
Lhlngs.

-+./0+1+23 B%68* =1'8'.+1 -26)862+'8-Some worry LhaL lf a slgnlflcanL number
of people slmpllfy Lhelr llves lL wlll reduce demand for consumer goods and, ln
Lurn, produce unemploymenL and economlc sLagnaLlon. Whlle lL ls Lrue LhaL Lhe
level and paLLerns of personal consumpLlon would shlfL ln a socleLy LhaL values
green llvlng, a robusL economy can flourlsh LhaL embraces susLalnablllLy.
AlLhough Lhe consumer secLor and maLerlal goods would conLracL, Lhe servlce
and publlc secLors (educaLlon, healLhcare, urban renewal) would expand
dramaLlcally. When we look around aL Lhe condlLlon of Lhe world, we see a huge
number of unmeL needs: carlng for elderly, resLorlng Lhe envlronmenL, educaLlng
llllLeraLe and unskllled youLh, repalr of decaylng roads and lnfrasLrucLure,
provldlng healLh care, creaLlng communlLy markeLs and local enLerprlses,
16
reLroflLLlng Lhe urban landscape for susLalnablllLy, and many more. 8ecause
Lhere are an enormous number of unmeL needs, Lhere are an equally large
number of purposeful and saLlsfylng [obs walLlng Lo geL done. 1he dlfflculLy ls
LhaL ln many lndusLrlallzed naLlons Lhere ls such an overwhelmlng emphasls
placed on lndlvldual consumpLlon LhaL lL has resulLed ln Lhe neglecL of work LhaL
promoLes publlc well belng. 1here wlll be no shorLage of employmenL
opporLunlLles ln an LarLh-frlendly economy. ln movlng Loward slmpler ways of
llvlng and a needs-orlenLed economy LhaL does noL arLlflclally lnflaLe consumer
wanLs, an abundance of meanlngful and saLlsfylng [obs wlll become avallable
along wlLh Lhe ways Lo pay for Lhem.

lL ls lmporLanL Lo acknowledge Lhese sLereoLypes because Lhey make a
slmpler llfe seem lmpracLlcal and unapproachable and Lhereby relnforce Lhe
feellng LhaL noLhlng can be done Lo respond Lo our crlLlcal world slLuaLlon. 1o
move from denlal Lo acLlon, lL ls vlLal Lo have an accuraLe undersLandlng of a
llfeway of consclous slmpllclLy and lLs growlng relevance for Lhe human [ourney.

