Energy Sabbath
Hello everyone,
Wow! I can't believe how quickly June flew by! How did the CUBS behavior challenge go? Send any stories, photos, or sketches my way!
The new behavior to sample for July is... an energy sabbath!
We are going to allocate some "time of rest" for our overstressed energy grid.
So here's the goal: Pledge a specified amount of time one day per week (ranging from 4-24 consecutive hours - choose what is most realistic for you) to spend doing something you like...while simultaneously not using anything that requires energy (except people power of course). And sleeping doesn't count.
PFAQTITYMH (Potential Frequently Asked Questions That I Think You Might Have):
What could I possibly do for more than four hours that doesn't use energy?
Although facebook, netflicks, and the Wimbledon championships may all be tempting, there are tons of other activities you could do during an energy sabbath! Use this as an opportunity to explore a new hobby, exercise, or visit with friends. Time is very valuable to us - so use it intentionally! Biking, swimming, drawing, painting, playing games (scrabble, euchre, monopoly, gin rummy - I am an especially big fan of games - I wonder why?), gardening, reading, yoga, and berry picking are just a few fun options. I would definitely suggest spending time outdoors in a natural setting. There are many health and psychological benefits associated with just being in nature! Take some time to relax. In the words of an environmental psychologist, "Burned out people cannot save the planet!"
Should I use any energy during this time?
No! Turn off any lights, unplug phantom loads (appliances like DVD players or televisions that use electricity when they are plugged in even though they are turned off), turn off your cell phone, etc. While this sounds intimidating, I have a feeling it will actually be somewhat refreshing.
What about the refridgerator? Or flushing the toilet?!
Ok, well, take it as far as you deem appropriate for you own lifestyle. Honestly, if you unplug your fridge and don't open it for four hours nothing is going to mold or go bad. And if it's yellow, let it....
Start small and challenge yourself as you see fit. The basic idea is that, despite the normalization of technology and pressures to purchase the next shiny new gadgets, humans can do very well (and perhaps even better) when enjoying the purity of living simply!
How is this helping the environment?
Energy conservation offers a plethora of environmental (and societal) wins. First and foremost, most of our energy is currently sourced from nonrenewable resources (such as coal or oil) and thus by reducing our energy consumption we are also reducing the pollution, resource depletion, and water contamination associated with their extraction and processing. If this isn't reason enough to take an energy sabbath, let's also thrown in the fact that burning fossil fuels and increasing greenhouse gas emissions are changing the climate of our entire planet. While some uncertainy among modelers exists regarding the degree to which climate change will occur, there is no doubt that the impacts are serious and need urgent action.
It is easy to slide into depressed/panic mode when contemplating the fact that such serious problems are driven by resources used to operate the very machine from which I type. But, have no fear, because the basic fact that you are a human on this planet means you have the ability to influence these impacts for the better. If you would like to really stretch this energy sabbath to the environmental max, use some of your time to volunteer with an env organization, pick up litter in a park, or participate in something that makes you feel positive about your local environment!
Let me know if you have additional questions/comments.
