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Beyond shopping

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Vote with your money! The first, and easiest, step toward sustainability is to become conscious of where our money go and what our money buy. Shopping for useful and not-so-useful items is the cornerstone of our consumer-based economy and while it’s near impossible to reject this comfortable and ingrained behavior, it is possible to shop almost anything and support socially responsible businesses and small, independent entrepreneurs at the same time!

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Things I like to consider before purchase:

  1. If the company is independent or part of a larger corporation. This one is tricky because companies rarely advertise this. The only way to find out is through your trusty best friend; Google. My rule of thumb is that most household brands that you find in your local grocery store now belong to the powerhouses, so avoid them. The global giants of commerce don’t need any more of your money because they now use it to plunder, pollute and enslave the planet while buying all the political power they can get to ensure their stronghold monopoly. That’s why they keep buying up the little guys, too, like rabid pac-mans.
  2. Human cruelty. Most food, apparel and electronic goods are made and harvested by low-paid workers in developing counties with little access to education, basic living standards and any hope of escaping poverty. Buying organic and fair trade is to take a stand against these practices. The next step is to buy from small businesses that advertise their social responsibility in taking care of their workers and their communities – whether that is your local farmers or a village in Africa.
  3. Animal cruelty. There is absolutely NO need for animal testing in cosmetics and skin care! If something is so toxic that you can’t readily put it on your skin without checking if it burns away rabbits eyes first, it probably doesn’t need to be in your so-called “skin care” in the first place. There are too many wonderful alternatives out there to ever support animal cruelty again. Alex’s Guide to Compassionate Shopping. This is my favorite list to consult. Alex keeps it up to date and also tries to link together company branches of the larger corporations. Good stuff!
  4. Ingredients. It’s a little weird that this comes in fourth but once you start researching what is actually in your food and stuff that goes on your skin, a large chunk of what’s offered in the food and health industries today quickly become products non grata. You won’t even consider buying it; it becomes so undesirable that no amount of advertising can lure you back in. To me, 80% of the average grocery store in the US is off-limits. Buying their toxic products holds as much appeal as buying rocks. So I don’t.

Get cash-back with most online purchases. No need to give corporations more than you have to. Ebates works great, if you’re an obsessive compulsive like me. In six months I have received $50 back in my paypal account. Before I make a purchase online I click on Ebates first and enter the shop site through their system. It tells you how many % you will receive of total purchase. And it works! It takes a little bit of detective work – sometimes the cash-back doesn’t automatically post so you have to manually request it – but overall I’m very satisfied. Hey, I’ll take that extra $50 any day. That’s a trip to the grocery store for organic goodies. Or two months of internet!

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What’s your way of doing good while shopping? Please share your favorite products, advise or experiences below!

Things I love about Hawaii

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CliffsJoeyBeachSunshine. The perfect balance between sun and rain, making the rain almost always welcome when it comes for a day or two every six-eight weeks. The hardly-ever-below 20 degrees Celsius temperature, even at night. The hardly-ever above 32 degrees Celsius heat. The many fine sandy beaches. The fact there is still possible to find an empty beach if you know where to look. The color of lush rain forest – deep, crisp green! Tropical flowers. All the palm trees, although imported. The fact that, even carefully planted and strategically placed, palm trees always looks natural and lifts the spirit. Most Hawaiians know how lucky they are to call the islands home and do what they can to preserve and protect them. Kona Longboard beer. Fresh seared Ahi. Hono/Turtles, and the fact that they are treasured and protected. Swimming with a  turtle is the most amazing form of meditation and you emerge with a new sense of calm of spirit and a desire to protect all marine life. Hawaii’s past. Every time I drive up Pali highway across the mountain and in the midst of jungle, I try to imagine what it was like living here hundreds of years ago. The pitch black of night, little shelter against the elements, several days journey to cross the island which now takes half an hour. I try to imagine the fear the soldiers felt as Kamehameha’s army rushed them off the Pali cliff and into certain death when he conquered Oahu. “Eddie would go”. I don’t know if the land holds onto its history, if so pretty much every single place in the world would be haunted, but I try to connect with the spirit of Hawaii occasionally. I find a lot of it in books, but it’s a lot easier to connect with a character on the page whose legacy is already written, than to connect with people still living, still changing. But one thing is true, most people who live in Hawaii consider themselves “lucky to live Hawaii” and it does manifest itself. Aloha, ohana and aina are not just words from a mostly forgotten language. It’s love, family and land. Hawaii is a beautiful place to call home. I return each time with new appreciation and gratitude to call it mine.

