As well as personal and social reasons for choosing Voluntary Simplicity, there are environmental reasons. It is becoming increasingly obvious that a lifestyle of reduced consumption will be a necessary part of any sustainable human civilization. Given what is at stake in our challenge as a species — the health of our Planet — this should be a sufficient justification for everyone.

The consumerist culture in which we were born makes us believe that it is “normal” to consume as much as we can; the limit is given only by the financial level. Even more: consuming much is not just a desire but also an indicator of our success in life, a level of our value as people. Indirectly, from our level of consumption, we draw our social confirmation and even personal fulfillment.

This state of affairs is profoundly unsustainable and immoral. Taking from ecosystem more than we can give back, in the long term we will destroy it. At some point, the future generations will be born in a poor environment, unfavorable for a high-tech civilization.

I choose Voluntary Simplicity because “that’s my heart’s desire”. Choosing so is not because of external commandments: is about a level of consciousness, about a certain spiritual level which makes me choose such a way of life. Perhaps is about a certain level of empathy…