B7"#2& "8 B7**< +,-,<E
When l dld Lhe research for Lhe flrsL edlLlon of !0>=B;236 +8?@>8C8;6 ln Lhe laLe
1970s, Lhe world was a dlfferenL place. 1hlrLy years ago, humanlLy was sLlll
blessed wlLh cheap oll, a sLable cllmaLe, and a moderaLe populaLlon compared Lo
resources. 1hls produced an era of easy abundance and, ln Lhls seLLlng, Lhe
slmple llfe looked llke a paLh of regress-a needless Lurn away from Lhe good
llfe." Powever, Lhree decades laLer-wlLh Lhe end of cheap oll, a desLablllzed
cllmaLe, and crop fallures and famlnes comblned wlLh a masslve and growlng
global populaLlon LhaL overwhelms avallable resources-Lhe conLexL for
undersLandlng slmpllclLy ls fundamenLally dlfferenL. 1he easy abundance of Lhe
pasL ls belng replaced by forced frugallLy. ln Lhls new seLLlng, green llfeways of
sophlsLlcaLed slmpllclLy Lake on new meanlng. lnsLead of belng dlsmlssed as
regress lnLo Lhe pasL, Lhey are belng welcomed as a paLh for creaLlve progress
lnLo a promlslng fuLureG
A growlng number of people are decldlng noL Lo walL for leadershlp from
oLhers, lnsLead, Lhey are empowerlng Lhemselves Lo lnvenL alLernaLlve
approaches Lo llvlng LhaL are more susLalnable and saLlsfylng. 8ecall Lhe words of
former asLronauL Ldgar MlLchell as he was conLemplaLlng Lhe LarLh on hls reLurn
from Lhe moon: ersonal responslblllLy for Lhe greaLer good musL become Lhe
17
mark of an lnformed and consclous people." 1hls ls happenlng. ln Lhe unlLed
SLaLes and around Lhe world Lhere ls clear evldence of a shlfL underway as
people Lake personal responslblllLy for conLrlbuLlng Lo Lhe well belng of Lhe
world.
AlLhough leaderless, Lhls self-organlzlng movemenL for susLalnablllLy ls
growlng rapldly around Lhe world. ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes and a dozen or so oLher
posLmodern" naLlons (lncludlng Lurope, !apan, and AusLralla), a movemenL
Loward green llvlng has grown from a mlnuscule subculLure ln Lhe 1960s Lo a
respecLed parL of Lhe malnsLream culLure ln Lhe early 2000s. Clossy magazlnes
now sell Lhe slmple llfe and green llvlng from newssLands across Lhe unlLed
SLaLes, and lL has become a popular Lheme on ma[or Lelevlslon Lalk shows. 8ased
upon Lhree decades of research, l esLlmaLe LhaL as of 2008, roughly 20 percenL of
Lhe u.S. adulL populaLlon, or approxlmaLely 40 mllllon people, are consclously
crafLlng LarLh-frlendly or green ways of llvlng. 1hese llfe-way ploneers are
provldlng Lhe crlLlcal mass of lnvenLlon aL Lhe grass rooLs level LhaL could enable
Lhe larger socleLy Lo move swlfLly Lo alLernaLlve ways and approaches Lo llvlng
LhaL susLalnable.
1hese changes are noL conflned Lo Lhe unlLed SLaLes and Lurope. Around
Lhe world, people are awakenlng Lo Lhe sanlLy of slmpllclLy as a paLh Lo
susLalnablllLy. Clobal surveys show LhaL ma[orlLles of people supporL
envlronmenLal proLecLlon and human developmenL, Lwo key Lhemes
accompanylng llfe-ways of slmpllclLy.
6
Clobal surveys also show Lhere ls vlrLually
worldwlde clLlzen awareness LhaL our planeL ls lndeed ln poor healLh and greaL
publlc concern for lLs fuLure well belng.
7
lL makes llLLle dlfference wheLher
people llve ln poorer and wealLhler naLlons-everyone expressed nearly equal
concern for Lhe healLh of Lhe planeL.

9&* G&",1* 8"7 %,/0(,1,23
1he clrcle has closed. 1he LarLh ls a slngle sysLem and we humans have reached
beyond lLs regeneraLlve capaclLy. lL ls of Lhe hlghesL urgency LhaL we lnvenL new
ways of llvlng LhaL are susLalnable. 1he sLarLlng gun of hlsLory has already gone
off and Lhe Llme for creaLlve acLlon has arrlved. WlLh llfesLyles of consclous
slmpllclLy, we can seek our rlches ln carlng famllles and frlendshlps, reverence
for naLure, meanlngful work, exuberanL play, soclal conLrlbuLlon, collaboraLlon
across generaLlons, local communlLy, and creaLlve arLs. WlLh consclous
slmpllclLy, we can seek llves LhaL are rlch wlLh experlences, saLlsfacLlon, and
18
learnlng raLher Lhan packed wlLh Lhlngs. WlLh Lhese new lngredlenLs ln Lhe llves
of our clvlllzaLlons, we can redeflne progress, awaken a new soclal
consclousness, and esLabllsh a reallsLlc foundaLlon for a susLalnable and
promlslng fuLure.