TV’s strong heroines

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It’s no secret that I love storytellers. They come in all forms; writers, filmmakers, journalists, musicians, painters, photographers. It is the basis for this blog – that the stories we tell ourselves shape the way we live our lives, and so they are very important. The question is what kind of stories are we exposed to? What were the stories that shaped my core that holds the beliefs after which I construct the world around me? Do my stories correspond to those of the people around me enough so we can co-exist peacefully together? In many places around the world the stories people tell themselves cause very real conflicts leading to suffering, plights and death. Politics is about making your beliefs into a reality that benefits the majority of the people living in that area, but leaving enough liberty for those who do not agree with you to also live fulfilling lives. But every day we witness the terrible consequences when people in power take it upon themselves to force their stories, with violence, persuasion or bribes, on groups that have chosen a different story. Maybe if we learned to separate stories from absolute truths, we could also find a way for different stories to live side by side.

Many people got their stories from their parents or family. Many got them from religion or other cultural organizations. I got a lot of mine from TV. I suspect many from my generation and those younger did as well. Books, too, naturally but mainly TV. That leaves our modern storytellers with a lot of responsibility.

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Weekend in Maui

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MauiCollageA belated celebration weekend in Maui with my love. There were no end to the things we had saved up to celebrate; our fourth anniversary, my birthday, his end-of-semester, Christmas, Valentines, our engagement, us, love and life!

It was the perfect way to close this chapter and I’m ready to embark on the next one now. I can tell because I have a very strong desire to dye my hair back to brown. The blonde me was a knowledge-gathering drifting student in Honolulu. Brunette me means business, in more ways than one. I really want to start a little business of my own because if there is one thing this year has taught me is that a sustainable life means live your values and value how you live. Dozens of job applications later it dawned on me that most jobs advertised are about making already wealthy people wealthier. The best thing I can do for this planet and my happiness is to make my living from an ecologically sustainable source. What a win-win situation! I can’t wait to get started.

So I’m off to Norway to make some start-up capital. Leaving the islands is always heartbreaking but my return is guaranteed because half of mine remains here in the form of a little bun and a boy.

10 steps to a sustainable life: Step 2 (Choose your culture)

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Don’t just accept what is presented – choose your culture carefully. A lot of our Western civilization has become toxic. It is mainly constructed around consumption in the past 100 years, with devastating effects on our environment, natural world, and even our health.

The fragile reefs in Hanauma Bay on Oahu has over a million visitors each year

You can decide for yourself if this was all pre-planned evil conspiracy, but personally I think it was just average human short-sightedness and our common desire for comfort, combined with human ingenuity. The second industrial revolution fueled by oil has spanned into the first truly global empire – powered by cheap labor and ruthless exploration of resources. As we find ourselves in the age of information it is very easy to get overwhelmed. In fact, keeping the population overwhelmed serves as a goal in itself because then you don’t have time to contemplate the fundamental things – such as why am I being bombarded with all this junk? (See Step 1) Shouldn’t our goal be to leave this planet in better shape than we found it; more beautiful, in better health, a thriving place for our children?

