I recently stumbled across a blog that expounds the joys of Green Living by living bellow the poverty line. This is what caught my attention. Not that sustainable living is possible on a pioneer-fashioned lifestyle. Rather, that by plunging yourself (and Family) below the poverty line you can still surprisingly survive.
This is based on assumptions; you live in a city, can leave your home for several acres off in the country-side, til the soil, bake your bread, brave the weather, join a co-op that wants your homegrown products, and eek out a nature-based living without the cellphones, WiFi, Wii's and whatnot.
It really does sound euphoric. I don't deny that, but what about people who live below the poverty line, and not for novelty's sake?
Let's try quick comparison, although I am not an economist, I like to think of myself as savvy. The Israeli minimum wage is about $4.80. The Federal rate in the USA, $7.25.
Suffice it to say, Israel's poverty line is significantly lower, thusly the average family income is lower, incomes tend to be lower within larger families.
What does this all mean? People that exist closer to the poverty line tend to know "Green Trends" far before a cultural icon has time to publish a book about it.
When there are less resources available, you truly exemplify two of the three ecological R's a younger generation learned about in grade school.
Reduce.
Re-Use.
I'm going to look for some good examples around here.
This is based on assumptions; you live in a city, can leave your home for several acres off in the country-side, til the soil, bake your bread, brave the weather, join a co-op that wants your homegrown products, and eek out a nature-based living without the cellphones, WiFi, Wii's and whatnot.
It really does sound euphoric. I don't deny that, but what about people who live below the poverty line, and not for novelty's sake?
Let's try quick comparison, although I am not an economist, I like to think of myself as savvy. The Israeli minimum wage is about $4.80. The Federal rate in the USA, $7.25.
Suffice it to say, Israel's poverty line is significantly lower, thusly the average family income is lower, incomes tend to be lower within larger families.
What does this all mean? People that exist closer to the poverty line tend to know "Green Trends" far before a cultural icon has time to publish a book about it.
When there are less resources available, you truly exemplify two of the three ecological R's a younger generation learned about in grade school.
Reduce.
Re-Use.
I'm going to look for some good examples around here.
Post a Comment
It makes my day to hear from you so let me know what's on your mind. Chances are I'll probably even write you back. What can I say, I'm a people person.