1
Jared Diamond, Collapse, New York: Viking Press, 2005, p. 498.
2
The Warning to Humanity was sponsored by the Union of Concerned
Scientists, 26 Church St., Cambridge, MA 02238.
3
Paul Hawken, Blessed Unrest, New York: Viking Press, 2007. Summary taken
from the press materials that accompanied his book.
4
Quoted in: David Shi, The Simple Life: Plain Living and High Thinking in
American Culture, New York: Oxford University Press, 1985, p. 145.
5
Frank Loyd Wright and simplicity quoted in Shi, ibid., p. 187.
6
The following surveys illustrate how simplicity and sustainability have become
an integral part of a mainstream culture involving millions of people. Gerald
Celente, president of the Trends Research Institute, reported in 1997 on how the
voluntary simplicity trend is growing throughout the industrialized world: Never
before in the Institute's 17 years of tracking has a societal trend grown so quickly,
spread so broadly and been embraced so eagerly. (Richard Celente, Trends
Journal, Winter, 1997). The following surveys provide further evidence that a life
way of conscious simplicity, with a characteristic pattern of values, is emerging as
a significant trend in the world.
Yearning for BalanceA 1995 survey of Americans' commissioned by
the Merck Family Fund found that respondents' deepest aspirations are non-
material (Yearning for Balance: Views of Americans on Consumption,
Materialism, and the Environment, A report by the Harwood Group about a
survey conducted for the Merck Family Fund, Takoma Park, MD, July, 1995).
For example, when asked what would make them much more satisfied with their
lives, 66 percent said if I were able to spend more time with my family and
friends, and only 19 percent said if I had a bigger house or apartment. Twenty-
eight percent of the survey respondents said that, in the last five years, they had
voluntarily made changes in their lives that resulted in making less money, such
as reducing work hours, changing to a lower-paying job, or even quitting work.
The most frequent reasons given for voluntarily downshifting were: 1) Wanting a
more balanced life (68 percent), 2) Wanting more time (66 percent), and 3)
Wanting a less stressful life (63 percent). Had it been worth it? Eighty-seven
percent of the downshifters described themselves as happy with the change. In
summing up the survey's findings, the report states, People express a strong
desire for a greater sense of balance in their livesnot to repudiate material gain,
but to bring it more into proportion with the non-material rewards of life.
World Values SurveyThis massive survey was described in the text. To
reiterate, Ronald Inglehart, global coordinator of the survey, concluded that, over
19

the last three decades, a major shift in values has been occurring in a cluster of a
dozen or so nations, primarily in the United States, Canada, and Northern Europe.
He calls this change the postmodern shift. In these societies, emphasis is
shifting from economic achievement to postmaterialist values that emphasize
individual self-expression, subjective well-being, and quality of life. At the same
time, people in these nations are placing less emphasis on organized religion, and
more on discovering their inner sense of meaning and purpose in life. See:
Inglehart, Foa, Peterson, and Welzel, Development, Freedom, and Rising
Happiness: A Global Perspective (1981 2007), Association for Psychological
Science, Vol. 3, No., 4, 2008. Ronald Inglehart, Changing Values among
Western Publics from 1970 to 2006, West European Politics, January-March,
2008.
Health of the Planet SurveyIn 1993, the Gallup organization conducted
in 24 nations this a landmark global survey of attitudes toward the environment
(see: Riley E. Dunlap, "International Attitudes Towards Environment and
Development," in Green Globe Yearbook 1994, an independent publication from
the Fritjof Nansen Institute, Norway, Oxford University Press, 1994, p. 125.). In
writing about the survey, its director Dr. Riley E. Dunlap concluded that there is
virtually world-wide citizen awareness that our planet is indeed in poor health,
and great concern for its future well-being. The survey found that residents of
poorer and wealthier nations express nearly equal concern about the health of the
planet. Majorities in most of the nations surveyed gave environmental protection a
higher priority than economic growth, and said that they were willing to pay
higher prices for that protection. There was little evidence of the poor blaming the
rich for environmental problems, or vice versa. Instead, there seems to be a
mature and widespread acceptance of mutual responsibility. When asked who is
more responsible for todays environmental problems in the world, the most
frequent response was that industrialized and developing countries are both
equally responsible.
World Environmental Law SurveyThe largest environmental survey
ever conducted was done in the spring of 1998 for the International
Environmental Monitor. Involving more than 35,000 respondents in 30 countries,
the survey found that majorities of people in the worlds most populous countries
want sharper teeth put into laws to protect the environment.

Majorities in 28 of
the 30 countries surveyed (ranging from 91 percent in Greece to 54 percent in
India) said that environmental laws as currently applied in their country dont go
far enough. The survey report concludes, Overall, these findings will serve as a
wake-up call to national governments and private corporations to get moving on
environmental issues or get bitten by their citizens and consumers who will not
stand for inaction on what they see as key survival issues.
7
Ibid.