Oil spill on an Australian beach

Culture is a difficult concept because it is so ingrained with who we are as a people. I grew up in a society where women and men are as good as equal, so I don’t consider myself a feminist – to me, female equality is just considered “normal”. A lot of people have difficulties accepting homosexuality, again, I grew up with no such stigmas so to me it is just “normal”. But normal varies from person to person. I think a good rule of thumb is to do what is right for you, but don’t try to decide for anyone else unless a  third party is actively being harmed by that choice. (See why the abortion debate is so difficult? It’s our politicians favorite way to distract us.)

olkjhgds-meme-generator-our-script-writers-can-assure-kardashian-fans-will-love-the-wacky-situations-they-ve-written-this-season-2a92c11Choose what you surround yourself with – make it a conscious choice. It’s ok to love trashy reality TV (the reason it is addictive is because the producers behind it are masters of what they do and good work should be complimented, although sometimes I wish they would use their powers for good…) but if you find yourself watching more reality TV than talking to the most important people in your life, maybe you should reevaluate your priorities.

Media is everything that influences our minds and shapes our worldview. There are more books, magazines, blogs, videos, TV and music out there than can be enjoyed in a lifetime so be critical of what you devote your time and energy to. If you have the luxury of enjoying all these things, you are more fortunate than most human beings on this planet. Most of them work long hours (up to 18 hour days) for very little pay and don’t have access to such luxuries. Some don’t even have access to work and spend their time scavenging for food. Whatever culture you choose, you should never choose to ignore suffering.

To those whom much is given, much is expected – JFK

10 steps to a sustainable life: Step 1 (Limit consumption and stop polluting your mind)

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offensiveadsDon’t let advertising win. Make a rule to never impulse buy – if you remember it five days later, you can buy it. This rule alone should cut your consumer spending by 60% or more. When I go window shopping, in person or on the internet, and “pass up” cute things, I find myself barely remembering what it was by the time I leave the store, never mind three days later. It also gives you time to reflect how this new item would fit into your life – whether it is clothes or a new gadget. Do you really need it? I’m a girl and I like clothes (fashion is like wearable art to me) but I’ve realized I tend to buy the same things over and over, because that is what I like. How many navy blue, off-the-shoulder knitted sweaters do I really need? Recognize that the advertising industry is an industry designed to make you feel inferior and bad about yourself. It’s a billion dollar industry and they are very, very good at their jobs.

And making you buy things is just the beginning. The advertisement industry goes much, much deeper than that. It defines our society and culture; it tells us who we are. Most of us don’t like what we are being told, but we accept it anyway. If you want to understand more on this watch this lecture by Jean Kilbourne. It is very eyeopening and absolutely worth 43 minutes of your time.

Killing Us Softly 4: by Jean Kilbourne

DGoffensiveGang rape is just so glamorous these days

So the next time you get pulled in by an ad, stop and analyze exactly what it is about it that makes its message powerful to you. Then silently congratulate its creator and move on with your life. You didn’t want the item before you saw the ad, and you don’t need it now.

BKoffensiveAt the moment I am reading No Logo by Naomi Klein. It’s a book describing how corporate branding and advertisement have taken over every aspect of our lives; from the (poorly paid) jobs available, to what we consume and the global impact on the economy, plus an in-depth look at the life of the workers in third world countries that produce all the things that fill our lives. It’s by no means the only book on this topic, but it scares me that it was written almost 15 years ago, and yet the information still makes me gasp in surprise and disgust at the backward logic that run this world.

I propose the following ground rules for intelligent debate:

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cliff1) Earth is the only home we are going to have in the foreseeable future so we have to care for it as such. When the question is “profit or planet?” the planet should always win. How many people do you know that are constantly destroying and selling off parts of their house to make some money? The logical outcome is that eventually they end up with no home and some money, so I guess they would buy a new home when they are done. But remember, we have no second planet.

2) Humans and all living things need air, water and food to survive. Therefore, making sure those are healthy is our number one priority. You will not be able to eat money after your food has given you cancer, your drinking water is toxic, and once we run out of clean air, well, you’re dead in three minutes or less.

3) Aside from shooting things into outer space, there is no “away”. Garbage and waste will eventually find its way back to you in one form or another, so let’s do away with that myth right now. Close our waste loops – in nature there is no such thing as waste. Dead things are used to nourish new life. (I read that human bodies are now classified as “toxic” so rather than decompose into soil nutrients, we pollute it instead. Scary stuff.)

