This week’s post was written by Stephanie Anjos, a rising senior who studies psychology at UMass Amherst. As well as serving as a New Students Orientation counselor, she works at the International Programs Office and is one of two new co-presidents of Latinos Unidos, a multicultural organization on campus.
On pages 23-24 of No Impact Man, author Colin Beavan writes that:
The trick to environmental living might not be in choosing different products. Instead – at least for profligate citizens of the United States and Western Europe – it might partly be about choosing fewer products. [. . .] As the ancient Chinese Tao Te Ching says, “The man who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”
This is my favorite part of the entire book because it envelopes the purpose and reasoning behind this project in a single, brief passage. In life, we are consistently searching for new things to try, new things to do, and new things to satisfy us, but what we ultimately fail to seek out, most times, is a new approach/outlook/perspective, something fresh which can serve to guide us and keep us grounded along this path.
In encountering and adopting this view, we can learn to take things in stride, to fulfill our needs and accomplish our goals one step at a time, in contrast to leaping into it all at once. It is true that each case should be handled in its own way; however, there is usually a model that can be followed or used as a template. But here we must first acknowledge what is before us.
On page 25, Beavan asserts that “our desires are fundamental to who we are and therefore essentially good (even if we should not necessarily allow ourselves to be ruled by them).” To eat healthy, we don’t have to eliminate all unhealthy foods, for then we would never take on the art of self-control. To be happy, we don’t have to be drowning in a pool of money, having every bill paid for and buying all that we want, despite how great this may sound. There are certain parameters which can be used to assess the difference between ignorance and knowledge, between natural and exaggerated.
At UMass, all that you can imagine for the lifestyle you wish to have is offered to you, with the exception that you have to go out and make that all actually happen, find those opportunities, and grab them. Assistant Director of NSO Elizabeth Cleary once said “We are immobilized by having too many choices, making it difficult to choose because the newest and latest is always more visually appealing.” This is one thing that I feel is conflicting for students because everyone feels the need to have it all simultaneously. Realizing what meaning the word “enough” holds for us will help direct us to success, not only at the university but in life overall.
I think freshmen will be able to connect with Beavan’s goal to change the world as they embark on their own adventures in transitioning to college, where they too will be provided with the opportunity to change their lives in addition to the lives of those around them. It all depends on how they go about this. My colleague Jose Cotto once told me that “Your net worth is your network.” There are several ways on campus to establish your own community, whether it be by getting a job or joining a registered student organization (RSO). In taking part in these activities, students receive their chance to have their voice heard by representing their cause or whatever it is that they wish to advocate on behalf of.
When Colin Beavan reflected intently on his actions, he decided to change them. It didn’t necessarily mean that he was going to change the whole world. I think this is the clincher for new students to realize in coming to UMass. Whatever you choose to study, participate in, advocate for, it is more beneficial to do it for the purpose of knowing that you yourself are making a difference because not everyone will notice or follow your lead or, if they do, might not have the same way of getting things done. As Beavan announces on page 26, “a life lived with less emphasis on acquisition might have the effect of leaving more time for richer, less resource-intensive life rewards, making both the planet and the people happier.”
So readers, I ask you: what are some ways that we can go about saving the Earth and living healthier that weren’t mentioned in the book?