From Recession to Renewal: Ten Resolutions for 2009

When times are tough, people are often forced to cut back or re-assess their lifestyles.  They make do with the eight-year old minivan and hold off on that new kitchen.  Instead, they get a good tune-up and maybe replace the countertops – hopefully with an eco-friendly choice like reclaimed butcher block or recycled tile or glass.  In tough times, people traditionally restore rather than consume.

As the economic recession deepens, it can also deepen our personal need for renewal.  Job losses are traumatic when families need shelter and food – those physical necessities are paramount.  If survival is not on the line, a recession offers an invitation to pull out of the rat race, even temporarily, and regroup. It provides an opportunity to re-evaluate where we are going and why. It is, in short, a chance for renewal.

When a forest fire sweeps across a tract of wilderness, the destruction and loss becomes the focus. While too many forest fires are caused by human negligence, fire is also a natural occurrence and frequently welcome.  Fires can liberate forests from choking overgrowth, deadwood, pests and monopolistic species that threaten the biodiversity.  The soil in a burned area can be enriched by the ash, nurturing new growth to support a wider range of plant and animal species.  Many of the larger, mature trees survive the flames and now have additional room to grow.  The fire renews the land and supports a fresh direction for life.

As with forest fires, we tend to focus on the destructive elements of a recession: the loss of equity, loss of jobs, loss of lifestyle.  But just as the fire ignites another acre of forest, new seeds are cracking open in the heat and taking hold in nutrient-rich soil.  The fire both destroys and acts as a catalyst for renewal. Recessions also foster renewal and revitalization.  Here are ten resolutions for personal renewal for 2009:

1)      Eat more meals at home, complete with ingredients from your local grocer or, if you are lucky, the local farm;

2)      Drink tap water (filtered if you have no confidence in your municipal water supply) instead of expensive, bottled beverages;

3)      Leave the car  at home every second day or try not to drive on the weekend;

4)      Teach a child about recycling or composting by doing it together;

5)      Find a dozen inexpensive ways to make your home more energy efficient (unplug appliances, turn down the heat or air conditioning, change to high efficiency light bulbs, seal cracks around doors and windows, etc.);

6)      Watch one less hour of television every day. Use the time to develop a new skill or craft or learn more about yourself;

7)      Volunteer with a local charitable organization to help renew your community;

      Get out in nature and breathe deeply;

9)      Organize and participate in neighbourhood, park and green space clean-ups; and

10)   Inspire your local government to enter into redevelopment partnerships to renew and restore abandoned properties before investing in new development.

Wishing you peace, joy and renewal in 2009.