4) You can’t decide what to do with anyone’s body other than your own. You are not the king of everything. If I have to respect your choice to trash my planet by buying planned obsolesce junk made by slaves in faraway lands, support animal cruelty by eating junk food (at least this one will come back to bite you in the ass because diseased and cancerous meat = disease and cancer in humans), and the theft of natural resources that belong to everyone but are now only used to make the rich even richer, then the least you can do is respect my sovereignty over my own body. The hardest thing to do in life is live and let live, but it’s the only path to sanity.

What does freedom mean to you?

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Perfect timing for this TED talk! I think one of my favorite things about living in Hawaii for three years is the acute sense of transience and how it’s changed my views on possessions. There is only one way off this island – by plane – and each suitcase cost anything between $25-50 to transport. I have made a conscious choice to limit my possessions to two suitcases.

Like most girls, I love fashion and clothes but the big change that I made is that I started selling off clothes and other items that I *didn’t* love. In two years I have made almost $4,000 on eBay selling over 100 pieces from my closet, and the scariest part is that I don’t remember a single one of them. For the money I renewed my wardrobe and I actually love every piece in it now. I like clothes because it’s wearable art to reflect or enhance your personality (you have to wear it anyway, so why not wear something that makes you happy.)

When you make a rule that you actually have to love every single thing you own, you become much more picky, which leads to saving more money, which is important because, let’s face it, true freedom cost a pretty penny in this society.

Now I’m going to take my laptop and head outside in the bright Hawaiian sunshine to work on my screenplay. At 1pm on a Thursday. That’s what freedom means to me right now.

The art of solitude.

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tumblr_mcwo2djqfj1ry1gtjo1_1280 I’ve spent many Saturday nights like this. Contently alone, but restless. For some reason I thought I would outgrow it – this desperate longing to be anywhere but here, that anything fun is happening somewhere else, and that if I was there, too, I would finally feel complete and fulfilled. It’s the feeling that caused me to travel the globe for the better part of ten years, always in search of a beach, a building, a person. A feeling.

I know now that an empty hotel room is a thousand times lonelier than a home, so I am grateful to have a home that I love so much. I know that trying too hard to insert yourself into somebody else’s life is a recipe for heartbreak, and that a beach, or a building, is just that unless you are there with the right people. So the only way to truly be happy is to be happy with your life and make sure that it is everything you want it to be, or at least on the track to be, every single day.

I remember feeling this way when I was 18, sitting in my parents’ loft watching the sunset over the valley among the forests and hills surrounding our house in Norway, and I was aching to leave, see the world and begin to mold my adult life. I wrote of that bittersweet pain in a journal much like this one. Ten years later I sit in a cute little apartment in Waikiki, less than a block from the beach, nightpoolbut surrounded by tall concrete structures so it could really be anywhere. The illuminated turquoise pool outside is beautiful at night, and every single palm tree, though strategically placed, makes my Norwegian heart sing in a way that can only be understood by those who are used to seven months long winters.

I know comparing your life to others is the death of happiness but indulge me for a second. I’ve been trying to get a handle on Twitter for the past month and in that time I’ve been following random celebrities including this twenty-something year old actress on a popular TV show. She spent New Years in Thailand, jetted back to the east coast for filming during the week (making a cool $50,000+ per episode), spent every weekend of January in LA attending award shows, and now she’s in New Orleans. Incidentally, one of my best friends is in NOLA right now and I would give an arm and a leg just to see her, but personal grudges aside, it is hard to not feel as though you are missing out sometimes in this 24/7 instant social media world. Everybody is always doing something which, if you have time to sit and view it all, seem more exciting than what you are doing.

It is hard to enjoy solitude these days. It seems the only cool way to be alone is to take a picture of your serene surroundings and upload it to Facebook, usually accompanied by a profound and introspective quote.

I don’t know, man. Usually I put on a movie to distract me until the feeling passes (On the Road is currently paused at 23:16, in case you wondered) but this time I wrote a blog post instead. And I feel better. Thanks for reading.

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